Seared Tuna Pan Bagnat: Make This and Ditch the Canned Tuna

I really despise tinned fish. This unpopular opinion of mine has ravaged friendships and caused rifts, but I said what I said. Keep your tinned sardines, clams, anchovies, and tuna to yourself. I do, however, like many of these items fresh, especially tuna. Why anyone would ruin it by putting it into an aluminum coffin is beyond me. So, allow me to make some recipes that are typically made with canned tuna, swapped with fresh, starting with my seared tuna pan bagnat.

Pan bagnat is a French sandwich that is a signature in the Nice region of France. It is essentially a tuna nicoise salad on a delicious roll. The sandwich includes tuna, of course, but also basil, tomato, lettuce, hard boiled eggs, and lots of olives. So, nicoise salad without the boiled potatoes or green beans, which makes it a lot easier as a handheld sandwich. The typical recipes I have seen for this recipe also includes oil cured tuna (from a can), so I am switching it up a bit. 

For my version, I am using a baguette seared fresh tuna, and a quick olive tapenade for a spread. The result is a delicious pan bagnat sandwich that is great for a quick dinner and even the leftovers are delicious for lunch the next day. Enjoy this with a French bistro salad for a complete French inspired meal. Bon appetit!

Serves 4

Suggested Wine Pairing:

A French, chilled rose would be the classic pairing with this sandwich.

Ingredients:

1 loaf of French bread or baguette of your choice, split horizontally

1 – 8 ounce tuna steak

2 eggs, hard boiled and sliced

1 shallot, sliced

1/2 cup of arugula

1 tomato, sliced

1/2 cup of basil leaves, torn

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

1/2 cup black olives

2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Make a quick olive tapenade by finely chopping the black olives. Combine the olives with the parsley, garlic, lemon, and a dash of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and spread on one half of the bread.
2. On top of the olive tapenade, arrange the arugula, tomato, eggs, and basil.
3. Dry the tuna and add salt, pepper, and thyme to each side of the fish. In a skillet add 2 tablespoons of oil and sear the tuna to your desired doneness. Medium works well for this sandwich, so about 3 minutes each side depending on the thickness of the fish.
4. Remove the tuna from the pan and slice into strips. Top the sandwich with the tuna and place the top of the bread on. Cut into 4 pieces and enjoy.

If you l like this sandwich, be sure to try my tofu banh mi. It’s similar but different 🙂 Or if you are looking for more French inspired cuisine, try my chicken breast coq au vin.