Parisian Tuna Sandwiches

I decided a while ago that I was going to "train" myself like foods I disliked. I began with tomatoes, and it's taken a few years, but I'm making progress. I have yet to bite into it like an apple, though. *shudder* Right now I'm working on mushrooms. This one is tricky because it's a texture issue. Sauteed in butter, I can handle, but not much more.

I'm sorry peaches, but I don't think I even want to put you on my list yet. Just the smell of you makes my nose wrinkle.

I've been curious about anchovies lately. They're a key ingredient in Caesar salad dressing (did you know?), which I've always wanted to try making from scratch. When I saw this tuna sandwich recipe, I thought it would be a good opportunity to make friends with anchovies. And because you only use 2-3 at a time, I could make my Caesar salad, too. (coming soon) I wrapped the remaining fillets by threes in plastic wrap and placed the bundles into a freezer bag and into the freeer.

I wondered, as I opened my very first can of anchovies, why these seemingly harmless fish fillets have been banished to "ewwww"-town, yet tuna fish is still "OK". They're basically the same thing -- canned fish fillets. Only anchovies have a saltier bite, and still somewhat resemble their living siblings. That salty bite, I'm guessing, is the reason they're thrown into this sandwich, as well as salad dressings.

I like tuna, and just about everything that's in this sandwich. If you like briney-salty flavored things, than chances are you'd like it, too.

There's a lot of stuff to pack into this sandwich, though, which is why it's nice to have a cast-iron skillet lying around.

And here's what you end up with . . .

I loved, LOVED the vinaigrette that gets brushed on the bread. It made everything so moist and flavorful without using mayo. (I hate plain mayo. I'm OK with that, though.)

The verdict? Amazing. Possibly on my top 5 "Best Sandwiches Ever" list. Steve loved it, too.

Sophie wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole.

Parisian Tuna Sandwiches
from Food Network Magazine June/July 2009

3 eggs
3 T red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 Italian rolls or other soft rolls, halved
1 medium bunch arugula or 2 c spring salad mix
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 c jarred artichoke hearts, well drained and sliced
2 6-ounce cans oil-packed tuna
4-8 anchovy fillets, drained (optional)
1/2 c kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
4 medium radishes, thinly sliced

Hard boil eggs. (In a small saucepan, cover eggs with water, heat to boiling, then cover and remove from heat. Let sit for 10 minutes, drain hot water, then refill with cold water to cool off the eggs. Perfect eggs every time. No gray rings!)

Meanwhile, combine vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, and a pinch or two of pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Put the rolls cut-side up on a work surface and lightly drizzle with a quarter of the dressing. Place the arugula or spring mix on the roll bottoms. Top with sliced tomato, onion, and artichokes. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with another quarter of the dressing.

Drain the tuna, leaving it lightly coated with oil. Toss tuna in remaining dressing, then divide among the sandwiches. Peel and thinly slice the hard-boiled eggs and layer slices over the tuna. Top with anchovy fillets and olives, if desired, then the radishes. Cover with the roll tops and press gently, but firmly. Wrap sandwiches in plastic wrap and place a heavy skillet (cast iron works well) on top to weigh them down. Set aside for 15 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the flavors.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Nat's Notes:
1. Like I said above, I was nervous about using anchovies, so I chopped them up and put them in with the tuna. Baby steps . . .
2. We don't like kalamata olives, so I just left them out. If you do like them, I'd imagine it would add a lot of interesting flavor to this.
3. Instead of Italian rolls, I bought two mini par-baked ciabatta loaves from Trader Joe's. I loved the bread, but it was hard to eat due to the extremely chewy/crunchy crust and loads of filling. I think I'd opt for something softer next time.

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