Golden Diner’s Tuna Melt
This tuna melt, which was adapted from Sam Yoo, the owner and chef of Golden Diner in New York, is almost more about the textures than the tuna: Two slices of rye bread, crisped in butter and adorned with melted American cheese, sandwich a hefty scoop of tuna salad and a fistful of salt-and-vinegar potato chips. The sandwich will crunch, audibly, as you smash it together, and again between your teeth as you eat it. But the tuna salad is equally memorable: Reminiscent of the flavors of a Big Mac, its tangy, mayo-based sauce gets a hefty dose of acidity from minced bread and butter pickles, mustard, vinegar and Tabasco. This tuna melt eats like a tuna grilled cheese and proves that the best sandwiches are all about contrast: hot and cold, buttery and tangy, crispy and creamy.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- ⅓cup mayonnaise (preferably Hellmann’s)
- ¼cup minced bread and butter pickles
- 1 ½teaspoons yellow mustard (preferably Frank’s)
- Scant 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- ¼teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼teaspoon onion powder
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2(5-ounce) cans yellowfin tuna packed in water, drained (all of the water squeezed out)
- ⅓cup minced red onion
- ⅓cup minced celery
- ½teaspoon Tabasco (or to taste)
- Salt
- 6tablespoons softened unsalted butter
- 8slices rye bread (or other sandwich bread)
- Salt-and-vinegar potato chips
- 6slices American Cheese
Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the tuna salad: In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, minced pickles, mustard, vinegar, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil with one hand while whisking the mixture with the other. Add the drained tuna, red onion and celery; fold to combine. Season to taste with Tabasco and salt; refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.Step 2
Cook the sandwiches: Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, lightly butter one side of each slice of bread. Working in batches as needed, add the bread to the heated griddle, buttered-side down, and divide the cheese on top (1 1/2 pieces per slice of bread), tearing cheese to fit in a single layer. Cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy and golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer toasts to a large cutting board for assembly.Step 3
Divide the cold tuna mix among 4 slices (about 1/2 cup each), schmearing it to cover each piece from edge to edge. Add a handful of chips on top and close the sandwiches with the other slices of bread, toasted-side up. Using a serrated knife, cut sandwiches in half diagonally and serve while the bread is warm.