A toasted tuna salad sandwich with cheddar cheese was a go-to meal for lunch and occasionally dinner when I was growing up. I have elevated it slightly with the addition of Idiazabal, a semi-cured sheep cheese from the Basque region in Spain. It has a wonderfully smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with the tuna belly used. Happy cooking.
Chef notes:
Add sriracha or hot smoked paprika to the mayonnaise to spice it up.
Specialty equipment:
Microplane zester
Yield: serves 2
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Mayonnaise
2 egg yolks
1 tsp Dijon
Juice of half a lemon
1 cup olive oil
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Tuna Salad
1 can of tuna belly in olive oil conserva
2 tbsp chives, chopped
2 tbsp red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp cornichon pickles, chopped
2 tbsp mayonnaise
½ a baguette
100 g idiazabal cheese, sliced
¼ cup salted butter
30 g grana padano, grated
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
For the mayonnaise
Place the egg yolks, dijon, and lemon juice into a mixing bowl.
Add the oil slowly, whisking continuously, to create an emulsion.
Season the taste with salt and pepper.
Store the mayonnaise in the fridge in a sealed container for up to one week.
For the tuna melts
Drain the oil from the tuna and add it to a mixing bowl.
Combine the tuna with the chives, red pepper, cornichon, mayonnaise, and season to taste.
Slice the baguette into eight, ¼-inch slices.
Add a large spoonful of the tuna salad to 4 of the slices of baguette.
Top with the idziabal cheese and close the sandwiches.
Melt half of the butter in a frying pan on high heat.
Dip the sandwich into the butter, the grated grana padano, and back into the pan to toast it.
Add more butter, flip the melts, and toast the other side until they are golden brown.
Remove from the pan and garnish with more grated grana padano and fresh chopped chives.
©chefalisonbiebs