Nicoisesandwich Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, parsley, olives, onion, tuna and green beans. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
• In large bowl, toss greens with vinaigrette and top with chilled potato mixture. Garnish with eggs, tomatoes, capers and anchovies.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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.