Fresh Tuna Melt

Preheat oven to low broil.

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of tuna steaks with generous amounts of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook tuna steaks until lightly browned on each side and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Let cool.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine onion, garlic, pickle, celery, oregano, lemon zest and pickle juice. Chop up the tuna and add to bowl. Add the mayonnaise — enough to moisten, but not drown the mixture (depending on your tastes). Season with salt and pepper.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lay the slices of bread flat. Lightly toast the bread on one side so it is golden and then remove from broiler.

Remove two of the bread slices from the baking sheet and set aside (these will be the tops of your melts). Flip the the other two slices over to expose the un-toasted side. Spread approximately 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon of mayonnaise over each slice of bread. Top the bread on the baking sheet with a generous serving of the tuna salad. Layer one slice of cheese over the tuna salad. Place under broiler and heat until cheese is melted and the tuna salad is heated through, about 2-4 minutes. If you’d prefer, you can toast the bread in a toaster and then bake the melts at 375 degrees F for approximately 3-5 minutes.

Top with sliced avocado and slice of tomato (if you’d like) and the other slice of bread. Cut diagonally and serve. It’s delicious with a dill pickle spear on the side.

Optional add-ons:
optional: 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
optional: slice of tomato

Enjoy!