Tad Seaborn/The Globe and Mail
Cold days and tuna melts go together; chilly fingers and warm, comforting flavours.
Take the same strategy with your holiday appetizers – these mini tuna melts are small enough to eat in a few bites but substantial enough to curb the appetites of your guests.
They're also a flexible recipe; you can adapt it and add any ingredients that suit your fancy (or that the pantry offers). Think tangy chopped pickles, savoury olives and capers, warm, smoky paprika, any type of mustard, grated carrot or diced apple.
You can keep it classic with mayo, or go simple with good olive oil.
Make the tuna in advance and then heat up the appetizers in a few batches over the course of the night.
Servings: 10-12 appetizers
Mini Tuna Melts
Baguette
Extra virgin olive oil
Tuna - two 80-g cans
Fresh lemon
5 artichokes
1 teaspoon horseradish Dijon
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh goat cheese
Sundried tomato for garnish
Method
Preheat your oven to 325 F.
Cut a baguette into thin slices (slice at an angle for longer pieces).
Brush with extra virgin olive oil and toast in the oven for 7-8 minutes or until starting to crisp and lightly brown. Set aside.
For the tuna topping – open two 80-g cans of tuna in oil (best quality you can find) and drain any excess liquid.
Add a squeeze of fresh lemon, 5 drained and quartered marinated artichokes, 1 teaspoon horseradish Dijon and 1 tablespoon mayonnaise.
Mix till combined and season with salt and fresh pepper to taste.
You can adjust amounts for any ingredient once everything is combined.
To assemble:
Top your toasts with enough tuna mixture to slightly heap; be careful not to pile them too high, making them awkward to eat.
Slice a medallion or two of fresh goat cheese on top of each, and then place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese melts and browns (don’t walk away).
Garnish with a slice of sundried tomato and serve.
Sue Riedl