Tuna Salad Mix-Ins

By Paul Briand

I love how this works. I make a honkin' tuna salad for lunch. Return to my study to do some more work. Tune into "Tyler's Ultimate" on the Food Channel at 3:30 and what is Tyler Florence making? The Tuna Everything Bagel.

I approach tuna salad for sandwiches the same way some people approach handcrafted ice cream -- the more taste you mix in the better.

I've always wanted to dress up my tuna. If I'm out and ordering a tuna sub, I always ask for pickles and tomatoes on it.

If I'm making it at home, I see no reason to alter my approach. What I do, however, is rather than layer the pickle or tomato or whatever on top of the tuna, I mix it right in.

Here's a recent example of my tuna mix-ins (see photo):

I started with a can of white tuna in water, water drained, tuna broken up in a mixing bowl. I added:
Ground black pepper;
Bread and butter pickle spear, chopped;
Sweet grape tomatoes, halved (sometimes quartered depending on their size);
Chopped green onion.

Into that I stirred in enough mayonnaise to get everything wet.

I put it on toasted oatmeal bread and topped it with some hot banana pepper rings.

Just for fun, here's Florence's tuna salad recipe from above:

Ingredients
3 cups good quality canned tuna (packed in water), drained
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 cornichons, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste
2 everything bagels, sliced and toasted
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced crescents
1 vine-ripened tomato, sliced
1 seedless cucumber, sliced
4 Bibb lettuce leaves

Directions
1. Begin with the tuna salad. Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper;
2. Take cut bagels and toast under a hot broiler until golden brown. While still hot smear the bottom with the cream cheese immediately;
3. Top with a scoop of the tuna salad and then layer with red onion, tomato, cucumber and lettuce. Add the top half of the bagel and serve.