Ingredients:

  • albacore or skipjack tuna packed in water
  • mayonnaise
  • celery, finely diced
  • fresh lemon juice
  • red onion or chives, finely minced
  • cracked black pepper
  • sea salt
  • thick-cut sourdough or whole-grain bread
  • Bibb or Romaine lettuce, dried
  • softened salted butter

Instructions:

  1. Open the tuna cans and transfer the contents to a fine mesh strainer. Press firmly with a back of a spoon until the fish looks matte and fibrous. Note: Removing all liquid prevents the sandwich from becoming watery later.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, black pepper, salt, and minced red onion until the mixture is smooth and pale.
  3. Gently fold the drained tuna and diced celery into the mayonnaise mixture using a fork. Break large clumps into bite-sized flakes until the filling is evenly coated but still textured. Note: Over mixing will turn the tuna into a paste, which we want to avoid.
  4. Lightly toast your bread slices. As they come out of the toaster, listen for that dry, scratchy sound.
  5. Spread a very thin, even layer of softened butter on one side of each bread slice. The aroma of melting butter on warm toast is our first sensory checkpoint.
  6. Place your dry lettuce leaves directly onto the buttered side of the bread. This creates a secondary layer of protection for the crust.
  7. Scoop half of the tuna mixture onto two of the bread slices, spreading it to the very edges.
  8. Top with the remaining bread slices and press down gently to lock the sandwich together.
  9. Serve immediately while the bread is still warm and the filling is perfectly chilled.