Maybe you've heard about the heat wave that's covered most of Europe for the month of July. 98 degrees (F) is no fun without air condonditioning, let me tell you. For sure it's too hot to fire up the stove, or even the grill. So it's time for some serious dinner salads and sandwiches.
Le sandwich can be found in most boulangeries in France, ready for le pique nique. In Nice there's a classic local sandwich called a pan bagnat. In the Nice patois, the name means "bathing bread" (in French, pain baignant). It's unique because the baguette and filling is dressed with a vinaigrette, then left to marinate. Tuna, boiled eggs, anchovies, tomatoes, onions, all piled on and then drenched in a garlicky sauce. You wrap it up, put your cast iron skillet on top to flatten it, and leave it 4 hours or more, to get it good and juicy. A little mushy in fact.
I decided to make a croustillant (crunchy) version of this sandwich. I brushed the toasted bread slices with the vinegarette, addded layers of goodies–then ate it right away. It's a dagwood affair, with tuna, boiled eggs, pickled onions, and more. But really it's all about the bread. I used a sliced and toasted French boule instead of a chewy baguette. A boule is a round country loaf (photo above). Any rustic French or Italian bread or sourdough loaf will work well. The other secret is to use good quality white tuna, packed in olive oil, not water. Serve it with a chilled white Burgundy, of course. This one is going on our regular dinner menu!
RECIPE: The SFF Crispy and Loaded Pan Bagnat
Use slices of rustic country bread or sourdough, toasted to a golden brown.
Brush one side of all slices with French Dressing #1, to which you have added some crushed fresh garlic.
Then pile on the following:
- tuna packed in oil, lightly drained (nap it with the dressing first, it you like)
- sliced boiled eggs
- lettuce and tomato slices
- pickled red onions (see note)
- some basil leaves
- Thin slices of cucumber
(But don't stop there! Add any raw or leftover veggies you've got hanging around. Add anchovies or olives if you like).
Drizzle a little more dressing over the veggies and devour immediately.
A note about the pickled onions: I throw onions and cucumbers or other vegetables in a vinegar/sugar mixture and keep them on hand for sandwiches and salads. It takes just a minute: mix a cup of vinegar, a cup of water, a tablespoon of kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Pour it over any raw vegetable. If you like, add some whole peppercorns and/or other whole spices; you can add fresh herbs too if you like, or a bay leaf. Let the vegetables sit out a bit, then refrigerate. The flavor improves as they marinate, and since they're pickled, they keep quite a while.
In the COMMENTS: Our reader Barney reports that another good English daily newsletter is Languedoc Living (and if you're looking to vacation in that area, check out Barney's website, MyBeaucaire, to see his apartments). Herm mentions Le Figaro, another excellent choice. Janet listens to News in Slow French. This is wonderful language practice; they read the French news to you at a pace you can understand. Ralphe, merci for the correction!
Favorite READS: Natalia and I are re-reading the same beloved book: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. I'm reading it again before I watch the movie, which came out recently. Natalia also likes Paris by the Book, a best-seller which is going on my list. Mindy, thanks for telling me about A Man Called Ove, which somehow I hadn't heard of, and the reviews sound great.
12 thoughts on ““Le Sandwich” of Summer”
Isn’t this a Salade Nicoise sandwich?
I’m having lunch company on Monday and was planning to make S. Nic. BUT this sounds so good! On my porch. With rose. Whiling away the last of summer.
I love your blog…but you knew that.
MAMA LOVED The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and now she is into the French mystery writers, The Wine Detective series and the woman writer, M. L. Longworth plus any novel written about France before and during the war. Would love some new titles, as she has read so many but know there are more. Those sandwiches are found often in Nice.
I recently retired, which means I am suddenly faced with free time (a foreign concept to me), and reading your blog has been one of the activities I now have time to do. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy it! I particularly like the way you share your readers’ suggestions. I’ve already got my eye on one of Barney’s apartments. Spending a year in France is on my bucket list! And I will definitely start listening to the News in Slow French.
As for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, I, too, just found out the movie’s showing on Netflix. I’ve heard it’s very well done, so I’m patiently waiting until I can watch it on my laptop.
Another book you might enjoy is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I read and listened to it on Kindle’s whispersync feature. This was one of those books I took my time reading. I found it quite compelling.
After you finish reading A Man Called Ove, try the movie. It is a very good and faithful rendition. Today’s recipe for pickled veggies sounds too good to pass by. Think I’ll try it. Thanks, Lynn
I recently discovered Jean-Luc Bannalec’s mysteries set in Brittany. Very enjoyable.
Lynn,these sandwiches are heaven!And!Such wonderful fillings are perfect for beating these sweltering days.Especially the yummy French dressing!
Rod and I are so partial to boules;being that the old gray mare(guess who)is not what she used to be(far from it),too many times I have broken off the composite on my front tooth while trying to enjoy the crunchy crust.
This is the perfect solution.Thank you!
So many terrific book suggestions! I agree with Mindy about A Gentleman in Moscow!(Man Called Ove is next!).The one I just started is Hotel Sacher,by Rodica Doehnent(though not a recipe book,includes a recipe for Sacher Torte).I hesitate to mention a non fiction one,particularly because I was not much of a fan of Maria Shriver.Her I’ve Been Thinking is really quite good,filled with points to ponder and good ideas.I originally bought it to help a friend who owns a bookstore; she had a sign in her window to please buy a book.Turns out we both benefitted!
An anecdote about The Guernsey Literary Society etc. book. We were having dinner at an airport hotel by Heathrow in June, before flight back to States the next morning, when we started talking to a Brit couple next to us. They were on way back to Guernsey from a cruise. They had been born and lived in Guernsey as had their parents and grandparents. They told us of his father and sister and parents being put on a boat to be evacuated to Scotland during the war. Somehow he (this man’s father) forgot something and ran back up the hill to his grandparents house…they were not evacuated but chose to stay put on the island. Well, they boy stayed behind for the duration of the war. Of course, to him it was a grand adventure (except for always being hungry …) But he never forgot the feeling of eating every last bite, and saving every scrap of whatever. Anyway, it’s not often you meet someone who has a history like that!
My mother showed me how to pickle vegetables in much the same way as you, but I’ve not done it in years. Will be now, though.
I was heartbroken when “Potato Peel Society” ended and there were no more books. And I didn’t realize there’s a move happening. I, too, may re-read it. Thanks for the reminder.
The Guernsey LS book was really charming! I served a potato peel pie for book club. Currently very popular in northern California is Educated. Lots of herbs and tinctures in it, but not so good for food. I’m finishing a Gentleman in Moscow–he loves good food and wine in the Hotel Metropole.
You had me with the photo of all the breads! Now I’m starving for some of that bread, sandwich or no sandwich. I bet it’s hotter here than there! Wonderful post.
Wine and War, by Don and Petie Kladstrup
Barbara, I just finished reading Wine and War and agree it is well worth reading. Also, I recently read Ann Seba’s “Les Parisiennes” about the women of Paris under the Nazi occupation. It’s a book that will deepen your understanding of the French and how they suffered during the war. So many books…so little time…