Recipe courtesy of Root & Sprig by Tom Colicchio
Lemon Confit Ingredients
- 1-2 lemons
- 5 shallots, peeled and minced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2/3 cup kosher salt
- 1/3 cup sugar
- About 4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Lemon Confit Directions
Plunge the lemons into a pot of boiling water to soften the outer layer. Drain, rinse then wipe the lemons clean. Dry the lemons and slice them very thin. Discard the ends and seeds. In a small bowl combine the shallots with the garlic. In another bowl, mix the salt with sugar.
Arrange a layer of lemon slices in the bottom of a medium container with a lid, making sure not to overlap the slices. Sprinkle the lemons layer with a little shallot mixture, then with some salt and sugar mixture. Repeat layering in stacks and sprinkling them. Cover the container and refrigerate. Best to cure for 3 days, flipping the stacks halfway to cure evenly. Remove and drain the lemons for 15 minutes or so. Discard the liquid. Pack the drained lemons tightly in a jar and top with oil making sure to cover all lemons. The confit can be used for at least a month.
Tuna Salad Directions
- 2 (6 ounce) cans yellowfin or albacore tuna, drained
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained (optional)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried Sicilian oregano
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tuna Salad Ingredients
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Adjust the seasoning as necessary and refrigerate until ready to use.
Marinated Fennel Ingredients
- 1 medium bulb (about ½ pound) fennel
- 2 table spoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 table spoon of lemon juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Marinated Fennel Directions
- Remove the stalks from the fennel and reserve the fronds.
- Use a mandoline slicer or sharp knife to thinly slice the fennel crosswise starting from the top.
- Toss the fennel slices in a bowl with oil, lemon juice, and reserved fennel fronds as well as season with salt and pepper.
- Set aside at room temperature to marinate for 10 minutes.
Assemble Your Sandwich
- 1 baguette
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons pitted and chopped olives (optional)
- 1-2 slices lemon confit
- Split the baguette lengthwise
- Spread the mayonnaise evenly across the bottom slice and layer with the tuna salad, fennel, olives, confit, and marinated fennel.
- Drizzle some of the oil from the confit on the inside of the top slide of the baguette.
- Close the sandwiches, cut into three or four equal pieces, and serve.