Tuna Melt Fancy Toast

Chef Carrie Baird, Fox and The Hen

This Fox and The Hen favorite is Chef Carrie Baird’s creative twist on the classic tuna melt, rooted in nostalgia and reimagined with bold flavors and elevated techniques.

Carrie’s love affair with tuna sandwiches began in childhood, when the humble, kid-friendly dish was a staple in her home. Over the years, that simple sandwich evolved into something extraordinary now made with slow-poached tuna, vibrant vegetables, and melted sharp cheese, all piled high on a thick slice of sourdough milk bread and topped with a handful of fresh sprouts.

Learn more about Chef Carrie Baird.

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Active Time: 
30 Minutes

Total Time: 
1 Hour 15 Minutes

Quantity: 
Makes 10-12 Open-Faced Sandwiches

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Ingredients:

Tuna Confit

  • 24oz tuna loin, about 2inch thick slices

  • 5-6 garlic cloves, peeled

  • 3 lemons

  • 4 cups extra virgin olive oil

Tonnato Sauce

  • 8oz tuna - either from the confit or canned

  • 1 cup mayonnaise

  • 6 anchovies 

  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil - if making the confit, reserve the oil and use here

  • 3 TBSP Lemon juice 

  • 3 TBSP capers 

  • 3 TBSP Dijon Mustard

  • 2 cloves garlic - if making the confit, reserve the garlic and use here

  • Salt


Tuna Salad

  • 1 lb tuna, broken into large chunks - either from the confit or canned

  • 2-3 stalks celery (around 1 cup), diced

  • 2-3 medium carrots (around 1 cup), diced

  • 1 medium onion (around 1cup), diced

  • 1 cup pepperoncini, thinly sliced

  • ⅔ cup Dijon mustard 

  • 1 TBSP dill, chopped

  • 1 TBSP parsley, chopped

  • 2 TBSP lemon juice 

  • 1 tsp chili flake


Additional Ingredients

  • 1 large loaf of firm bread

  • 8oz sharp white cheese, montasio or cheddar are good choices

  • 1 package of alfalfa sprouts

  • Kosher salt

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Directions:

Tuna Confit (skip this step if using canned tuna)

  1. Preheat oven to 300F.

  2. In a roasting pan, place sliced tuna loin in a single layer and season with salt, juice lemons over tuna and add the peels to the pan, add garlic cloves. Pour olive oil over the tuna.

  3. Place pan in oven and bake for around 30 minutes, until tuna is cooked but still slightly pink in the center or reads 140F-145F on a thermometer.

  4. Remove tuna loin and strain olive oil, reserve garlic cloves and 1cup of oil*. Chill tuna, oil, and garlic.

* Save the rest of the oil for cooking oil, salad dressing, or other uses. It will keep for several weeks in the fridge.

Tonnato Sauce

  1. In a blender or food processor, combine 8oz tuna with mayo, anchovies, lemon juice, capers, and garlic, and blend until smooth, adding a little water if sauce is too tight.

  2. Taste for seasoning, and chill. 

Tuna Salad

  1. Everybody in the boat! In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 lb of tuna, carrots, onion, celery, pepperoncini, dill, parsley, mustard, chili flake, and 1 cup of the tonnato sauce. Stir to combine, adding tonnato sauce until mix is at the desired consistency.

  2. Taste for seasoning and chill.  

Fancy Toast

  1. Preheat oven to 375F, or set broiler to high.

  2. Cut bread into 1” thick slices, and toast both sides on a pan or griddle with the olive oil from the confit (or other oil/butter if not making the confit).

  3. Spoon a layer of tuna salad onto toast slices, and top with shredded cheese.

  4. Bake or broil until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 3-5 minutes.

  5. Top toasts with a layer of alfalfa sprouts, sprinkle with kosher salt and serve.