It’s summer, and my thoughts run to cold soup (nobody here will eat it), main dish salads, and sandwiches, both of which are popular with my family. I was searching my recipe file for something to fix for one of my “eat everything but the unusual is best” friends and came across these two tuna recipes, one French and one Italian. I was struck by how similar they are. Both call for tuna, though I used salmon in the pan bagnat, simply because I had more canned salmon than tuna. And I adapted both to my taste, which means no peppers and no olives. Feel free to add. In fact, feel free to add almost anything you want—these recipes are more guides than specific directions.
In my Irene in Chicago Culinary
Mysteries, Irene boasts a faux French background, even including culinary
training from Le Cordon Bleu. She loves all things French, despises Italian
cooking. Perhaps these two sandwiches would make her rethink that.
Italian tuna sandwich (serves
two)
For the sandwich:
A small baguette or crusty
bread (not the skinny baguette with no room for filling)
Lettuce
7 oz can high quality chunk tuna
2 hardboiled eggs
Salt and pepper
For the salsa verde:
I packed cup Italian parsley
½ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 anchovy filets
1 Tbsp. small capers
Zest from 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Olives (optional), chopped
Serrano chile (optional),
sliced
To make the salsa verde, blend
parsley and olive oil into a paste. Remove to a small bowl and add remaining
ingredients. Mix well. If it is too thick to spread easily, add more olive oil,
a bit at a time.
Split the baguette lengthwise
and cut into two equal portions (if the baguette is large, you do not have to
use the entire thing—cut into two servin size pieces). Spread salsa verde on
both cut sides of the bread. Then on one side layer sandwich ingredients. Top with
chile if using. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining salsa over
ingredients, and top with second piece of bread. Press down firmly. Serve
immediately.
Pan bagnat is a French classic,
usually made with tuna but can also be made with just the eggs and anchovies or
salmon or whatever strikes your fancy. The beauty of this sandwich is that it gets
better with age—it should be made at least several hours before you serve and
can be refrigerated for up to twenty-four hours. Ideally it is made in an 8-inch,
round loaf to serve two, but you may also use a baguette or other crusty
artisan bread.
Pan bagnat
2 anchovy fillets
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Pepper to taste
Round loaf or baguette
½ cucumber, preferably
seedless, thinly sliced.
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 small red onion, sliced
7 oz. tuna
1 hardboiled egg
Sliced olives (optional)
Basil leaves for garnish
Slice bread in half lengthwise
and pull out some of the soft interior. Save discarded bread for another use,
such as croutons.
In a bowl, thoroughly blend
first four ingredients and then slowly whisk in the olive oil. Toss the sliced
cucumber in the mixture. Brush both cut sides of the bread with the vinaigrette.
On the bottom slices of bread,
layer half the cucumbers. Top, in layers, with remaining ingredients. Finish
with remaining cucumbers and pour remaining vinaigrette over all. Cover with
top slice of bread and press down firmly. Wrap sandwich tightly in foil and then
put in a plastic bag. Refrigerate, weighted down. The easiest way to do that is
to place a small skillet on top of the sandwich and add one or two canned
goods. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving. Anchovy flavors will soak
into the bread, creating a delicious treat.
Bon Appetit/Buon Appetito!
See? Even the languages are similar. We’ll never convince Irene.
No comments:
Post a Comment