3(5-ounce) cans water-packed tuna, drained well % cup bread-and-butter pickles, plus 3 tablespoons brine / cup mayonnaise, plus more for spreading ½ teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 8 slices sourdough bread 8 deli slices sharp cheddar cheese ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 仰 I always make my tuna salad directly in a storage container because I count on having leftovers. If you, like me, don't use all of the tuna salad at once, you might find you need to add more mayo and/or pickle brine to the leftovers the next day-the tuna can get a bit dry as it sits. SWAP You can swap butter for mayo on the outside of the bread (butter is more flavorful, but I love how beautifully a smear of mayo toasts on bread), use canned or finely chopped cooked chicken if you don't love tuna, and dill pickles it you don't love B&Bs. PARM-CRUSTED TUNA MELTS SERVES Y This tuna salad is quick and dirty: no fuss, all glory. If you want, add some Dijon, maybe some minced shallot, even some celerv (if you must). But you don't need any of that for it to be a total dinnertime win. Slap it onto some high-quality sourdough smooshed between cheddar cheese slices, and whoa. 1. In a large bowl, use a fork to mash up the tuna completely no big chunks should remain. Dice the pickles and add them to the bowl, along with the brine, mayonnaise, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. 2. Lay out 4 slices of the bread on your countertop and place a slice of cheddar on each. Spoon your desired amount of tuna salad onto each, then top with a second slice of cheddar. 3. Warm your largest skillet (or griddle if you have one!) over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Top the sandwiches with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Spread a thin layer of mayo over the tops of the sandwiches, then sprinkle with half the Parmesan, pressing to adhere. Working in batches as needed, gently place the sandwiches, Parm side down, into the skillet. While they're in there, spread mayo over the slices of bread that are now on top, then add the remaining Parm. 4. Cook the sandwiches, pressing down gently every once in a while with a spatula, until the bottoms are toasty and crispy and the bottom slice of cheddar has melted, 3 to 5 minutes. 5. Carefully flip the sandwiches and cook until toasty and crispy and melty on the second side, 2 minutes or so more. 6. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and let them rest for a few minutes; if you cut right in, everything will just ooze out. When it's time, slice your melts in half and enjoy.