a case for the lowly tuna melt

Okay, now why would I post about the lowly tuna melt? Everyone probably has their own twist and probably has been making theirs the same way since forever. Me, I only started eating tuna after 10 years of being a vegetarian. I'm kind of a tuna-newbie, but I've taken to it like honey. It was actually an old boyfriend who turned me onto tuna melts. We broke up but the tuna melt remains my constant lunch time/lazy dinner time/snack time stand by. I love the tang of the pickles, I love the melty cheese and I like that I can eat it out of one hand, so it's the perfect working on the computer and eating lunch at the same time kind of meal. I love me my tuna melt!


Now there is nothing fancy here and while I have been known to doctor up the melt with capers, red onions, parmesan and fresh dill on occassion, I like to keep things simple. Onion for flavour, celery for crunch, and definitely, definitely, pickles. The amount of mayo is really up to you, but I like to keep things light. My choice of bread is always a pita, but I know Cornelius favours a Portugese roll. The recipe below uses things like tablespoons and teaspoons, but I just eyeball it. Below is just my best guess, so taste and adjust to whatever suits you best. If you don't want to go through the trouble of making a melt, just eat it inbetween 2 slices of bread and call it a sandwich. It's good that way too.


simple tuna melt
1 can of tuna, drained
2 T mayo
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 large dill pickle, diced
1 - 2 t dill pickle juice
1/4 c grated old cheddar + extra for topping
pepper
2 large pitas

Preheat oven to 400. In your cutest vintage pyrex bowl (I like my teal butterprint bowl), mix up the above ingredients. Spread the mixture over the 2 pita breads and then sprinkle some extra cheese over top so it can get all melty. Place on cookie sheet and bake until cheese is melty and golden, about 10 minutes. I like to zap it under the broiler so the tops get extra golden - but watch out, it burns easily!

easy does it

When it comes to making a weekday lunch, I don't want a big production. I'm working, I'm hungry and I'm more likely to eat crackers and a Granny Smith apple than to actually make something from scratch. But today I made something that was easy, fast and super yummy. I had a bottle of my favorite dressing in the fridge (but you could certainly make your own from scratch as I've done many times in the past) and a can of tuna in the cupboard. Lunch seemed simple. A little of this, a dollop of that and lunch was ready to eat in no time flat. I actually thought that I had bought a bag of peeled edamame, but when I checked the freezer I realized I had accidentally purchased broad beans. Oh well, they worked wonderfully with the corn and pasta here and the dressing adds a nice little kick.

tuna pasta salad with broad beans & corn
250g rotini
1 can tuna, drained
1/2 small onion, diced fine
1/2 green pepper, diced fine
1/4 c frozen corn
1/2 c frozen broad beans
a pinch of ground pepper
a blob of Annie's Goddess Dressing (or make your own)

1. Prepare pasta as directed. During the last few minutes of cooking, throw in the frozen beans and corn. Drain pasta and vegetables and rinse with cold water.

2. Put into large bowl and add in tuna, onions and green pepper. Pour in enough dressing to coat the pasta making sure not to over do it! Grind in some pepper and chill at least 1 hr in the fridge...as if! Or eat after 5 minutes like I did.