Tuna Nicoise Sandwiches

What do you get when you put classic nicoise salad ingredients between 2 slices of bread?  You get the perfect picnic takealong.

I was inspired by this sandwich over at Tartelette.  It was just the thing to bring for an afternoon cooling off by the river last weekend.  It was Jeremy’s birthday and we needed a way to beat the heat and get out of our ordinary routine.  We ended up with happy tastebuds and a very happy dog.

Chasing sticks never gets old for him.

I used some lovely homemade focaccia bread and quick-pickled onions in this recipe.  Use whatever bread you prefer, but I really recommend you give the onions a try.  They only take about 5 minutes to put together and they add a zesty tang and crunch.

I hope everyone is staying cool out there.  I’ve stationed myself in front of the fan for the afternoon.

Tuna Nicoise Sandwiches
makes 2
adapted from Tartelette

Ingredients
– 2 hard-boiled farm eggs, peeled and chopped
– 1 can tuna packed in olive oil, drained
– 6 olives, halved (I’m obsessed with castelvetrano olives)
– 1 clove of garlic, minced
– several large basil leaves, torn into pieces
– 1 Tbsp olive oil
– 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
– salt and pepper to taste
– 1 tomato, sliced
– several slices quick-pickled onions
– bread of choice

In a large bowl, mix eggs, tuna, olives, garlic, basil, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Spread thickly between slices of bread, topped with tomato and onions.

Related articles

• Sweet and Sour Tuna Salad! (mylifein24hours.wordpress.com)
• Roasted (Nearly) Nicoise Salad with Burrata and Parsley Pesto (foodtoglow.wordpress.com)
• Julia Child’s Salade Nicoise Recipe (averagebetty.com)

I added this post to this week’s Melt in Your Mouth Monday.