Tuna Melt Recipe

Prepare tuna

Open and drain the canned tuna thoroughly. Flake the tuna into a medium mixing bowl with a fork so there are no large chunks.

Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, finely diced celery, minced red onion, chopped capers, lemon juice, chopped parsley (if using), salt and black pepper to the bowl.

Fold ingredients gently until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning — add up to another 1/2 tsp salt or more lemon juice if desired. Refrigerate while you prepare bread if not assembling immediately.

Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. If using, brush skillet with 1 tsp olive oil or leave it dry and use butter on bread.

Butter one side of each slice of marble rye evenly with the softened butter (total 8 slices). These will be the exterior sides that contact the skillet.

Place four unbuttered sides of bread on a clean work surface buttered-side down. Divide the prepared tuna salad evenly among them, arranging it in a relatively even layer to within 1/2" of the edges.

Top each portion of tuna with one slice of pepperjack. If you prefer extra cheese, add a second slice.

Place the remaining four slices of bread on top, buttered-side up, to complete each sandwich.

Carefully transfer sandwiches to the preheated skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side until golden brown and the cheese begins to melt. Press lightly with a spatula to encourage even contact and melting.

Flip sandwiches and cook an additional 2-4 minutes until the second side is golden and cheese is fully melted. If exterior is browning too quickly before the cheese melts, reduce heat to medium-low and cover skillet with a lid for 1-2 minutes to trap heat.

Remove sandwiches from skillet and let rest 1 minute. Slice each sandwich in half on the diagonal and serve immediately.