In reading through this recipe, I liked all the ingredients, so we gave it a try. I loved it! It is my current tuna salad recipe of choice. I’ve been eating it as much as possible all Summer long, but I refrained from posting it until now, as I like to have a great sandwich recipe for Back-to-School posts at the end of August. That time has come!

Always curious about the name of  things, I researched why this is considered a Provencal Tuna Sandwich.  Provencal refers to food that is prepared in the style of Provence, a region in southeastern France. That region of France has a number of ingredients that are prominently used in their cooking. They include garlic, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, and olive oil. This tuna salad may lack the mushrooms and eggplant of Provence dishes, but the rest of what makes Provencal food wonderful is in there, along with some bell pepper, cucumber, capers and red wine vinegar. Awesome!

Provencal Tuna Sandwich

Provencal Tuna Sandwiches (adapted from foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 35 minutes, Active Time: 20 minutes, Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 6-ounce cans tuna, lightly drained
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup packed fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 8 slices crusty bread, toasted if desired
• 2 large plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

Directions:

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the garlic together in a large bowl.

Start by putting together the vinaigrette.

Add the red onion to the vinaigrette.

Add the red onion to the vinaigrette.

Add the tuna to the vinaigrette, breaking it into pieces.

Add the tuna to the mixture.

Stir in the bell pepper, cucumber, parsley and capers. Season the salad with salt and pepper.

Add the bell pepper, cucumber, parsley, capers, and salt and pepper to the mix.

Toast the bread, if desired. Arrange the tomato slices on the bread bottoms.

Construct the sandwiches, adding tomato slices to the bread first.

Divide the tuna mixture among the bread bottoms.

Add some tuna mixture to the sandwich.

Add a second piece of bread to each sandwich. Slice the sandwiches in half and serve.

Lunch is ready!

There are no boring lunches around here!  ~Linda

Provencal Tuna Sandwiches (adapted from foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 35 minutes, Active Time: 20 minutes, Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 6-ounce cans tuna, lightly drained
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup packed fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 8 slices crusty bread, toasted if desired
• 2 large plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

Directions:

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the garlic together in a large bowl. Add the red onion. Add the tuna to the vinaigrette, breaking it into pieces. Stir in the bell pepper, cucumber, parsley and capers. Season the salad with salt and pepper.

Toast the bread, if desired. Arrange the tomato slices on the bread bottoms. Divide the tuna mixture among the bread bottoms. Add a second piece of bread to each sandwich. Slice the sandwiches in half and serve.