Pan Bagnat With Fennel Recipes

PAN-FRIED FENNEL

Steps:

• Chop fennel greens and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Lay some fennel slices in a single layer in the pan; cook until nicely browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and lemon pepper. Remove from pan. Add another tablespoon oil and layer in the next batch of fennel slices and cook the same way. Repeat with remaining oil and fennel. Serve sprinkled with fennel greens.

PAN BAGNAT

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the optional anchovies, the garlic, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking constantly.
• If using a country loaf, pull out some soft interior crumb to form a cavity. If using a ciabatta, you won't need to eliminate anything.
• If using a Kirby cucumber, slice thinly. If using a regular cucumber, peel, halve lengthwise, and scoop out seeds from one half. Thinly slice seedless half. Add sliced cucumber to vinaigrette and toss well.
• Spread half the cucumbers on bottom of bread. Top with tomato and onion slices, then with tuna, basil, olives and egg slices. Top egg with remaining cucumbers and vinaigrette. Cover with second bread half and firmly press sandwich together.
• Wrap sandwich tightly in foil, waxed paper or plastic wrap, then place in a plastic bag. Put sandwich under a weight such as a cast-iron frying pan topped with a filled kettle, or have a child about 7 years old sit on it. Weight sandwich for 7 to 10 minutes, then flip and weight it for another 7 to 10 minutes (or as long as you can get the child to sit still). Unwrap, slice and serve immediately, or keep it wrapped for up to 8 hours before serving.

PAN BAGNAT

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine beans, onion, fennel, tomatoes, pepper, olives, capers, tuna, and watercress with 3/4 cup of the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slice open rolls, and scoop out some of the top halves. Brush remaining vinaigrette on insides of rolls. Pile salad mixture on bottom pieces, and top with egg slices. Cover with tops of rolls; serve.

PAN BAGNAT

Steps:

• Slice open bread. It needs to be something with a crusty exterior and a chewy texture so that it can absorb the dressing without falling apart. Scoop out bread from top half of rolls. Set them aside.
• Remove and reserve green fronds from fennel bulb. Thinly slice the bulb. (You can substitute 1 sliced rib celery if desired.) Cut bell pepper into thin rings. Slice the egg.
• Start layering the bottom halves of rolls in this order: fennel, bell pepper, egg and tuna. Sprinkle with olives, capers and fennel fronds.
• On top halves, place thinly sliced tomatoes.
• Make dressing by mixing the vinegar, olive oil, anchovy paste and black pepper to taste. Drizzle it over both tops and bottoms of sandwiches.
• Put sandwiches together. Wrap tightly in plastic. Keep cool until ready to eat.