We love all types of sandwiches but tuna is one of our favorites. Whether it is tuna salad with mayonnaise, celery, onion and a dash of dried dill, or tuna in olive oil on John’s toasted sourdough, we enjoy all of them. This particular version is a real treat. A salsa verde made with Italian parsley, rich olives, briny capers and anchovy fillets plus zesty lemon and olive oil make this sandwich very special. The salsa verde is refreshing and pairs well with the tuna and hard-boiled eggs. This is truly a sandwich “to die for.”
We buy all sorts of tuna in olive oil. One of my favorites is As do Mar. You can find this brand on line or in specialty stores, but I have never seen it in Hawaii markets. Genova tuna is available at Costco for a very fair price. Ortiz is another high-end tuna. The small cans are perfect for two. We used Ortiz tuna in the jar, above right, for this sandwich. Beautiful thin tuna steaks are delicious. You can find this item at Whole Foods in Kahului. You will pay a dear price for this luxury item, but think of it as a treat that you deserve now and then.
We always have Italian parsley growing in the garden. It is the herb I use most. It’s great to be able to snip a few sprigs off the plant when you need them.
Ortiz tuna is top notch and so are their anchovies. There is no comparison to the ones you might find at the grocery stores. You can find Ortiz anchovies in the R. Fields section at Foodland Farms in Wailuku.
The salsa verde is delicious and gorgeous. If you have leftovers, mix it up with pasta shells to make a delicious salad. Toss some good feta into the salad and you’re all set.
Be sure to serve the sandwich on good bread.
- Salsa Verde: 1 cup lightly packed Italian parsley leaves, washed and dried
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium-large garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped green olives
- 2 large anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- zest of 1 lemon
- pinch of crushed red pepper
- freshly ground black pepper
- Sandwiches: 2 ciabatta rolls or 1 small baguette
- lettuce leaves or arugula
- 6 ounces best quality tuna in olive oil, drained
- 2 hard boiled eggs, halved
- Whiz parsley leaves and ½ cup olive oil in a food processor or blender to a pesto-like consistency, then transfer to a small bowl. Add garlic, chopped olives, anchovies, capers, lemon zest and red pepper to parsley mixture. Stir well. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. The olives, anchovies and capers are quite salty on their own so additional salt may not be needed.
- Split ciabatta rolls or baguette with a serrated knife. Spread cut sides with salsa verde. Put a few lettuce leaves on the bottom piece of the bread and arrange tuna evenly over the lettuce. Top with sliced hard-boiled eggs (salt and pepper each piece). Drizzle with more salsa verde then press sandwich closed. Cut baguette into two even portions and serve.
I always keep an assortment of tuna in my pantry. Above left is As do Mar a yellowfin tuna (ahi) from the Azores Islands a region of Portugal. This tuna is meaty, firm and very flavorful. In the center is Ortiz, an albacore (white) tuna from Spain. It’s very tender and flaky with a mild, buttery flavor. On the right is albacore fillets from Wild Planet. All of these are perfect for Salad Nicoise.