Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Fishing For Something Good to Eat


Don’t know what to cook for dinner?

Check the pantry…box of something…bag of something…blah. And you’re hungry.

Look a little deeper. There, right next to the box, on the other side of the bag, is a can. A can of tuna. Grab two cans and let’s get going!

Tuna is that ingredient that we all buy, but seem to neglect once other interesting stuff hits our kitchen. So the tuna sits, and waits.

Tuna is a most patient kind of fish. It doesn’t mind waiting.

Most people look at canned tuna with only one or two recipes in mind. But canned tuna has much more to offer than just the standard, mostly boring tuna, mayo and celery combination. Prepare the recipe below for your family after a long day, and they will not only be full, but thankful for the delicious and quick meal.

Easy Tuna Salad Sandwich (2 servings)

4 slices of your favorite bread (Whole grain is a tasty plus)

4 slices of Provolone cheese (or Swiss or Jarlsberg)

2 cans of drained tuna

½ green pepper, cut in squares

½ of a shallot, chopped

1 ½ tablespoons of Dijon mustard

1 ½ tablespoons of mayonnaise

¼ teaspoon of thyme

1 teaspoon of tarragon vinegar

A dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Salt and black pepper to taste


Preparation

In a bowl, empty the two cans of well drained tuna, and mix in the green pepper. Next, add the thyme and shallots. Then add the mustard, mayonnaise, tarragon vinegar, adding the salt, cayenne and black pepper last. Once everything is well mixed, cover and place in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, toast the bread slices. If you have a toaster oven, you can put the cheese slice on each piece of bread while it toasts. Otherwise, toast the bread, and then add a cheese slice to each piece of toast, letting the cheese melt a little.

Then add the tuna salad, cut in half and enjoy!

This tuna salad sandwich goes great with a side of fries, or some mixed greens. It goes great with tater tots. Most things do. But in the end, it’s just a really good sandwich.

Keep in mind that you can add or substitute as many vegetables as you would like to the tuna. For example, you can add a variety of peppers, some celery, carrots, scallions, regular onions and even some raisins to add some sweetness. Remember, it’s is all about taking simple ingredients, and making something extraordinary. You know what I always say, variety is the name of the game!

Karen