Courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Easy lunch recipes are sometimes the best recipes. This  simple to prepare Grilled Tuna Sandwich with Arugula, or what my favorite celebrity chef, Giada de Laurentiis, calls her Open Faced Tuna Sandwich with Arugula and Sweet Pickle Mayonnaise is a deliciously great recipe.  I love healthy recipes with a more modern twist for lunch, and this one is inspired by the traditional tuna sandwich.

Tuna steaks substitute for canned tuna and grilled ciabatta bread substitutes for ordinary sandwich bread. Forget boring. Add some fresh arugula,  and you have officially elevated an ordinary sandwich into a celebrity recipe sure to be a crowd pleaser.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

4 (4 to 6-ounce) albacore tuna steak

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1/4 cup

4 teaspoons Herbs de Provence *

4 slices sharp white Cheddar

1 (1-pound) loaf ciabatta bread, halved horizontally

2 cups arugula, thinly sliced

Mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup finely diced sweet pickles (about 2 pickles)

PREPARATION

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Season the tuna with salt and pepper.

Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the herbs de Provence.

Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare.

Place a slice of cheese on each piece of fish during the last minute of grilling.

Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom half of the bread with 1/4 cup of olive oil.

Cut into 4 pieces, each about 4-inches long and 3-inches wide.

Grill, cut side down, for 30 seconds to 1 minute until toasted and golden.

Spread the grilled bread with the sweet pickle mayonnaise.

Place a tuna steak on top.

Top with the arugula and drizzle with olive oil.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

Mayonnaise

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and sweet pickles until smooth.

Cook’s Note: Make the leftover top half of the ciabatta into croutons by cutting into 1-inch pieces, drizzling with olive oil and baking for 10 to 12 minutes in a preheated 375 degree F oven. Alternatively, tear the bread into small pieces, allow to dry, and blend in a food processor to make bread crumbs.

*Herb de Provence is a delicious and aromatic blend of 6 herbs and spices that’s great for seasoning. It includes lavender flowers, oregano, fennel seeds, thyme, rosemary and summer savory. For me, because it’s easily available at any store,  I keep it in my pantry, rather than preparing from scratch.

NOTES

I must admit I love Giada’s cooking. Nothing beats healthy recipes that have the bonus of being easy recipes to prepare. I’m much too busy to spend hours and hours in the kitchen most days.  This tuna sandwich recipe comes from Giada’s cookbooks, Giada De Laurentiis.

This reminds me of another easy recipe for Giada’s Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops featured earlier on this blog. Hmm. That might just be perfect for dinner tonight!

– The Gourmet Review