Nicoise Sandwich Recipes

NICOISE SALAD SANDWICH

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook green beans until bright green and tender, 3 minutes. Drain, rinse under cool water, and chop. In a medium bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, shallot, and olive oil. Drain tuna, then break into chunks and add to vinaigrette, along with green beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine. In a food processor, pulse together tomatoes, olives, and parsley. Split baguette lengthwise and scoop out most of the insides. Arrange a few lettuce leaves on bottom half; top with tuna mixture and eggs. Spread tomato-olive mixture on top half of baguette and place on sandwich. To serve, cut crosswise into 4 pieces.

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Steps:

• 1 To make the Provençal vinaigrette, in a blender, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic and olive oil and blend until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. You will need about 1/4 cup of vinairgrette for the sandwiches. Reserve the remaining vinaigrette for another use. 2 Season the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper. 3 In a fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until almost smoking. Add the tuna and cook, turning once, until the fish is well browned on the outside and still red in the center, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. 4 Drizzle 1 teaspoon vinaigrette onto the bottom of each baguette. Top with the arugula, tuna, eggs, bell peppers, tomatoes and olives, dividing evenly. Top each sandwich with 2 anchovy fillets and drizzle with 1 teaspoon vinaigrette. Cover the sandwiches with the tops of the baguettes. 5 Serves 6.

SALADE NICOISE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Cover potatoes with 2 inches of cold water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain potatoes, and let cool completely; set aside.
• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Fill saucepan with cold water, and bring to a boil. Add green beans; cook until bright green, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer green beans to ice-water bath to stop the cooking; let cool completely. Cut green beans into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside.
• Refill ice-water bath; set aside. Fill a small saucepan with cold water; add egg. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cover, and let stand 11 to 12 minutes. Transfer egg to ice-water bath; let stand 2 minutes. Peel egg, and cut in half; discard yolk. Cut egg white into 1/2-inch pieces, and set aside.
• Whisk together mustard and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk in oil in a slow, steady stream; set vinaigrette aside. Put potatoes, green beans, egg, olives, shallot, and tuna into a large bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and salt; season with pepper. Drizzle vinaigrette over tuna mixture; gently stir to combine.
• Using your hands, hollow out 1 half of each baguette piece, leaving a thin layer of bread. Arrange tomato slices over remaining half. Spoon 1/2 cup tuna salad onto hollowed-out half, and top with tomato-lined half.

NIçOISE TUNA SANDWICH (PAN BAGNAT)

Steps:

• Combine the red and white onion with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil,1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper in a bowl.
• Using your hands, mix and squeeze everything together for 5 minutes. (Don't rush through this part; the onions need time to release their juices and mellow.)
• Work in can of tuna in olive oil, including the oil. Season with fresh lemon juice, red-wine vinegar, and salt, then add pepper to taste.
• Cut kaiser rolls in half crosswise and spread each bottom half with lettuce leaves. Use a couple of varieties-whatever looks good-for the difference in texture.
• On top of each lettuce layer, arrange 4 tomato slices (skip this step if you don't have good-really good-tomatoes on hand). Then add about half the tuna mixture and 3 to 4 slices of hard-boiled egg.
• Crisscross each sandwich with 2 drained anchovy fillets and strew with Niçoise olives (pit them if desired), chopped scallion greens, and sliced radishes. Then drizzle generously with more olive oil and top with the remaining kaiser halves, pressing gently but firmly.

TUNA NICOISE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Gently lower the eggs into the boiling water with a slotted spoon. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 10 minutes, until both the whites and yolks are fully set (hard-boiled). Transfer to a large bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking. Peel the eggs, then thinly slice.
• Meanwhile, place the red onion in a small bowl and cover with ice water. Soak for 5 to 15 minutes (this will remove some of the sharp, raw onion flavor). Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Drain all of the oil from the tuna fillets, then break up into bite-size pieces. Fold the tuna into the dressing until evenly coated.
• Cut the demi baguette in half crosswise, then halve each piece lengthwise to create 2 sandwiches. Spread the tapenade on the inside of the sandwich tops. Layer the tomato, red onion, egg and tuna on each sandwich bottom, dividing evenly. Top with the cucumber and spring greens, then close the sandwiches. Wrap each sandwich in parchment and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 4 hours. Alternatively, cut each sandwich in half and serve immediately.

