Crispy Tuna Cakes

Crispy Tuna Cakes

from cooking.nytimes.com
40 min

These tuna cakes grow crackly on the outside, but stay velvety on the inside thanks to creamy cannellini beans. They’re served alongside a crisp wedge salad with a briny ranch dressing that is studded with olives. It might seem to produce a lot of dressing, but it’s just enough for smothering the iceberg and dunking the tuna cakes. Best of all, this dish makes use of pantry staples, like canned tuna, beans and olives, so you can make it even when the fridge is looking bare.

Ingredients

  • 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained but not rinsed
  • 2 (5-ounce) cans tuna packed in water, drained
  • 1/3 cup bread crumbs (any kind)
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed dill leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Olive oil, for the pan
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk or kefir
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup pitted green olives, very roughly chopped
  • ½ cup lightly packed dill leaves and tender stems, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and cut into 4 wedges

Directions

  1. 1

    Prepare the tuna cakes: To a medium bowl, add the drained beans. (It’s OK if some bean liquid is still clinging to the beans.) Mash the beans until smooth with a fork or potato masher. Add the tuna, bread crumbs, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic powder. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Mash very well until mostly smooth and the mixture easily holds together. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

  2. 2

    Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add olives and dill, and stir well to combine.

  3. 3

    Form the tuna mixture into 8 patties. In a medium nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan; heat over medium until shimmering.

  4. 4

    Cook the cakes in two batches, adding more oil as needed, and flipping once, until browned and crisp on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. (Since the cakes are so delicate, it’s best to flip them with a spatula and a spoon.)

  5. 5

    Divide the tuna cakes among 4 plates. Arrange a wedge of iceberg on each plate. Gently crack the wedge to open up the leaves, then spoon the dressing on top, making sure it gets into the layers of lettuce. Garnish with dill sprigs and serve right away.