Pan Bagnat

I am, to put it simply, obsessed with this sandwich. Cannot get enough of it! The fresh, juicy tomatoes, tuna mixed with a home-made vinaigrette, capers, celery, sliced boiled egg... And two secret ingredients, my own herbs de provence mix, and anchovy paste.

I know, right? Anchovy paste, ewww! Well, I've yet to actually eat an anchovy, but the paste adds something special to recipes. It's commonly used in Cesar salad dressings. If you're at a nice Italian restaurant, for instance, and the dressing there has a certain, savory quality that you just can't find in the store bought Cesar dressings, that's the difference. Anchovy paste! No grocer in Owensboro carries Anchovy paste, naturally, so I ordered it from Au Marche, an online European grocer. I also purchased the lavender for my herbs de provence mixture, and Cornichons, a French cucumber pickle.

Cornichons are a small, French style Gherkin. Its flavor is rather like a cross between a dill and sweet American pickles. No sweetness, but they are spicy and sour. Turns out, I LOVE them. Can't get enough of the little things! Never really saw myself as a sour food eater, but I'm wrong. Capers, lemon juice, vinegar and cornichons. All sour. All get a big *heart* from me.

Pan Bagnat translates to a 'bathed' or 'wet' sandwich. The tough beignettes are given time to absorb the juices from the tuna salad mix and the tomatoes, softening up the bread. It's delicious and amazing. The Pan Bagnat reminds me of Nicoise salad, only on bread. Most recipes call for olives, but because I'm not fond of the fruit, I left it off.

For the vinaigrette, you'll need a lemon, white wine vinegar (red wine or sherry vinegar will also work), herbs de provence, a shallot, dijon mustard, and capers. Finely dice the shallot, mix together all the ingredients, and allow the lemon juice and vinegar to semi-pickle the shallots. This is a classic vinaigrette, and goes very well on all sorts of foods. 

Sandwich assembly goes like this: mix your vinaigrette, let it sit. Then add the celery, onion, capers and tuna. Set aside.

Your eggs should already be boiled and sliced. Tomatoes should also be chopped. Cut the cornichons in half lengthwise, roughly chop romaine lettuce. Assemble whatever other goodies you want on your 'wich, like olives, green pepper, radishes, etc.

Once the prep work is done, cut the beignette into fourths. Cut each fourth in half, lengthwise. Take the bottom half, and remove some of the breading. Carefully place a layer of tomatoes down, into the area where the bread has been removed. Then place lettuce.

On top of tomato/lettuce, place the eggs, cornichons, green pepper, etc. The tuna mixture should be the last addition, so that it touches the top piece of bread. Place the top half on, and carefully wrap it up into wax paper. Repeat with each loaf chunk. Place in fridge, and allow to sit for at least an hour. Eat!

Make sure to have napkin and fork on hand, because these sandwiches are quite sloppy.

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Pan Bagnat

June-30-2013

Ingredients

• 3 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 1/2 TBS diced garlic
• to taste salt and pepper
• 1 TBS dijon mustard
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 TBS white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Anchovy paste
• 1/3 handful dried herbs de provence
• 1/3 cup EVOO
• 1 12 oz can tuna, drained
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 ribs celery with leafy tops, finely chopped
• 2 TBS capers in brine, drained
• 1 baguette (I buy mine from Panera bread)
• 1 romaine heart, chopped
• 10 or so cornichons, sliced in half lengthwise
• 2 roma tomatoes, chopped

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine shallot, garlic, vinegar and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, allow to set for around 10 minutes. Stir in the mustard, capers, anchovy paste, and herbs de provence. Add the EVOO. Add the tuna to the dressing along with the onions and celery. Mix well. 2. Cut the baguette into quarters, the slice each lengthwise. Remove some of the bread from the bottom half of each piece. Place the tomatoes on bottom half, followed by lettuce, egg, cornichons, etc. Add the tuna last. Wrap and chill until ready to serve, should be allowed to soak for an hour at least.

Yield: 4 servings