Another Take on tuna

I wrote this recipe up a while ago on my other blog, but wanted it to be in here:

When I was younger, we would have open faced tuna sandwiches quite often for dinner or lunch. Very cheap, and very easy. Paul never really liked them, and said it was not fit for dinner food. Well, yesterday I tweaked the recipe, and Paul's opinion changed. We had it for lunch, and he wanted it again for dinner, and then again for lunch today.

He is not usually a fan of the common tuna and pickles. Another complaint was that the bread would get soggy. We didn't have any pickles or sweetcorn (a very British thing), so I used canned pineapple instead.

Here's my recipe:

Tropical tuna sandwiches
Mix together:
1 can tuna in water, drained
3 pineapple rings, chopped into small pieces
about 3 Tbs mayo (or to desired consistency)
pinch cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Toast 4 slices of bread in toaster till lightly browned. Spread tuna mix evenly on bread, top with grated Cheddar cheese. Place sandwiches in broiler/grill on Medium heat until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

It may sound a little strange, but it's actually really good. By toasting the bread before hand, it stays crisp under the moist tuna mixture. The pineapple and cayenne really complement the tuna well. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Breakfast Burritos

Despite the name, I usually make these for dinner. Eggs are a good inexpensive protein, and this dish is not only delicious, but really easy to make. I like to roast my own bell pepper, but you could use one from a jar if you want.

2-3 Tbs vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 large potato, petite diced

3 roasted red or yellow bell peppers, chopped

1/2 head savoy cabbage, finely chopped (see note)

1/2 tsp cumin (or to taste)

1/2 tsp chili powder (or to taste)

5-6 large eggs

salt and pepper to taste

tortillas

grated cheddar cheese

yogurt or sour cream

salsa

In a large frying pan, sauté the onions in the oil for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the potatoes and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and bell pepper, cumin and chili powder and sauté until potatoes and cabbage are soft. Remove potato mixture from pan.

Add a little more oil to the pan, and add the eggs to scramble them (I add eggs straight to the pan and scramble in the pan. You could whisk the eggs together in a separate bowl before cooking if desired).

Heat tortillas, add desired amounts of potato mixture and eggs, and any other condiments of choice.

Note: Savoy Cabbage is a variety of cabbage in the UK. The leave are more tender than regular white cabbage (sort of a mix between nappa and white cabbage). Regular white cabbage would probably work, but might not be as tender as the savoy cabbage. You could also try spinach or kale.

Twice Baked Potatoes

This is a simple dish, and a good way to use canned tuna.

4 Large baking potatoes

1 can tuna, drained

1 large celery stalk, finely chopped

1 onion, minced

1 Tbs capers, rinsed and chopped (optional)

1 tsp dried thyme

1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated Italian/Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup natural/plain yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C. Wrap potatoes in foil, and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Let cool, and then cut a slit across the top, leaving about 3/4" at each end. Push the ends together to open the potato.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out the flesh of the potato and place in a large bowl. Leave some flesh in the potato to help keep its shape. Repeat with all potatoes.

Mash the potato in the bowl and combine the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Season to taste. Stuff each potato with the filling, and sprinkle more grate cheese on top. Place in a baking dish, and bake for about 30 minutes, or until cheese on top is bubbly and brown.