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Now that’s a Tuna Sandwich!
May 10, 2007
Spring has finally arrived! And with warmer weather, I love to make this terrifically flavorful sandwich and find a spot in the evening sun to enjoy it. Delicious pungent Gaeta olives mashed with capers and lemon make a lively pesto that plays off the savory tuna, and both are encased inside a crunchy crust of good bread. If you have a Panini grill at home, terrific! If not, just use a couple of skillets (see below) to create the same effect. While the sandwich is grilling, put together a simple green salad with a mustard vinaigrette and you’ve got a meal!
Grilled Tuna Sandwich with Black Olive and Caper Pesto
Makes 3-4 servings
For the pesto:
1 cup Gaeta Olives (or another intensely flavorful, not too salty black olive), pitted
2 tablespoons capers
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 cup peppery olive oil
For the sandwiches:
6-8 ounce very good quality canned tuna, preferably Spanish
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cava or champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 baguette or 3-4 ciabatta rolls
1. Pre-heat your sandwich grill. If you don’t have a Panini maker or a George Foreman grill, use two heavy skillets (or a skillet and a griddle). One skillet will need to fit inside the other. Preheat both. The smaller of the two will be used to sit on the sandwiches, press them together and cook the top side. (If your top skillet isn’t heavy enough, you may need to put something like a brick or another pot of water in it so it will press the sandwich flat.)
2. Put all the pesto ingredients in a food processor and blend. Pesto should be a bit chunky.
3. Combine the sandwich ingredients together in a bowl and toss well.
4. If using baguette, cut it into 6-7 inch pieces. Slice the bread open. You may want to pull out some of the center – this sandwich is best if the bread makes a thin case for the tuna and pesto. Spread 2 tablespoons of the pesto on the bottom half of each bread serving, and top with 1/3 cup of the tuna mix.
5. Grill the sandwiches until brown and heated through, about 3-6 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
(A tasty variation on this sandwich is to use pickled jalapeño peppers instead of the capers.)
