Panini Press Tuna Melt with Tomato Confit Brown Butter
An elevated tuna melt: roma tomatoes slow-confited into a jammy paste, folded into nutty brown butter, then used to enrich both the tuna and the toasted sourdough before a quick run under the broiler with Gruyère.
- roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise3 whole
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- garlic, smashed, skin on3 cloves
- fresh thyme, plus extra leaves for finishing4 sprigs
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
- unsalted butter4 tbsp
- albacore tuna in water, well drained2 5-oz cans
- celery, finely minced1 stalk
- shallot, finely minced1 medium
- Dijon mustard1 tsp
- mayonnaise2 tbsp
- fresh lemon juice1 tsp
- Gruyère cheese, freshly grated3 oz
- sourdough bread, about 3/4 inch2 thick slices
- flaky sea salt, to finish
- 1
Preheat the Breville to 275°F (135°C). Arrange the halved roma tomatoes cut-side up in a small baking dish. Nestle the smashed garlic and thyme sprigs among them, drizzle with the olive oil, and season with kosher salt and pepper. Roast until collapsed, jammy, and deeply concentrated, 1.5–2 hours. Cool slightly.
low275°F (135°C) - 2
Discard the thyme sprigs. Squeeze the soft roasted garlic from its skins. Transfer tomatoes and garlic to a board and chop to a rough paste. Reserve the pooled tomato-garlic oil from the dish separately — it's pure flavor.
- 3
In a small light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Swirl constantly until the foam subsides and the milk solids turn deep golden and smell nutty, 3–4 minutes. Immediately pull off the heat and stir in the tomato confit paste plus a few thyme leaves — the cool paste halts the carryover so the butter never burns. Season with kosher salt. Let cool to a soft, spreadable consistency.
medium - 4
Pat the drained tuna dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss the minced shallot with the lemon juice and let sit 1 minute to soften its sharpness. Add the tuna, celery, Dijon, mayonnaise, 2 generous tablespoons of the confit butter, and a teaspoon of the reserved confit oil. Fold gently to keep the texture chunky. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
- 5
Brush the faces of the sourdough with the remaining butter and with a little of the reserved confit oil, then spread a thin layer of the remaining confit butter on top. Mound half the tuna onto each slice, spreading to the edges, and blanket generously with the grated Gruyère.
- 6
Place the built sandwich in the panini press and press down. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes until bread is toasty and cheese is melted.
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