Recipe courtesy of Food Network
Tuna Melt Bread Boxes
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 1055
- Total Fat
- 66
- Saturated Fat
- 26
- Carbohydrates
- 66
- Dietary Fiber
- 6
- Sugar
- 8
- Protein
- 53
- Cholesterol
- 148
- Sodium
- 1948
- Total: 35 min
- Active: 20 min
Ingredients
1 loaf unsliced white bread (preferably Pullman), at least 12 inches long
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
Kosher salt
1 1/3 cups kettle-style potato chips
12 slices American cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 stalks celery, cut into small dice (about 1 heaping cup)
1 large shallot, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
Hot sauce, as needed
Four 5-ounce cans tuna in water, well drained
1 dill pickle, drained, cut into 16 slices and patted dry
4 thin slices beefsteak tomato
1 cup sprouts, optional
Directions
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
- Remove 1/4 inch of the crust from one end of the bread and enough of the crust from the other end so you have a 12-inch loaf. Reserve the ends for another use. Cut the loaf crosswise into 4 even pieces. Use a fork to score one cut end and gently dig a square hole into each piece of bread to make a box, leaving a 1/2-inch layer of bread around the walls and bottom (see Cook's Note). Save the removed crumbs for another use.
- Microwave the butter and a large pinch of salt in a small microwave-safe bowl until melted, about 1 minute. Brush the bread boxes inside and out with the melted butter. Put 1/3 cup of the potato chips and 1 slice of American cheese at the bottom of each bread box. Put the boxes open-side up on a baking sheet and bake until the cheese melts and the inside of the bread is lightly browned and crispy in parts, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, celery, shallot, some hot sauce and a large pinch of salt in a medium bowl until combined. Fold in the tuna. Season with additional salt and hot sauce if needed.
- Fill each bread box in this order: 1/2 cup of the tuna salad, 4 pickle slices, another 1/2 cup of the tuna salad, 1 slice of tomato and 2 additional slices of American cheese. Return the boxes to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Top with the sprouts, if using, cut in half or leave whole and serve immediately.
Cook’s Note
Don't worry if you accidentally make a hole at the bottom of the bread when carving out the boxes--just fill the hole with a loose piece of bread.