TUNA NICOISE SANDWICH

Steps:

• For the White Bean Puree: Soak the beans overnight. Or place beans in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat; remove from heat and set aside, covered, for 1 hour. Drain the beans; transfer to a 2-quart pot with the diced onion, smashed garlic, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, 5 cups of stock, and salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat; simmer until beans are very tender and are breaking apart, about 2 hours. If the mixture becomes dry, add some of the remaining stock. Drain the beans; discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Puree the beans in a food processor, adding a few drops of oil. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, to taste, along with the lemon juice, white vinegar, and walnut oil, if desired. Reserve.
• For the Olive Tapenade: In a food processor or mortar, combine the olives, capers, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Slowly add the oil and pulse or work with the pestle into a coarse paste, retaining some bits of olive and caper for texture. Taste to adjust the seasonings. Reserve.
• Sandwich Assembly: Smear with white bean puree on 4 pieces of potato bread. Arrange sliced tuna on top. Drizzle tapenade over tuna. Add sliced tomatoes, sliced egg and dressed French green beans. Top with greens and toasted bread. Garnish with basil and arugula.

SALADE NIçOISE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Combine all tuna, capers, mayonnaise and fresh lemon juice in medium bowl. Season with pepper. Cut each bread loaf crosswise into 3 pieces, then halve each piece lengthwise. Pull out centers of bread pieces, leaving 1/2-inch-thick crusts. Spread olive paste on inside of each bread piece. Cover olive paste with generous amount of arugula. Spread 1/2 cup tuna mixture onto each bottom piece of bread. Top with sliced tomato and sliced onion, then with top pieces of bread. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead.)

SALADE NIçOISE SANDWICH

Steps:

• 1. Place the potatoes in cold salted water in a medium pan and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes, then cool, peel, and quarter.
• 2. Combine the vinegar and mustard in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper and mix well. Stirring constantly, pour in the oil in a steady stream. Dress the quartered potatoes with about a tablespoon of dressing.
• 3. Place the lettuce in a large salad bowl. Add salt and pepper and enough dressing to lightly coat the lettuce (all but about 2 tablespoons). Toss, mixing well. Arrange the eggs, onions, tomatoes, radishes, olives, capers, anchovies, and tuna over the lettuce. Sprinkle the eggs, onions, tomatoes, and radishes with salt. Drizzle the salad with any remaining dressing, then toss gently and serve.
• Variation:
• Split 1 large or 2 small baguettes. Pull out and then discard some of the white bread inside and then fill with salad. Set aside for about 20 minutes, then cut into 8 pieces and serve.

TUNA NICOISE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Put onions, 1/4 cup oil, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; season with pepper. Toss to combine. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Add tuna and its oil to onion mixture. Add lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Gently toss to combine.
• Cover bottom halves of rolls with lettuce. Top with olives, eggs, and tuna mixture, dividing evenly. Drizzle each with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cover with top halves of rolls. Serve with lemon wedges.

NICOISE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Char bell peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides.
• Wrap in paper or plastic bag and let stand 10 minutes to steam and soften.
• Peel and seed.
• Cut bread in half horizontally.
• Remove centers of each half, leaving a 1 inch thick bread shell all around.
• Combine oil, vinegar, basil and garlic in a small bowl.
• Brush inside of bread shell with this mixture.
• Layer anchovies, bell pepper, eggs, tomatoes, tuna, olives and parsley on bottom half.
• Season generously with pepper.
• Cover with top half of bread and press gently.
• Wrap tightly in foil.
• Cover with a tray or cutting board and place 3, 5 lb weights (various large cans) and refrigerate atleast 30 minutes.
• (can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead – this is great picnic fare).
• Cut into 6 wedges.
• Pierce each with a long toothpick and serve.

TUNA NICOISE SANDWICH

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and mustard; season with salt and pepper. Transfer 2 tablespoons dressing to another bowl; toss with tuna. To remaining dressing, add cucumber and onion; toss to combine.
• Cut bread in half horizontally; remove most of soft interior crumb. Spread tapenade on bottom half. Top with basil leaves, then egg slices; season with salt and pepper. Top with tuna, then cucumber mixture; close sandwich.
• Wrap sandwich tightly in plastic and place between two baking sheets. Weight with a heavy skillet. Let stand 1 hour (or refrigerate, up to overnight). To serve, cut into quarters.