Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear...

A simple summer meal today, tuna sliders with a poppy seed slaw followed by vanilla custard popsicles for dessert. Canned tuna has so many uses, I prefer Italian tuna packed in olive oil (I think the quality is higher). These tuna patties are packed with flavor and have a crispy outside from the panko crust. The poppy seed slaw that tops the sliders carries bright and light flavors from Dijon, lime, and fresh parsley. These are simple, and come together quickly. The patties are moist and do not need much more than the slaw, but you could put a little mayo on the buns if desired (even add in some capers and lemon juice for a tarter taste). I have also included another addition to my popsicle experiments, this time vanilla bean custard. These were sweet, creamy, and delicious a perfect followup to the tuna sliders. 

poppy seed slaw

1 small red cabbage, shredded

1 1/2 tablespoons (raw) sugar

sea salt

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 fresh lime, juiced

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Toss the shredded red cabbage, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, allowing it to brine.

Combine the poppy seeds, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lime juice, 1/2 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, and lots of freshly ground black pepper in a jar. Close the jar and shake until it’s well mixed (or stir well if you can’t find the lid). Pour the dressing over the slaw and add parsley. Toss everything to combine. Keep slaw in the fridge until the tuna patties are ready.

crispy tuna sliders

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 fresh red chile pepper, minced

1 rib celery, minced

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 egg

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 green onions, finely sliced

1/4 cup of minced fresh parsley

4 cans of tuna ( I used Italian tuna packed in olive oil), drained

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

canola oil

8 slider buns

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, red chile pepper, rib of celery, cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently so the garlic won’t burn. Take the pan off the heat and let the garlic mixture cool for about 10 minutes.

Whisk together the egg, cream, Dijon mustard, green onions, 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, the garlic mixture, and a pinch each of sea salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Fold in the tuna and breadcrumbs.

Lightly flour your hands and shape about 1/4 cup of tuna mixture into a patty. Repeat with the rest of the tuna mixture. Dredge the patties in flour before putting them in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.

Heat 1/2 inch of oil over medium-high heat in a large pan, and fry the tuna patties for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain the patties on paper towels.

Place each tuna patty on a slider bun and top with slaw to serve.

Note: I halved this recipe, using a whole egg and 1 fat garlic clove for the tuna patty mixture, and everything turned out deliciously. Regular breadcrumbs instead of panko would work, too.

Vanilla Bean Frozen Custard Pops

2 cups  whole milk, divided 

1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 large egg plus 3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

In a heavy saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups milk and the cornstarch.  Bring to a boil over med-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened, ~ 7 to 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the last 1/2 cup of milk, the whole egg and the yolks, sugar and salt.  Using a knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean halves into the bowl and then add the halves.  Stirring constantly, add the egg mixture to the thickened milk mixture.  Cook, whisking constantly, over med-high heat until the mixture returns to a boil.  Remove from heat.

Pour the custard through a sieve into a bowl, then cool over an ice bath.

If using conventional ice pop molds, divide the mixture among the molds.  Cover and freeze until solid, at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.  If using sticks, insert them into the molds when they are part frozen, about 1 hour.  Then continue to freeze until solid, about 5 more hours.

Until tomorrow...Peace.