Valchemy: Is This a “Surf-and-Turf” Melt Recipe?

When I first suggested writing a “Valchemy” recipe for a “Surf-and-Turf Melt” to my friends and fellow editors, I was met with a lot of questionable side-eyes, confused and disgusted grunts, and the occasional “ew, that sounds gross.” I don’t blame them for their reactions. I was once a skeptic towards this land-and-sea sandwich confection myself, but as the wise say: Hey, don’t knock it ‘til you try it. I come to you with a go-to recipe — questionable, but tried and approved by myself and my friends. On a day when Valentine Dining Hall (Val) has little to offer that will satiate your growling stomach, follow this step-by-step to try a new, daring, and surprisingly yummy dining experience. 

Step-by-Step 

1. The bread selection for this sandwich is a big factor in its success rate. I am a personal fan of the Fantini Buns available at the sandwich bar. They are soft, slightly sweet, but overall pretty plain — an important quality for a sandwich packed with flavors. 

2. Equally as important as the bread are the condiments. I like my sandwich with a thin layer of mayo and a generous amount of gochujang sweet chili on one of the buns to bring some dimension to the meal. 

3. The sandwich really starts coming to life with the addition of this, often overlooked, Val ingredient: tuna salad. I know … some people have visceral reactions to this ingredient, but you have to believe me, it is actually pretty good! The salad is on the saltier end of the spectrum, and is the perfect amount of tuna for this melt. I add about half a scoop to the other bun without the condiments.

4. Now, we bring the land to the sea. On a perfect Val day, this sandwich is perfected with a thin slice of roast beef. But, to no one’s surprise, Val is not often “perfect,” so we work with what we have. When I can’t use roast beef (as was the case on the day I decided to write this recipe), I use ham. You can feel free to substitute the deli meat with any other cut you prefer, but I would recommend avoiding saltier cold cuts, like salami (speaking from experience), as they tend to make the melt too salty. 

5. To turn the surf-and-turf into a melt, I add three slices of Swiss cheese to my sandwich. Its mellow flavor and soft texture melt beautifully on the press. 

6. I like to finish my sandwich by adding some greens and veggies to it. My go-tos are arugula and red onions, but I would encourage you to get inventive and add whatever veggies you like best.

7. The final step for this sandwich is to take it to the panini press for the perfect melt. I like to press down on the machine to really flatten the sandwich, and keep it like that until I can see the cheese has completely melted. 

8. As a final (and optional touch), I like to enjoy my sandwich with chips and some spicy mayo on the side.

Surf-and-Turf Together

This sandwich might not be for everyone; it has certainly rewarded me with weird looks from my friends, but it is definitely one I like to keep on my backup menu for when everything else fails. I encourage you to try it and get inventive with your own Val recipes. As we begin to say goodbye to our beloved dining hall, it is these comforting recipes, the laughs they bring to the tables, and the hacks we share with each other that keep our memories of Valentine Dining Hall alive.