Tinned Fish, Fancy Dish

Like most love stories, mine began simply with canned tuna.

My mother is a die-hard canned tuna enthusiast, and growing up, we were the lucky recipients of her three-meals-a-day dedication. Yes, every single day we had breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared for us. But, like any full-time mom of two, wife, and working woman, there were nights when exhaustion won. Enter: the lazy Andrea dinner aka her signature tuna melts.

Now, my mom didn’t make boring tuna melts. She toasted thick slices of bread with good Irish butter in a pan until golden and crisp, then mixed canned tuna with mayo, a little mustard (the fancy kind), and finely chopped carrots and celery for crunch. A warm, melty, crispy hug of a dinner. That was the beginning of my canned tuna dreams.

As we got older, her tuna evolved: tuna-stuffed avocados, baked potatoes topped with tuna salad (don’t knock it till you try it), and tuna salads. Meanwhile, my dad the European that he is took tinned fish to a whole new level. Sardines, mussels, octopus (yes, octopus!), herring, anchovies… you name it, he loved it.

My mom found some of his tins questionable (honestly, same), but I was always down to try. And I never regretted it, well mostly never.

Now that I live in Europe, and the tinned fish craze is all the hype, I feel like I’ve entered the tinned fish hall of fame. The options here are endless, beautiful, and dare I say fancy. So what does a girl on a budget do when she wants a fancy dinner? She builds the tinned fish platter of her dreams.

What’s on my tinned fish dinner board?

• A little fish pâté (yes, fish pâté exists it’s not all duck and pork!)

• Mussels in tomato sauce

• Herring in honey mustard

• Crackers and cheese crisps

• A wedge of cheese (whatever I have on hand)

• Cornichons (my favorite)

• Radishes for crunch and spice

• Olives, always

• Sun-dried tomatoes

• Whatever fresh veg is in the fridge

Pair it with a cold glass of wine or a spritz, and suddenly a €20 meal looks like a fancy charcuterie board.

But tinned fish doesn’t stop at boards. Sometimes I toss it into a quick pasta anchovies or sardines with olive oil, chili flakes, and I'm in heaven. Other times, it’s just fish on good sourdough bread. Sardines in particular are skincare in a can packed with nutrients, omega-3s, and flavor so I try to eat them as often as possible.

Not all tins are created equal, though. Quality matters. The better the fish, the better the dish. I often use Bon Appétit’s guides (https://www.bonappetit.com/story/best-tinned-fish). to scope out brands, but honestly? TikTok and Google are very helpful. These days, the tins themselves are all the fun they’re so chic, I want to collect them all.

If you ever find yourself in Paris, Le Bon Marché has some of the most beautiful (and delicious) tinned fish I’ve seen.

So yes, I’m proudly in my tinned fish era eating well, eating fancy on a budget, and eating it straight from the can.