This is a roadside diner classic that I recently rediscovered. It’s one of those concoctions I used to love as a kid and then, for some reason, lost touch with it.
Now I want to make a pitch here about the importance of using chunk light tuna in this recipe and not the solid white. First of all, the chunk light tuna is usually less expensive than solid white which, of course, is in line with the budget-cookery that is povertystew.com. Also, once you goop the mayo and all the other stuff onto it, no one is going to notice what variety of tuna you are using. But most importantly there appears to be good evidence that the chunk light tuna contains less mercury than its solid white cousin, perhaps as much as half the amount.
So save yourself some money – and the heavy metal poisoning – and use the chunk light tuna from now on. That’s an order.
Need This
3 – 5 ounce cans of chunk light tuna (packed in water)
2 ribs of celery – diced
1 small red onion – diced
1 tomato – sliced into thin slices (optional)
4 bread slices
Mayonnaise
8 slices of yellow American cheese
Salt
Ground black pepper
Do This
Drain the water off the 3 cans of tuna
Dump the tuna, diced celery and diced onion into a large bowl.
Add as much (or as little) mayonnaise as desired.
Mix!
Add salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
Heat your oven to 350 F.
Place the 4 slices of bread onto a flat baking sheet.
Using a spatula, schmear a thick layer of the tuna salad over each slice of bread. Add the sliced tomatoes on top – if using.
Cover each slice of bread with two slices of the American cheese.
Bake in the oven until the cheese is completely melted.
Serve hot.
Serves 4. My cost approx. $ 5.65 total – about $ 1.41 per serving.