Ultimate Tuna Melt

I keep writing sentences then erasing them.

Over and over again.

I start in about homeschooling (I don’t hate it…actually in some ways I love it but it feels all-consuming. In some ways it feels a little like having newborns again). And then there’s the January blues, the little puppies that took over our lives and all the worry and disgust and concern I feel every time I catch even a snippet of news. I saw a meme that said 2021 is basically 2020 with bangs and as someone who has done battle with bangs for the majority of her life; that feels all too accurate.

But every time I write those sentences they just ramble on and on and even I don’t want to listen to my own navel gazing.

But that’s not why you’re here anyway. You came for the tuna melt. And I promise you its so worth reading my disjointed words to get to the recipe.

So without further ado, lets get right to it.

Ultimate Tuna Melt (adapted from Molly Baz)

• 2 slices thick-cut sourdough or multigrain bread

• 1 - 7 ounce can solid tuna in water

• 2 tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise

• 2 stalks celery minced

• Dill pickle sliced

• tomato sliced

• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill

• pinch of salt and black pepper

• 2 slices sharp cheddar cheese

• Frank’s hot sauce

Lightly toast two pieces of bread. This is for two open-faced sandwiches, but you could also make this a panini by smooshing everything into a sandwich and grilling in a generous pat of butter on both sides. No wrong way to do it. But if you’re going for the open-faced version, toast the bread just a little and give one side a tiny smear of butter. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine tuna, mayo and minced celery. Mix it all up and until its well-combined and give it a small sprinkle of black pepper. Slice the dill pickles lengthwise along with the tomatoes. Spread tun a mixture on both pieces of toast. Layer the pickles and tomatoes over the tuna (the order is important). Sprinkle generously with dried dill and a small sprinkle of salt and pepper on the tomato. Top with cheddar cheese. Move sandwiches to a tray and broil in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, watching until the cheese bubbles and melts and the edges of the toast crisp and turn brown.

Remove from the oven and drizzle with Frank’s hot sauce. Trust me on the Frank’s. It brings the whole thing together. Devour. Rinse. Repeat.