H and I share a love for tuna, don’t we, H? We also share a love for salmon (and that’s not to mention chocolate, cheese, knitting, sewing, decorating, sundresses… the list goes on). Consider it mutual-love-item-#76. When the boyfriend and I were on our cruise recently, I went a bit crazy with the tuna salad sandwiches (so good!)- thus imagine my delighted surprise when H suggested we make these delicious Oregon Tuna Melts for this week’s cooking date! How on Earth could I refuse so brilliant a suggestion?

These were monstrous. I mean, if I were a big, strong man who liked large, meaty wiches, then this would have been the one. I was barely able to finish half of this thing. It’s INTENSE. H will probably have me note that she was able to eat hers but she has magical sandwich-eating powers so that’s neither here nor there. The point is, if you have a hungry boyfriend to feed- as is often the case, it seems- this one’s a winner. And it involves fresh, delicious ciabatta. What’s not to enjoy?

What’s really original about this recipe is that there’s mayonnaise spread on the sandwich, but not in the tuna salad- rather, olive oil and balsamic vinegar (two of my favourite things in life) flavour it instead. Original, delicious, and more healthy. Case closed. Make this sandwich.

Oregon Tuna Melts

Adapted from Oregon Tuna Melts from Food & Wine Magazine’s  Simple Acts of Sandwich Genius (Tommy Habetz)

Ingredients (makes 2 large sandwiches):

• 2 6-oz cans albacore tuna (chunk light, in water)
• 1/4 cup finely-diced red onion
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar from modena (don’t get me started on vinegars)
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried basil (recipe called for fresh, we went for dried for a less sharp taste)
• 2 ciabatta rolls, split in half
• Dijon mustard and mayonnaise for spreading
• 4 1/4-inch-thick organic Emmantaler cheese slices (so good!)
• sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Process:

1. Heat grill pan/panini press on medium heat.
2. Drain tuna, then mix in small bowl with onion, olive oil, vinegar, dried basil, salt, and pepper.
3. Spread mustard on one half of the ciabatta rolls and mayo on the other. Layer two slices of cheese over the mustard half on each roll. Spread the tuna salad on top of the cheese evenly. Place the mayo’d ciabatta slice over the tuna to close the sandwiches.
4. The recipe suggests you brush some melted butter onto the tops of the sandwiches; I prefer to have a little organic canola oil heating on the grill instead. It’s healthier! Place the sandwiches (ours were so large, we had to go one at a time… my grill pan is not too gargantuan) on the grill and cover with the panini press. Grill over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, until you have some nice grill marks going.
5. Cut in half and serve warm with a cool, refreshing drink! I suggest some home-made lemonade.

Mine was not quite as warm as I dilligently shot pictures prior to eating, but it was quite nice… and I’m not a fan of melting cheese, so I liked it better with the cheese being a bit cool. These are terrific for that day when you need a hearty sandwich that feels decadent but really isn’t too bad! I’m sure you could try many a variant of it as well.

I’ve been happily playing with my new toy (the grill pan) making a flurry of panini. They’re quick, they’re simple, and they’re hot- why would I not be making them in excess? This variant included my second-favourite fish: tuna! There are pro’s and con’s to tuna panini, I have found, the most important part being: use large chunks! I had some smaller chunks which fell off the sides and sadly immediately began to burn. That said, despite this issue, it was a very yummy sandwich.

Tuna Pesto Panino

Ingredients (makes one sandwich):

• 2 slices cut approx. 1-inch thick of rustic bread of your choice (french boule, rustic/country bread, a fairly dense ciabatta, etc- so long as it’s got few holes and a good crust)
• 1 can chunk light tuna (larger chunks are preferable!)
• 2 medallions fresh mozarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon of traditional basil pesto (half spread on each slice of bread)
• 2 cherry tomatoes, sliced into 1/3 inch thick slices, blotted dry with a paper towel

Process:

1. Heat panini press or grill pan
2. Spread pesto onto the bread slices
3. Spread tuna over one of the bread slices, arranging evenly
4. Place mozarella cheese over the tuna
5. Place tomato slices over the mozarella (open-face down onto the mozarella for end slices)
6. Put bread slices together carefully so as to not spill ingredients
7. Place sandwich on panini press and pull down the top; or, place on grill pan and place pressing tool on top; or, place on grill pan and if you do not have a panini press, put a heavy weight on top
8. Grill/press for 4-5 minutes, then if browned to your preference, flip over and grill for another 4-5 minutes
9. Remove from heat, slice in half at a slight diagonal, and dig in :)

For added fun, use chicken of the sea and have a laugh. I used Starkist, but any brand will do! Try it out, this is a very nutritious and hearty panino!

