Tuna Patty Breakfast Stack

A benny-ish dish that slides right by all the ham, bacon, and sausage in favor of a lovely tuna patty for a different twist on the open-faced breakfast sandwich. Canned tuna, a great bargain, is quickly stirred together with panko + perky seasonings before being patted into patties and fried for just a few minutes. If your group is hungry, serve each guest two sandwiches but if you have lots of other sides or folks aren’t too famished, one may be enough. Cook the tuna patties first and stow them in a warm oven while you fry the eggs and toast the English muffins. A helper to do the toasting (and maybe stick those in the oven, too, as they’re done) would let you place all of your attention on cooking the eggs. These patties are also tasty for appetizers --slice into fingers and dip in a mustard sauce-- or even as an inexpensive burger.

4 or 8 servings

Ingredients

3 (5 oz) cans tuna in oil, drained and flaked with a fork
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons minced red onion (you'll use more for garnish)
1 minced garlic clove
1 ½ teaspoons dry dill weed
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
¼ teaspoon EACH: kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
2 large eggs (These are for the tuna mixture. You’ll fry another 8 eggs for the sandwiches.)
¼ cup mayonnaise or a little more as needed to make the patty mixture moist
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon EACH: salted butter and olive oil
4 split English muffins--8 halves, toasted and buttered
8 fried eggs
3 tablespoons EACH: minced red onion and red bell pepper, for garnish
¾ cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, for garnish
Crushed red pepper, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

MAKE THE PATTY MIXTURE: In a large bowl, stir together the tuna, panko, onion, garlic, dill, Old Bay, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon zest (if using) until well incorporated. In a measuring cup, whisk together the two eggs, mayonnaise, and Dijon-style mustard. Pour the egg mixture into the large bowl with the tuna mixture and mix well. Take a quarter cup or so of the patty mixture and pat it into a ball in your hands. If it seems dry and crumbly, return it to the bowl, and stir in another tablespoon of mayonnaise. If the ball holds together easily, proceed.
SHAPE THE PATTIES: Divide the patty mixture evenly into eight balls. Gently toss each ball back and forth between your hands a few times and then flatten each ball into a patty on the cutting board. Using the side of your hand, tap around the outside to even up the edges.
FRY THE PATTIES: Heat the butter and olive oil in a large nonstick skillet and fry the patties 4 at a time for 3-4 minutes or until golden. I like a really thin fish spatula for moving the patties to the pan and for flipping them. Turn patties over carefully and fry another 3 minutes until the second side is golden. Remove to a paper towel-lined platter and cover to keep warm. Repeat with other 4 patties.
BUILD THE SANDWICHES: Top one-half buttered, toasted English muffin with a tuna patty and carefully add a fried egg on top of the patty. Sprinkle with a little red onion, red bell pepper, cheese, and crushed red pepper, if using. Repeat for the rest of the sandwiches. Serve hot.
Store leftover patties tightly wrapped for up to 3 days. Do not freeze.

Notes

COOK’S NOTE: Should you have a large griddle, you can cook all the patties at once, stow them in a warm oven, and then cook the eggs in the same place.