Pan Bagnat

Salade Nicoise is pretty terrific on its own but let me clue you in right now.  You will want leftovers.  The second recipe is Pan Bagnat, the sandwich version of Salade Nicoise that I first tasted from a food cart near Nice's stony beach.  When I make Pan Bagnat, I am going for that late-summer memory of olive oil and vinegar-soaked bread packed with tuna, egg, anchovy, sweet red onions and the famous olives de Nice. 

Some of you are already thinking you will omit the anchovy.   I beseech you to try it or at least drizzle some of the unctuous oil onto your tuna.  It is a salty match for the other ingredients.  In fact, there is no added salt in this recipe since both the anchovy and olives provide the right amount.

I like to arrange it so that if I am serving Salade Nicoise for dinner then bringing Pan Bagnat on a hike or to the beach I get slightly different flavor profiles.  Both are from the area of Nice along the southern cost of France where the famous olives de Nice abound.  The salad will feature all the basic ingredients while the sandwich gets a little more individual with possible additions of marinated artichoke hearts, sliced red onion, even fava beans if they are in season near you. 

If you can get your hands on olives from Nice and some French olive oil, by all means use them in this recipe.  If you are putting this together from your local supermarket, Kalamata olives and a good extra virgin olive oil will do nicely. The recipe is fine with either canned or grilled tuna but if using canned, get the kind packed in olive oil.  Also, insist on a really good crusty loaf of bread to make the sandwich.  I use a crusty roll I make in my bread machine that we also use for hamburgers.  A baguette or a small boule will suit.  If there is a lot of bread between the crusts, its advisable to tear out a bit so there is room for all the fillings.

Salade Nicoise makes a knock-out grilled dinner salad for a large or small party.  Most of it can be prepared ahead and guests get to create their own salads from the ingredients offered so it’s a great recipe for a crowd with varied tastes.  It is best served at room temperature with the grilled tuna coming right to the table.  Individual plates are nice for a small number.  For a large group set up big platters so that guests can serve themselves the items they enjoy best.

Salade Nicoise
Per person quantities
1 cup torn lettuces (romaine, bibb, spinach leaves, etc.)
2 new potatoes, boiled
1/2 cup haricots verts (or green beans), steamed
1/2 ripe tomato
1 hard boiled egg
1/3 pound tuna steak, about 1 inch thick*
Ground black pepper
6 pitted olives (nicoise, kalamata,etc.)
3-4 anchovies packed in oil
Vinaigrette (recipe below)

*if using canned tuna, plan on 1/2 can per person and skip grilling step.  When ready to serve salad arrange tuna, olives and anchovy alongside vegetables. 

Method

• Slice vegetables and egg.  Leave beans whole.  
• Arrange vegetables on plates or platters starting with a layer of lettuce.  Arrange remaining vegetable ingredients and sliced egg (except olives and anchovies) in clusters to create a colorful tableau.  Leave room for the tuna.  This step may be done ahead of time and salads can be covered and refrigerated 1-2 hours.  
• When ready to serve, heat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat and coat tuna steaks with coarsely ground pepper.  Lightly oil grill and cook tuna about 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare.  
• When fish is ready, remove fish to a separate platter and let sit 3-4 minutes.  
• Slice tuna steaks in thick slabs and place alongside the vegetables. Garnish with olives and anchovies.   Serve with vinaigrette (recipe below).

Pan Bagnat
for 1 sandwich:
baguette or hard roll
1/2 portion of Salade Nicoise
Roasted red pepper
Marinated artichoke hearts
Red onion
Basil
Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Method

1. Split the bread in half and brush an ounce of vinaigrette onto the open halves.  
2. Next layer the Salade Nicoise leftovers with the remaining ingredients drizzling a bit more vinaigrette in between the layers. 
3. Tightly wrap sandwich in plastic or wax paper and place in a second protective bag or resealable plastic bag.  Get thee to the beach or park to enjoy.   

La Vinaigrette
4 ounces extra virgin olive oil
1 ounce apple cider or red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper
Additions: Dijon mustard, capers a spoonful of pesto sauce

Vigorously mix all ingredients together. 


A recipe for Pan Bagnat direct from Nice (en francais) that is not too different than mine….

Peach Cava

 

While peaches are still in season, we made peach ice cream and used some of the extra peach puree in an aperitif.  A tablespoon in a flute looks pretty topped with Cava, Spain's sparkling wine.  To make this without the ice cream step, peel, pit and puree or mash a ripe peach. Add a squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon each of peach schnapps (or vodka) and superfine sugar. 

How to Peel a Peach
Peeling a peach is easy and fast.  Once you learn this technique, you can use it for tomatoes too.