This was, by far, my favourite of my mother’s lunch recipes. She would make this in large batches every few months, and I was delighted every time. It’s delicious, it’s very nutritious, and it’s incredibly cheap to make. If you’re looking for a recipe that can be easily made on a large scale, has health benefits but won’t cost you more than $8 for 5 meals, look no further. That’s right, this can make you a sandwich for lunch for under $2, all while giving you essential nutrients. Here’s how you do it:

• Take two cans of tuna (this makes about 6 sandwiches- you can add or subtract cans of tuna as you like)- you can pick the brand and colour and whatnot. The essential part is that it be in a can, otherwise the consistency of this salad will go awry. Open the can about 3/4 of the way and press down on the lid to remove all the water you can (on that note, be sure to get tuna in water, as opposed to some sort of oil). Then open the can the whole way and continue pressing to remove all remaining moisture (you can either save this tuna water for your cat, for another dish (cooking pasta)… or give the drain a birthday present). Pour the dried tuna into a large mixing bowl and break it up a bit so that it’s not one large chunk.
• Add your spices: I’ve tried this recipe a good 5 times and tried adding a variety of spices, and have learned this is one where the ‘less is more’ principle comes into effect. My mother would add salt, pepper, and a large amount of nutmeg. After experimentation, I’ve found that this really is the triumvirate to go with… particularly the nutmeg. If you can grate it fresh, that’s wonderful- but if not, powdered will do just fine. Add as you like it- I add a teaspoon or so per can of tuna.
• Now add in the mayonnaise. Helm’s has a low-fat mayo that’s olive oil based, so go with that one if you can find it… if not, look for the healthiest one you can see, because this ingredient is the one real detriment to this recipe’s nutritional value. Sadly, though, for consistency, you can’t go without it. Add one soup spoon per can of tuna. Add each spoon one at a time and mix it in before adding the next. If you go a bit overboard on this one, you can compensate with extra potato pieces. You may prefer it to be drier or wetter- I’ve found that adding a bit less mayo is better than a bit more, for a drier salad will keep the pita crunchier (which I prefer).
• Take 3 medium-to-large-sized potatoes per can of tuna. Rinse these thoroughly, poke holes in them with a fork, and microwave them. You’ll need to microwave them for about 4 minutes at a time, flipping them after every 4 minutes, until they cave in lightly when you touch. This is one I can’t give an exact number for, but simply press down onto the potato lightly and if it immediately goes inward- a bit mushy, but nto so mushy that it loses its shape- then it’s ready.
• Rinse the potatoes in cold water so that your fingers won’t burn :) then either peel them (as my mother would do) or, if you enjoy potato skins, keep them on (just trim off any deformities or black areas). Then cut into cubes (doesn’t have to be exact) of approx. 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch.
• Mix the potato pieces into the tuna mixture, using a folding method- don’t smash the potatoes, you want to keep their form as much as possible. So try folding the tuna around and over the potato pieces until the potatoes are fully coated with the tuna-mayo mixture.

At this point you can eat it warm- it’s quite yummy- but for optimal results, refrigerate overnight and you’re set for the morning. It’s particularly yummy on toasted whole wheat pita as an easy and portable lunch!

It’s yummy, nutritious, and incredibly cheap. This recipe is, no doubt, a winner. (Thanks, Mom!) If you’re looking to add some crunch, you can go traditional and add some chopped chives, or go middle-eastern and add in some chopped pistachios. Drizzle a little honey on your pita to add a little sweetness, if so desired!

Important note: Eating an excess of tuna can lead to mercury poisoning. Try not to eat this more than 3x in one week to ensure good health! This will easily keep in the fridge for 1.5 to 2 weeks- even more so if you squeeze in a bit of lemon juice before adding in the mayo- so be sure to not overdo!