Tunacado Melt

Apparently the tunacado is ALL THE RAGE. And though it is nostalgic, it is… okay. It’s a sandwich. It’s tuna with avocado on crispy bread.

However, I think it would be ten times better as a melt. Enter the tunacado melt but with some Middle Eastern-North African flair as seen through a harissa tuna salad.

Though tuna melts get a bad rap, they are the embodiment of a happy accident. The origin of the Tuna Melt is a good one: “which allegedly took place at a Woolworth's department store in Charleston, S.C. A cook at the store's lunch counter was busy whipping up orders when a mess of tuna fell on top of a grilled cheese sandwich. Rather than cleaning it up, the cook discovered the magic of these two flavor combinations. With that, the iconic tuna melt was born.”

My aunt Linda quickly taught me how to incorporate melt sandwiches into my day-to-day, teaching me from a ripe age how to order the perfect tuna melt at the bodega. Extra tuna. Red Onions. Pickles on the side.

Happy lunching. Enjoy xcx

Tunacado Melt

Time: 15-20 minutes

Yield: 1

INGREDIENTS

{Harissa Tuna Salad}

• 1 can of skipjack tuna , liquid drained

• 2 tablespoons harissa paste, substitute sriracha

• 1 tablespoon greek yogurt of choice (I used cashew)

• 1/4 teaspoon each: cumin and garlic powder

• zest of 1 lemon

• 2 tablespoons chopped dill

• pinch of sea salt and pepper, to taste

{Assembly}

• (2) slices of sourdough bread or bread of choice

• 1 tablespoon softened butter, split evenly

• 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced

• 2 ounces of mozzarella or American cheese, sliced

• coconut oil, to sear/toast

DIRECTIONS

{Harissa Tuna Salad}

1. To a bowl, add the tuna, harissa (or sriracha), yogurt, spices, lemon zest, chopped dill, and salt. Stir together until incorporated. Set aside.

{To assemble}

1. Slater the softened butter on one side of each piece of bread. Flip and prepare the sandwich on the non-buttered side.

2. Layer the thinly sliced cheese. Add the tuna salad (about 3/4 of the batch will fit). Layer thinly sliced avo on top!

3. Place the other piece of bread on top.

4. Heat an oiled skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sandwich and press down one side using a spatula or grill press.

5. Add a splash of water around the side of the pan and cover the skillet. This will trap steam and allow the cheese to thoroughly melt in the center of the sandwich. Cook on both sides for about 2-3 minutes.

6. Once golden brown and the cheese is visibly melted, remove from heat. Slice in half and serve with pickles (this is non-negotiable).

7. Dive in!

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