LUCY BURDETTE: Now that it’s officially summertime, I feel I can indulge in one of my favorite lunchtime treats, the good old-fashioned tuna melt. There are a couple of places near my hometown in Connecticut that do these superbly. The secret might lie in good rye bread, just enough tuna salad, but not too much, and a good dose of melty cheese. I saw a recipe recently that called for adding salt and vinegar potato chips to the mix. This sounded like something I had to try. And here is my stab at the iconic dish…
Ingredients for two sandwiches
Four slices of good quality rye bread.
Eight slices of white American cheese or cheddar.
One can tuna in water. (could be oil if that’s your preference)
Two stalks celery, chopped
Half a cup sweet pickles, chopped.
One heaping tablespoon mayonnaise
Teaspoon Dijon mustard
Handful of salt and vinegar potato chips.
Squeeze the oil or water out of the tuna and flake that up in a bowl. Chop the celery and pickles and add these as well. Add the mayonnaise and the mustard and mix it all together.
Melt a tablespoon or so of butter in a frying pan. Place a slice of bread in the melted butter, and on top of that layer two slices of cheese, a scoop of the tuna salad, enough potato chips to cover, and a second two slices of cheese. Cover this with bread, and fry on medium heat until the bottom is brown, and the cheese is melted. Flip the sandwich and continue to cook until the second side is brown and oozing bubbly cheese.
Remove the sandwich to a plate. Cut in half and enjoy!
Note from me: I’m not sure the potato chips in the sandwich were necessary as they were missing the appealing crunch. Next time I would serve them on the side. If you wish to add chopped raw onion to the dish, have at it!
Lucy Burdette writes the Key West food critic mystery series including USA Today bestselling A POISONOUS PALATE and A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS.
Thank you for the Tuna Melts recipe and for giving me a craving for rye bread! I'm the only one that loves rye bread so I don't have it often, but reading this recipe had me adding it to my grocery list. I've never put mustard in it before so that will be a new part for me. I'll take my chips to the side. Never have been one to add them into a sandwich. Now to see if I can't make that grocery run today. :)
ReplyDelete2clowns at arkansas dot net
My family doesn't like rye either, but in this case they were overruled:)
DeleteHard to beat a tasty rye bread, but adding tuna and cheese takes it over the top! This sounds like a winner to me. I agree, chips on the side.
ReplyDeletefor sure!
DeleteAlright. Now I know what I am having for lunch today! I love tuna melts, and this one with homemade rye bread has to top the tasting charts!!! Thank you for this easy and surely delicious recipe, Lucy/Roberta! You always amaze and amuse us reader-eaters! Thank you most sincerely! JOY! Luis at ole dot travel
ReplyDeleteThank YOU for your kind words!
DeleteI've been on a rye break kick of late (Jewish rye, with caraway seeds and cornmeal on the crust--yum!), so I may have to make one of these soon! (I also a big fan of patty melts, the hamburger's take on tuna melts).
ReplyDeleteGuess what I’m having for lunch, Lucy? I love the idea of salt and vinegar chips in the mix, even if the crunch didn’t quite survive the skillet. I might try tucking a few in after grilling. And yes to rye bread! Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteYum. You can't beat rye bread!
ReplyDeleteYou could also do this with a chickpea salad in place ot the tuna.
ReplyDeleteMy sister used to put corn chips in her sandwiches. They weren't in there long enough to get soggy.
Your delish recipe gave me a tuna craving, but I didn't have ingredients on hand. Instead, I made tuna salad with tuna, cannellini beans, tomatoes, and Caesar dressing, served in a gluten-free spinach wrap. Was pretty good. I'd love to try the tuna melt -- I've seen GF rye bread online but not in stores in my area. Has anyone ever tried it?
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