Fresh Tuna Hero
Submitted by hemang
Fresh tuna hero stacks seared tuna steak with roasted garlic, green beans, tomato, and roasted red pepper on a hollowed-out French roll. A pressed Niçoise-style sandwich that gets better after a rest in the fridge.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
2 hrsThis is basically a pan bagnat with an American accent: seared tuna steak layered with blanched green beans, sliced tomato, and roasted red pepper inside a hollowed French roll smeared with sweet roasted garlic. The tuna sears hard for three minutes a side so the center stays blushing pink, then gets sliced thin to fan across the bread.
The trick that separates this from a regular sandwich is the rest. Wrapped tight in plastic and chilled for a couple of hours, the olive oil, tomato juice, and pepper liquor soak into the crumb, seasoning the bread from the inside out. By serving time the crust is still crisp but every bite is moist.
Pro Tips
- Hollow out the rolls generously. The cavity needs room for the fillings, and the pulled-out crumb would just go soggy anyway.
- Sear the tuna in a hot pan, not warm. A genuinely ripping skillet forms the crust in three minutes flat without overcooking the center.
- Press the sandwich. After wrapping, set a plate and a can on top so the layers marry and the bread compresses slightly. This is what makes a hero different from a regular sandwich.
- Roast the garlic ahead. A whole head tucked in foil with a splash of wine takes an hour but keeps for a week in the fridge, ready for any sandwich or toast.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Cut off about ¼ inch from the top of each clove of garlic, discard.
Place garlic cloves in a small ramekin.
Drizzle with white wine and I teaspoon pure olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, or until garlic is soft.
Remove and cool to room temperature.
Sprinkle both sides of tuna with black pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons pure olive oil in a non stick skillet.
Sear tuna over medium-high heat and cook for 3 minutes per side for medium rare.
Remove from pan, cool and cut crosswise into 8 thin slices.
Reserve.
Slice the top third off each roll, lengthwise; reserve tops.
Hollow out the center of each roll.
Brush insides with the extra-virgin olive oil.
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and spread over the inside of each roll.
To assemble sandwiches, lay 2 slices of tuna along bottom.
Next, lay string beans lengthwise. Top each with a slice of tomato and roasted pepper, pressing down on ingredients.
Sprinkle evenly with black pepper and parsley.
Cover rolls with reserved tops; press down again.
To ensure that the sandwich is perfectly moist, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours before serving.
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