Serves 4
Many of us at The Fork consider the Tuna Melt to be at the top of our “favorite sandwich” list. This recipe strikes the perfect balance of flavor with herbs, citrus, and TomaProvence, which adds an extra burst of herbal notes and cheesy goodness. We use minced preserved lemon in our recipe, which you can either buy or easily make at home (look for a recipe online). However, lemon zest can be used as a simple substitute. Rye bread adds depth to the sandwich, and we serve it open-faced to let the tuna and cheese take center stage in this beloved sandwich.
3 (6-ounce) cans solid, water-packed tuna, drained
½ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons finely chopped cornichons or dill pickles
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced preserved lemon peel or 2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 packed tablespoon minced fresh dill
2 teaspoons whole-grain or Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 slices sliced rye bread
2-3 tablespoons softened butter
6 oz shredded Point Reyes TomaProvence
Minced fresh chives or parsley, garnish, if desired
Place the tuna in a medium bowl and flake with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, cornichons or pickles, red onion, lemon juice, preserved lemon or zest, dill, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Turn on oven broiler.
Butter both sides of each slice of bread. Heat a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over low-medium heat and add bread slices. Flip every minute or two until both sides of bread are evenly browned. Remove bread from skillet and place on a cooling rack set inside a sheet pan. (The cooling rack will allow air to flow under the bread, preventing it from getting soggy when it goes in the oven.)
Spoon the tuna mixture onto each slice of bread in equal amounts, then follow with TomaProvence, pressing it down into the tuna, as needed.
Place tuna melts in oven and cook until cheese is bubbly and brown, checking frequently, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven, top with fresh chives or parsley and serve.