1. Wash peach.
2. Determine amount of water the peach will displace by placing it in a small, high-sided pot and covering the peach with cold water.  Remove the peach and boil the water over high heat.
3. While water boils, score the bottom of the peach in a cross pattern.  Be sure to cut through the skin.
4. When the water boils, turn the heat to medium and submerge the peach using a slotted spoon.
5. Cook 30 seconds and removed peach with slotted spoon.
6. Submerge peach in a bowl of ice water for 30 seconds.
7. Remove the peach from the ice water and peel the loosened skin from the peach starting with the edges of the cross you cut at the bottom.  Skin will peel off easily.  

Grilled Salmon with Peach-Bourbon Salsa

Peaches are in season in most areas of the country now. Combined with another American classic, bourbon, they move from the dessert course to the main course.  Bourbon is the “secret” ingredient in this recipe.  It takes the place of oil in the salsa and balances out the any tartness in your peaches and the salsa's lime juice.  Served over salmon steaks, this is another twenty minute summer supper.

Grilled Salmon with Peach-Bourbon Salsa
Serves 2
2 1-inch salmon steaks
2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon bourbon
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
salt & pepper
1 large peach, pitted and diced

Method

1. Place salmon steaks in a shallow dish.  In a small bowl, mix together honey, lime juice and Bourbon.  
2. Pour half of the mixture over salmon steaks and turn steaks to coat.  Let salmon soak up marinade while grill heats (or broiler preheats).  
3. If grilling, brush a small amount of oil onto grill to prevent sticking.  Grill salmon steaks over medium-high heat fairly close to the heat source (no more than 4 inches) about 3-5 minutes on each side.  Salmon should be tender in center.  (If broiling, place rack at highest level and broil10 minutes total, turning once.) 
4. While salmon cooks, prepare salsa.  Combine reserved marinade with parsley, salt and pepper and diced peach.  Serve over salmon steaks. 

Peach Tips
Thawed frozen peaches can be used in this recipe.  If fresh peaches are in season, use them peeled or unpeeled.  If you’d like to peel them, cut a small cross at the bottom of the peach and plunge into boiling water for 30 seconds.  Remove the peach with a slotted spoon and run under cold water.  When peach is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin starting with the scored skin at the bottom.

“Oven Fried” Eggplant

Crispy on the outside and a bit puffed up and creamy on the inside.  Eggplant does not need to be fried in order to get the taste and texture just right.  In fact, eggplant is such an oil absorber roasting at a high heat can actually give you better results than frying. This recipe is easy enough to make and enjoy on a weeknight.

High heat is the key to light and pure breaded eggplant slices. Turn up your oven to 450˚K and give it time to preheat.  This is true roasting temperature.

"Oven Fried" Eggplant
Preheat oven to 450˚F.
Slice one eggplant in 1/2 inch slices.  (You can peel eggplant or leave the attractive purple skin on or partially peeled).  Expect 9-12 slices.
Set up 3 shallow dishes for breading and use spray oil to prepare a heavy baking sheet.

Breading
Dish #1
1/2 cup flour + 1//4 teaspoon salt

Dish #2
1 beaten egg + 2 oz milk +1 oz water

Dish #3
1 cup fresh bread crumbs + 1/4 teaspoon each dried oregano, dried basil, black pepper, salt and parsley
(1 cup dried breadcrumbs can be substituted.)

Method

1. Dip each slice in flour mixture and shake of excess.  The purpose of flouring the eggplant is to provide a dry surface for the egg wash and a thick layer of flour is not necessary.  
2. Next dip the eggplant slice in the egg mixture and finally coat each side with the crumb mixture.  Place slice on oiled baking sheet.  
3. Repeat with remaining slices and roast eggplant in a 450˚F oven for 15 minutes.  
4. Turn slices over and roast an additional 5 minutes.  
5. Serve as is or spoon a small amount of marinara sauce on each slice and top with mozzarella cheese.  Return to oven for 3-4 minutes until cheese melts.  Eggplant slices can be used in any eggplant Parmesan recipe.

Eggplant Tips
When buying eggplant, follow the general rule for all vegetables and fruits, that is, pick ones that are heavy for their size.  This indicates freshness via the presence of moisture inside.

Many people salt sliced eggplant and let it sit in a colander about an hour to draw out any bitterness.  This step also helps the eggplant resist too much oil absorption and is more important with older specimens.  I skip this step when the eggplant is at its peak freshness and because I won’t be frying it, I don’t have the oil absorption problem.


Post Script: Thankful to my Dad tonight for his enthusiastic approach to new foods throughout his travels. They taught him about the people of the world through sharing a meal together.