Union Square Cafe's Tuna Club Sandwich

By Julia Reed

Updated March 31, 2016

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
4(288)
Comments
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This update on a workaday sandwich takes time and work, it’s true. But the result, Julia Reed says, is the best old-fashioned tuna salad sandwich you’ve ever had in your life. You’ll need one pound of yellowfin tuna, which you’ll poach with aromatics, cool and then mix with a few chopped peppers, fennel seed, onion and herbs. If you plan ahead, you can make the tuna salad without the herbs, refrigerate it overnight, and add them in before assembling your sandwiches. Layer it on toasted bread with a lemon-pepper aioli, slab bacon and arugula. This is picnic food for the gods.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

FOR THE LEMON PEPPER AIOLI

  • 2 egg yolks

  • 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 ½ cups olive oil

  • ¾ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

FOR THE POACHED TUNA

  • ½ cup coarsely chopped onion

  • ⅓ cup coarsely chopped carrot

  • ⅓ cup sliced celery

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 3 whole black peppercorns

  • 1 pound yellowfin tuna, skinless, cut into 2-inch pieces

FOR THE TUNA SALAD

  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

  • 2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper

  • 2 tablespoons diced yellow bell pepper

  • ¼ cup minced red onion

  • 1 tablespoon julienned fresh basil leaves

  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped mint

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

  • Fresh lemon juice to taste

FOR THE SANDWICH

  • 12 slices sourdough, white or whole wheat bread, lightly toasted

  • 2 ½ cups arugula, trimmed, washed and dried

  • 8 ( ¼-inch-thick) slices slab bacon, cooked until crisp

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

50 grams carbs; 122 milligrams cholesterol; 1173 calories; 62 grams monosaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 90 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 938 milligrams sodium; 43 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make aioli: Combine egg yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, garlic and salt in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream through the feed tube until all the oil is absorbed and the mixture has the consistency of mayonnaise. Add pepper and mix 10 seconds. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate.

  2. Step 2

    Combine 4 cups water, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf and peppercorns in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add the tuna pieces and simmer until they are barely cooked through, about 10 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Remove the cooked tuna from the cooking liquid to a bowl using a slotted spoon. While the fish is still warm, flake it into small pieces with a fork or your fingers. (The fish firms up as it cools and will not flake as nicely.) Cover loosely and let cool.

  4. Step 4

    Crush the fennel seeds between two sheets of waxed paper; dry fry in a small skillet until fragrant. Place in large bowl; add ½ cup aioli, the red and yellow peppers, onion, herbs and salt and set aside.

  5. Step 5

    Mix the flaked tuna into the fennel mixture. Combine well and taste for seasonings, adding salt, pepper and lemon juice as needed. (The tuna salad can be made ahead to this point without the herbs and refrigerated until the next day; stir in the herbs just before using.)

  6. Step 6

    Spread a slice of sourdough bread with the aioli, then with a spoonful of the tuna salad. Top with a few leaves of the arugula and one slice of bacon. Repeat with a second slice of sourdough. Stack one layer on top of another and finish by topping with a third slice of sourdough. Repeat to make three more club sandwiches. Slice each sandwich into halves or thirds and secure each piece with a toothpick.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
288 user ratings
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Comments

Dr B Milwaukee

Ok, I cheated. I used good canned tuna and fresh chopped celery and all the rest was the same. Still delicious

Maui Maggie

Fresh tuna is a mainstay on HI. where most of us enjoy it as poke. This recipe is close to my variant for a sandwich. However, I poach it briefly in a light olive oil at a very, very low temperature (about 120F). That leaves the tuna delicately flaky and, more importantly, moist. The oil also adds a richness to the resulting dish that is often missing from a water. or broth poach. Try it, you'll never go back.

steve f

“You know who invented the middle slice? Enemies of freedom. Their mission? Sap our will to live by ruining our sandwich experiences through ‘tectonic slide.'” Anyone that's ever had a club sandwich will understand what he meant by this but people still seem to put up with it all the same.” -Anthony Bourdain

Joy Mars

Celery is a dominant flavor in all tuna salads. Ditch it for capers. Much earthier, and go lighter on the salt/bacon. That would make it food of the gods.

Carol Mathias

Not a particular fan of fennel. I used dill weed.

glenn

I have, like the perfect martini, done away with the bread, the mayo, and all sundry accessories. A can opener and a fork for my Starkist.

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