Tangy Tuna Bunwiches

Waiting for the MCAT score. The four-week waiting period tests character, not knowledge. I am filling the days with the library children's reading program and cooking and Baker visits. A six-year-old girl named Zuri asked if I was a real doctor. I said not yet. She said, "But you look like one." Seven years old and she understands representation better than most adults. She is the reason I am doing this.

Mama called Wednesday to not-ask about the score. She said, "I am calling about nothing." I said, "Nothing is fine." She said, "I love you." The not-asking was the kindness. The love was the answer.

I made blackened redfish this week — cast iron screaming hot, the fish charring beautifully outside while staying moist inside. MawMaw Shirley would say it is a restaurant dish. Sometimes a girl wants to blacken a fish.

The blackened redfish was the centerpiece, but these Tangy Tuna Bunwiches showed up mid-week when I needed something fast and still worth eating — the kind of meal you make when you’re not performing for anyone, just feeding yourself well because you deserve it. Between the library shifts and Baker visits and Mama’s not-asking phone calls, having a lunch I could pull together in fifteen minutes felt like one small thing I could control. MawMaw Shirley would say tuna from a can is not a real recipe. I say it is if you make it right.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cans (5 oz each) solid white albacore tuna, drained
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Crystal or Tabasco)
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 brioche or potato slider buns, split
1 tablespoon butter, softened
4 leaves green leaf lettuce
4 slices ripe tomato

Instructions

Mix the tuna filling. In a medium bowl, combine drained tuna, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, relish, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Fold in celery and red onion. Season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust tang or heat as desired.
Toast the buns. Spread softened butter on the cut sides of each bun. Place a skillet over medium heat and toast buns cut-side down for 1 to 2 minutes until golden and slightly crisp.
Assemble. Layer a lettuce leaf on each bun bottom, followed by a tomato slice. Spoon a generous portion of tuna mixture over the tomato. Cap with the top bun and press gently.
Serve. Serve immediately while buns are still warm. Pairs well with kettle chips, a simple green salad, or sliced dill pickles on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Tangy Tuna Bunwiches — Something Worth Waiting For