Comforting Tuna Patties

Priya took the MCAT. She called me afterward, her voice the voice of a person who has run a marathon and is not yet sure of the time. She said it was harder than the practice tests. She said the Critical Analysis section surprised her. She said the Biology was strong. She said all of this and then said, "I think I did okay," and from Priya "okay" means good and "good" means excellent and the waiting for the score will be four weeks of patience that Priya does not naturally possess but is learning, the way all pre-med students learn patience: involuntarily, through the bureaucratic necessity of standardized testing.

My MCAT is in three weeks. The studying is done — or rather, the studying has reached the point where additional studying does not add knowledge but adds anxiety, and anxiety is the enemy. MawMaw Shirley taught me this: "If you keep stirring after the roux is right, you burn it." The roux is right. I need to stop stirring. The exam will come. I will be ready because I have spent five months being ready, and the readiness is in my body now, in my hands, in the way I can answer a practice question about acid-base equilibrium while making jambalaya because the knowledge and the cooking have merged into one continuous practice and the practice is my life.

I drove to Baker Saturday. MawMaw Shirley was in the kitchen — always, still, despite the slower pace, despite the cotton gloves, despite the eighty that is written on her body in ways that the spirit refuses to acknowledge. She said, "We are making gumbo. Not for eating. For practice." I said, "Practice for what?" She said, "Practice for nothing. Practice because stirring is the thing and the thing should not stop just because the exam is coming." She is right. The stirring does not stop. The stirring is not for the exam. The stirring is for the life. The exam is one thing. The life is everything. The gumbo is the life made visible, one bowl at a time.

We made gumbo. Four hours. She sat and I stirred and she watched and I cooked and we said nothing and the nothing was everything. Three weeks until the MCAT. Three weeks until the next step. Three weeks of patience. I have been practicing patience for nine years, since the first Saturday on the step stool. Three weeks is nothing. Three weeks is a roux. Don't rush it.

We made gumbo for four hours and I didn’t eat a bite — that wasn’t the point, MawMaw said, and she was right. But driving back to Baton Rouge with the highway dark and the radio low, I was hungry in a way that felt almost earned, and I wanted something warm and simple that wouldn’t ask anything of me. These tuna patties are what I make when I need comfort without ceremony — a few things from the pantry, a hot pan, fifteen minutes, and something golden and real on the plate. On a Saturday like that one, they were exactly enough.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 20 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in water, well drained
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter, for frying

Instructions

Combine the mixture. In a medium bowl, flake the drained tuna thoroughly. Add the breadcrumbs, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, green onions, lemon juice, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir until everything is evenly combined — the mixture should hold together when pressed.
Form the patties. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. With lightly dampened hands, shape each portion into a round patty about 3/4 inch thick. Press firmly so they hold their shape. If the mixture feels too loose, add breadcrumbs one tablespoon at a time.
Rest before cooking. Set the formed patties on a plate and refrigerate for 5 minutes. This brief rest helps them stay together in the pan.
Pan-fry until golden. Heat the olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the patties without crowding. Cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes until the underside is deep golden brown. Flip carefully and cook another 3 to 4 minutes on the second side.
Drain and serve. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain briefly. Serve warm with lemon wedges, a simple green salad, or over rice. A dollop of hot sauce on the side doesn’t hurt.

Nutrition (per serving)

Comforting Tuna Patties — Because Some Days You Need Something Simple and True