A pantry dinner built on the can of tuna and those crackers packed alongside. Crisp cakes with a tender center, dressed simply with mayo and a squeeze of lemon. A weeknight meal in twenty minutes flat.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 2580 calories a serving, 53 g protein, 414 g carbohydrate, 80 g fat. From USDA figures for 83% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Drain the tuna well in a sieve, then flake it into a bowl. Crush about 12 to 14 crackers into coarse crumbs, fold them into the tuna with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then fold in 2 tablespoons of the mayonnaise from the can until the mixture just holds together.
2. Divide the tuna mixture into four patties about 3 inches across and 1 inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, lay the cakes gently into the pan and cook without moving them until the undersides are dark golden and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Flip each cake and cook the second side until golden, about 2 minutes more. Slide the cakes onto a plate.
4. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the warm cakes. Serve with the remaining mayo if you like.

Note Swap the mayo for a dollop of sour cream if you have it. The cakes keep refrigerated for one day and reheat well in a skillet over medium heat. Serve with a green salad or plain rice to stretch the meal.