Tuna melt

There are days when you just do not have what it takes to cook a full-on meal. You just want something quick and simple, but the fridge and freezer are empty, and the pantry is not too far behind… Today was such a day for me.

Here's a super easy recipe for a tuna melt sandwich that will use those last slices of bread you forgot you had in the bottom of the freezer, the last pickle in the jar and that lonely tuna can.

Enjoy!



INGREDIENTS (for 2 medium sized sandwiches):
- 1x 5oz can of tuna in the brine, very well drained (don't hesitate to squeeze really hard, you do not want any liquid in the tuna salad)
- 4 small slices of bread (I used whole wheat with lots of grains)
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar
- optional: 1/2 sour pickle (or capers if you like)
- 1 tbsp butter or olive oil for frying (not pictured)


RECIPE:
- prepare the tuna salad: mix the tuna, mayonnaise, diced pickle, salt and pepper

Note: you can actually stop right there and enjoy a freshly prepared homemade tuna salad. Great as is, but fantastic with avocado, spread on crispy baguette or as a dip for crackers
- spread the tuna salad on two of the bread slices, top with cheese and finish with the two other bread slices

- in a little butter or olive oil, fry the sandwiches over very low heat until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes per side)

- enjoy!

Celery root salad (celeri rémoulade)

Ok, if you are like me and just went through yet another gargantuan Holiday feast and need to rest your stomach, you should really try this refreshing dish!

Celery root, or celeriac, is a great winter root vegetable to mash or prepare scalloped au gratin, but also tastes amazing when prepared raw in salads. In France, we often prepare it grated in a lemony mayonnaise sauce, full of diced cornichons (French gherkins) and capers: Celeri Remoulade. Such a classic salad, it is served at least once a week in school cafeterias for kids.

Very easy to prepare, only a handful of ingredients and so fresh tasting. Try it and let me know what you think :)


INGREDIENTS (for 4 people):
- 1 medium-sized celery root
- 1/2 cup light mayonnaise (I personnaly like the chemical fat free store bought mayonnaise better, go figure... but you can -and should- absolutely make your own if you prefer to!)
- 1 tsp dijon mustard (Not necessary if you include a spoonful of mustard in your homemade mayonnaise when you make it, however if your own mayo recipe does not have mustard, the tangy taste of Dijon mustard really makes a difference in the salad)
- 1/2 cup of combined gherkins and capers (that may seem like a lot, but I like my Remoulade on the pickle-y side)
- a handful of flat leaf parsley
- 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste


RECIPE:
- in a large bowl, add the juice of the lemon in about 3 cups of very cold water. Peel and grate the celery root and soak it in the cold lemony water while you prepare the sauce

- dice the gherkins very finely (about the size of the capers), and add to the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix well and pour over the drained (and towel dried) grated celery root.

- Make sure that the celery is well coated and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
- Enjoy!

PS: this salad is an amazing side to a nice grilled steak ;)