Tarragon Tuna Melt Sandwich

One of my favorite things to have for lunch, especially when I have lunch 'out' at a casual restaurant is a tuna melt.  I don't often make them for myself at home since it's a larger lunch than I normally eat. Lynn at Happier Than a Pig in Mud is having a Pillsbury Dough Boy celebrity cook-along today and, when I was looking over the Pillsbury website, I found a recipe for tuna melts that reminded me how much I enjoyed them. My recipe is very  'loosely' based on this Pillsbury recipe. Since I had half of a bakery baguette in my freezer, I didn't need to use the Pillsbury Refrigerated Crusty French Loaf. 

Since I now have fresh herbs growing outside (hooray!) I added some fresh tarragon and parsley to my tuna along with some chopped celery, green onion, and sweet red pepper.  My recipe may not bear much resemblance to the original Pillsbury recipe, but it certainly was inspired by it!

It didn't last very long...

Tarragon Tuna Melt
Printable Recipe

Serves 2

1 5-oz can albacore tuna in water, broken into flakes
1 small green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon or more red sweet pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon celery, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Hellmann's (or Best Foods if you live west of the Rockies) Light Mayonnaise

1 small baguette, sliced in half crosswise and lengthwise (you can use Pillsbury Refrigerated Crusty French Loaf - follow package instructions for baking)
Cheddar cheese slices

Preheat broiler.

Mix the first 7 ingredients together in a small bowl until blended.

On a small baking pan, place baguette halves upside-down under broiler just to toast lightly. Remove and place right-side up. Divide tuna salad mixture on baguette slices, top with cheddar cheese slices and place under broiler long enough to melt the cheese until bubbly but watching carefully not to burn.

Serve immediately.

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Please visit Happier Than a Pig in Mud to see the rest of the Pillsbury Dough Boy recipes!  I'll also be joining Foodie Friday - thank you both, Lynn and Michael!

Grilled Ahi Tuna Spring Salad

Happy Spring, friends! The long winter was hard on the waistline and my husband and I have started walking regularly and watching what we eat during the week. Tonight, I wanted a healthy salad with some good protein and the Ahi tuna at the grocery store looked wonderful.

My all-time favorite salad dressing is balsamic and mustard-based with dried dill. The recipe was shared by one of our gourmet group friends years ago and it has become my favorite salad dressing. I thought the Ahi tuna would taste wonderful rubbed with the same mustard and dill and then seared on the grill. My husband and I both agreed it was very tasty! A glass of Chardonnay on the side was the 'indulgence' :)

For the grilled ahi tuna, you can either use the outdoor grill with a grill pan or sear the tuna steaks over a high heat in a saute pan indoors.

Lightly salt and pepper each side of the tuna steak.

For a 1" thick tuna steak, sear for about 2 to 2-1/2 minutes per side in a heated pan or preheated grill.

Slice and serve over greens with toasted pine nuts and this dressing...

Here is my all-time favorite salad dressing:

Susie's Balsamic-Mustard-Dill Salad Dressing
Printable Recipe

• 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
• 1-2 tablespoons horseradish mustard or stone ground mustard
• 1/2-1 teaspoons salt
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese (optional)
• 1 lb of grilled chicken, scallops or tuna (optional)

Mix together first 5 ingredients and then while whisking, slowing add the olive oil until incorporated.

This recipe is wonderful on its own with romaine lettuce and gorgonzola cheese. Add grilled chicken breast, scallops or tuna steak and you have a wonderful and healthy meal!