Equipment
Ingredients
Seared Tuna
- 300 g fresh yellowfin or ahi tuna steaks, sushi-grade, room temperature
- 15 ml olive oil
- 3 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Sandwich Components
- 1 french baguette
- 60 g black olive tapenade
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 50 g butter lettuce, washed and dried
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 593 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbohydrates
- 66 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 1178 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 59 mg
- Potassium
- 1116 mg
- Calcium
- 81 mg
- Iron
- 2.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 131 mg
- Phosphorus
- 644 mg
- Zinc
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 100 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 11 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 39 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 3.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.88 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.53 mg
- Niacin
- 33.2 mg
- Folate
- 153 mcg
- Water
- 256 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Slice the tomato into thin, even rounds and separate the butter lettuce leaves. Set the produce aside.
Slice the french baguette in half lengthwise. Lightly toast the cut sides until crisp and golden brown.
Thoroughly pat the tuna steaks dry with paper towels to ensure a good crust. Rub all sides with olive oil and season evenly with kosher salt and black pepper. Wash your hands and any surfaces that contacted the raw fish immediately after to prevent cross-contamination.
Heat a dry skillet over high heat until smoking hot. Sear the tuna steaks for 1 to 2 minutes per side. For a rare center, the internal temperature should reach 45°C or 115°F.
Transfer the seared tuna to a clean cutting board and let it rest for 3 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
Using a sharp chef knife, slice the rested tuna thinly against the grain.
Spread the black olive tapenade evenly on the bottom half of the toasted baguette. Layer the butter lettuce over the tapenade to create a moisture barrier, followed by the tomato slices and the sliced seared tuna. Top with the remaining baguette half, press down gently, and cut the sandwich in half to serve.
Chef's Notes
- Using a high quality, sushi-grade tuna is essential since the center of the fish will remain raw.
- Patting the tuna completely dry before searing ensures a proper crust forms rather than steaming the fish in its own surface moisture.
- Slicing the tuna against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, resulting in a much more tender bite that is easier to eat in a sandwich format.
- To elevate store-bought tapenade, stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a few chopped capers for added brightness and acidity.
Storage
Refrigerator: 24 hours — Store components separately. Assembled sandwiches will become soggy and do not keep well.
Troubleshooting
Bread becomes soggy quickly
Cause: Tomato juices and tuna moisture soaked directly into the bread crumb
Fix: Cannot be fixed once the bread is saturated
Prevention: Ensure the lettuce layer is placed directly over the bottom bread half to act as a waterproof barrier before adding wet ingredients
Tuna is overcooked and dry
Cause: Pan was not hot enough, requiring a longer cooking time to develop a crust
Fix: Add a drizzle of olive oil or squeeze of lemon juice to add moisture back to the fish
Prevention: Allow the skillet to preheat fully until smoking before adding the fish
Cultural Context
This sandwich is heavily inspired by the Pan Bagnat, a classic street food from Nice, France. The name translates to bathed bread, as it traditionally soaks up the rich olive oil and juices of a Salade Nicoise stuffed inside. Utilizing seared fresh tuna instead of the traditional canned tuna offers a modern, elevated twist on this coastal Mediterranean staple.
