Tuna Pan Bagnat = Fancy Tuna Sandwich

So, this is from Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals. Normally, I would shy away from her because she's so darned annoying, but this recipe is totally crave-worthy.

Rachel used real tuna steaks. And, that's fine if you're made of money because you've got your own cooking show on the Food Network. But we're poaching them, and they turn out a lot like tuna fish from a can. Not, the cheapest dolphin-containing tuna mind you, the $1.50/can tuna will work just fine as a substitute.

ingredients
1 French baguette
1 six to eight-ounce tuna steak
1 bay leaf
5 whole peppercorns* Not necessary if you're using canned tuna
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 can artichoke hearts in water, 15 ounces, drained, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup good quality black olives
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
Coarse black pepper, to your taste
2 to3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, to your taste

preparation
* To get the juices flowing, place whole lemon in microwave on high for 10 seconds.
Crisp baguette in hot oven, then cool to handle. Cut baguette in half lengthwise, on an angle, then split each half lengthwise.

Omit this step if you're using canned tuna: Put about 1 inch of water, the bay leaf, peppercorns, and juice of 1/2 the lemon into a small skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the tuna steak, cover, and simmer until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove tuna from the water and allow to cool.

Place tuna in a bowl and separate with a fork. Add capers, red onion, artichokes.

For olives, if they're pitted, coarsely chop them. If the olives have pits, place an olive or 2 on your cutting board. Turn your knife sideways and place the flat of the blade on top of the olives -- just like peeling garlic -- whack the heal of your hand on knife and the pits of the olives will be exposed. Remove pits and chop.

Add olives and parsley to tuna mixture. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the bowl. Squeeze lemon halves holding cut side upright, allowing juice to spill over sides. The seeds will stay with the lemon half, rather than falling into your salad. Add black pepper to the bowl and drizzle salad liberally with extra virgin olive oil. Toss tuna salad and adjust pepper and evoo to your taste. Pack the tuna salad on to baguette halves and set tops in place. Press down to set the bread and salad together. The bread will absorb the evoo and salad juices. Cut each half baguette in half again, making 4 sandwiches, total.

Notes: The longer pan bagnat sits, the tastier it gets.

Plaigerizer: Air Supply Annie