Tinned tuna fish is a really convenient thing to have in the store cupboard. It can make a salad more substantial, provide a tasty filling for toasted sandwiches or be used to make fish cakes with leftover mashed potato. I ate lots of tuna as a college student. Those small tins came in handy between exams or as a quick supper with pasta. As a result I’ve avoided it for the past few years. I prefer fresh fish whenever possible. Lately, however, tuna has been back on the menu for the sake of convenience.
Shines Seafood, based in Killybegs, Co Donegal, produces hand-packed jars of Irish-caught albacore tuna in olive oil. It is available in many SuperValu shops as well as specialist delicatessens and food stores. Tuna season is short: August and September. However, there are some dishes where tuna preserved in oil can be nicer than the fresh variety. Tuna in jars with olive oil tastes far superior to the tinned. I do love tinned Ortiz tuna in olive oil, however; it’s great quality, and I pick it up whenever I come across it. Tuna in brine seems the less messy option, but I do find it to be generally lacking in flavour and dull in texture.
Shredded leftover roast chicken can also be used. Or you could go the whole Tex-Mex route with minced beef. Just add kidney beans, finely sliced spring onion or some diced red onion.
I've been meaning to make this dish for some time. It's perfect Friday night food: it's so easy to prepare and it tastes great. It sounds like a melted mish-mash of comfort food that's meant to be eaten in a big bowl watching the TV. But really it's quite healthy, and a lovely dinner for the whole family. The potatoes are a great source of carbohydrates (try sweet potato or butternut squash wedges for a lower GI option). Sour cream is so delicious and indulgent on top, but I usually use a thick natural yogurt. Glenisk produces a strained Greek-style yogurt that's high in protein and has zero per cent fat. It's not the same as sour cream, but it's a great healthy alternative. Tuna is a rich source of complete protein, selenium and Vitamin B12, making this a filling, nutritious supper.
Shop-bought salsa can be hit and miss. Some of them are bland and watery, so choose carefully. You can make your own or buy a good-quality one. I like to use Ballymaloe Pepper Relish sometimes too, which has some nice heat.
You could, for the sake of convenience, use ready-made potato wedges, but really all you’re saving is 10 minutes of cooking time. Homemade wedges are very simple to make and they taste so much nicer than the pre-prepared ones. My teenage sister recently discovered the joys of wedges when she came home ravenous from a camogie match. Within half an hour she had rustled up a huge tray of crispy wedges. It has now become a bit of a post-match tradition.
TUNA AND POTATO MELT: SERVES 4
The five ingredients
- 4-6 large potatoes,cut into wedges
- 2 tins of tuna, drained
- 250g tomato salsa
- 200g Cheddar cheese, grated
- 10g coriander, roughly chopped
From the store cupboard
- Olive oil
- Greek yoghurt or sour cream
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Scrub the potatoes but leave the skins on. Cut into wedges. Dry the potato wedges with a tea towel, then tip into a large bowl. Add a generous tablespoon of olive oil, then mix well to coat each piece of potato. Spread out evenly on a baking tray, ideally skin-side down. Bake for 30-40 minutes until lightly golden and cooked through.
Season the wedges with a little salt, then place in an oven-proof serving bowl. Top with the flaked tuna in the centre of the dish, then the salsa, followed by the grated cheese.
Place back in the oven until the cheese is melted or you can place it under a hot grill. Dollop a little sour cream over the cheese, sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve immediately.
- Every Thursday we'll tweet the five ingredients from @lillyhiggins and @irishtimeslife so you can have them ready for Friday. Email givemefive@irishtimes.com with your suggestions for recipes
