I've published a version of this recipe before, but it's a good one and worth considering tonight. Besides, with all the holiday shopping and spending, how about giving your wallet and your family a break with a cheap, fast, and nutritious meal? Tuna cakes are great tasting and full of beneficial omega-3s. The little cakes also have the added virtue of being easy to make. Similar to crab cakes, tuna cakes are moist, flavored with green onions, bell peppers, and celery, and bake up golden brown on a sheet pan in about 15 minutes. Low fuss, low cost, high taste. Not a bad option for a busy time of year. Rice makes a nice accompaniment for the patties.
Easy Tuna Cakes -- Makes 6
1 large can of tuna (10-12 ounces) packed in water or oil and drained (or use 2 small cans)
1 stalk of celery, chopped
3-4 green onions, trimmed and chopped
1/2 a large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup of light mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon of lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon of dried dill
1 tablespoon of dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 cup of dried breadcrumbs, preferably pankco
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and coat a large sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray or line it with foil and coat the foil with spray. In a large bowl combine the chopped green onions, celery, and bell pepper and a couple of tablespoons of water and microwave them for a minute. Stir the vegetables and add the tuna, mayonnaise, lemon pepper, dill, parsley flakes, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. Stir everything well again and then mix in the egg and about half of the breadcrumbs. The mixture should come together but will be moist. Spoon six mounds of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, press them into round, patty shapes, and sprinkle the patties with the remaining breadcrumbs, pressing the crumbs into the patties a little so the crumbs adhere. Mist the top of the tuna patties with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil. Bake the patties for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
