Tuna Patties

Ingredients

• 2 cans tuna
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup white bread torn into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, green onions, or shallots
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A couple squirts of Crystal hot sauce or tabasco
• 1 raw egg
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon butter

Directions

1. Pour off the liquid from the tuna cans. For tuna that was packed in water, save a tablespoon of that liquid; in the mixing step, drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil into the bowl too.
2. In a medium bowl, fold the tuna together with the mustard and torn white bread. Stir in the lemon zest, water, parsley, lemon juice, hot sauce, and chives. Add salt plus freshly ground black pepper. Before the egg goes in, take a small taste so you can adjust the seasoning your way. Add the egg and mix again.
3. Separate the mixture into 4 parts. Roll each portion into a ball, then press it down into a patty. Set the patties on a tray lined with wax paper and refrigerate for an hour. If you want to move straight to the stove, you can; the cold rest simply makes the patties less likely to break apart as they cook.
4. Warm the olive oil with a little butter for taste in a cast iron or stick-free skillet set over medium high. Ease the patties into the skillet and cook them until the bottoms are browned, then turn and brown the other side, 3-4 minutes on each side.
5. Bring them to the table with lemon wedges. Or tuck them into slider buns with tartar sauce if a tuna burger mood strikes.