Pan Bagnat

This layered sandwich from the South of France, meaning "bathed bread," is stuffed with tuna, vegetables and oil-cured olives, and drizzled with a lemon dressing. The sandwich is then pressed, marrying the tuna and vegetables, thus bathing the bread in flavor. This sandwich is sure to steal the show at any picnic. Serves 6. 

Pan Bagnat

Ingredients: 

1 - 8.8 ounce tin Conservas Ortiz Bonito del Norte, lightly drained reserving a small amount of the oil

� cup mixed herbs, such as parsley, fennel fronds, basil or green onions, chopped

⅓ cup fruity extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Juice of one lemon

� bulb fennel, thinly sliced

1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced

� small red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

� cup oil-cured olives, pitted and roughly chopped

6 salt-cured anchovy fillets, rinsed

1 rustic loaf of bread

Directions:

In a small bowl, gently flake tuna and mix with herbs. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until emulsified. Set aside.

To assemble sandwich, cut bread lengthwise and hollow out loaf of bread (save the insides for breadcrumbs). Place fennel in an even layer over the bottom of the bread and then top with cucumbers, red bell pepper and tomatoes. Spread with tuna mixture and then continue to layer eggs, olives and anchovies. Drizzle reserved lemon dressing evenly over sandwich and season with salt and pepper. Cover with top of bread and wrap sandwich in a couple layers of plastic wrap or tin foil.

Place in between two baking sheets, weighing down the top sheet with something heavy, such as a cast iron skillet, a brick or large cans of tomatoes. Refrigerate for 3 hours to 8 hours. Remove from refrigerator, unwrap and slice into wedges. Serve cold or at room temperature.