Being in college isn’t easy by any means, but that doesn’t mean that as students we can’t find ways to make certain aspects of the college experience a little bit easier. Let’s be real: We have all learned how to efficiently write papers and put together projects that make us look like experts on any given subject in the little time that we are given to do so. Why should cooking be any different? Avoiding ramen noodles and still cooking within a student budget is not impossible, so let’s start with something that is probably familiar.
If you have ever made a tuna salad sandwich before, this recipe for tuna burgers should be fairly easy to navigate. You start with a can of tuna. Simple, right? It doesn’t matter what kind of tuna you get, but solid white albacore in water tends to be the higher quality. If you can’t find that, don’t panic! It is all going to taste the same in the end. Mix the can of tuna with the mayonnaise and egg. As you are doing this, add your spices and sauces. Most of your spices are measured out in the recipe, but like some of the sauces you will use, these can be adjusted according to your particular taste. I prefer to add Sriracha as my hot sauce; If you have a favorite hot sauce feel free to use it instead.
Now here is where it gets crazy. You are going to want to add your minced onions and peppers to the mix and make sure that they are well incorporated. The mixture is going to look pretty mushy, but that is normal. The bread crumbs you will add next are your thickening agent. Though they are also measured, you can add extra crumbs if you feel like your particular mixture is not going to hold up. Be aware, however, that the mixture is never going to be very solid. Form it into patties as well as you can and place these in the fridge for about thirty minutes. This will allow the flavors to blend and the patties to thicken a bit so they are easier to handle.
After your fridge time is up, remove the patties and cook them over medium heat in a pan that has been coated lightly with cooking spray or oil. My particular taste leans toward using olive oil to cook but anything that will keep the patties from sticking to the pan is great. The burgers should be cooked for three to four minutes on either side, until they are lightly crisped. Undercooked tuna burgers are not a big issue because the only raw ingredient in the mixture is the egg, which should be well done within that time, but make sure that you get them warmed through to the middle or they will not taste quite as good.
When your burgers are done, you have the option of eating them however you want: put them on a bun with lettuce and tomato, eat them how they are, share them with friends. This recipe makes approximately four burgers, but can easily be doubled to feed more hungry mouths. If you are looking for a tasty side dish to help cut some of the heat from the spicy burgers, you can try cutting up some tomatoes and cantaloupe and mixing them together with some mayonnaise and salt and pepper. But hey, it’s your dinner; make it your own! Any side dish can compliment these tasty treats.
