Tuna-less Salad Melts

Nets suck, but if there's anything that we love more dearly than dolphins it's a good tuna melt. Thanks to the gem of Indonesia-i.e., the fermented soy cake that is tempeh-being compassionate doesn't mean you can't enjoy this staple of comfort fare.

Here we whipped up a batch of vegan tuna salad without even using Vegenaise (though it's worth a try) by enlisting tahini instead. The result is a bowl full of good, rich, unfolds-in-your-mouth kind of mush. We then blew all our good vegan cred (and maybe our no-kill karma) by spreading this batch on an open-faced Swiss melt. This stuff is amazing. Do what you will.

Tuna-less Salad
1 package tempeh (about 8 oz.)
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 PInk Lady apple, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup basil, chiffonaded (cut into thin strips)
1 small bulb young ginger, finely chopped
1/2 cup tahini sauce
4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. Brewer's yeast (optional)
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs. curry powder
salt and pepper to taste

Open-faced Melt
2 slices wheat bread
4 oz. Swiss cheese
1 bunch alfalfa sprouts

Thaw tempeh if frozen, unwrap and chop in fine, little cubes. Heat the oil in a large skillet and when hot throw in tempeh. Place on medium heat and toss every 2-3 minutes to keep from sticking. Add half the soy sauce, half the Brewer's yeast (optional) and all the vinegar. After 5 minutes add the rest of the soy sauce and yeast (and a couple Tbs. of whatever beer you're swigging on-for us it was North Coast's Red Seal) and remove from heat when tempeh seems fully browned.

Combine all chopped ingredients in a large mixing bowl along with the curry and tahini. Mix well. Add a touch more olive oil if it seems too gunky. Then season with salt and pepper and you're done.

Now shred some Swiss cheese (we used Comte which is a nice gruyere) and top your bread with it, followed by a large scoop of the tempeh salad. Grill it for 4-5 minutes or until golden and melty. Top with sprouts.

Beverage: Red Seal Ale
Soundtrack: Yo La Tengo's The Sounds of the Sounds of Science