Pan Bagnat (What’s On Your Plate?)

Welcome to What’s On Your Plate?!

What’s on Your Plate? is designed to be a conversation amongst good eaters.

Tell us about a recent meal. Did it meet with rave reviews? Or did it bomb? What side dishes did you pair with the star of the show? Did you try a new ingredient? Find the groceries at great prices?

Share what’s on your plate!

Each week a featured foodie* will share his or her plate and then the rest of us will get a chance to link up our own posts or share in the comments what good cheap eats we’ve been enjoying.

What’s on My Plate?

After all that talk last week about tuna fish sandwiches, I started to get a craving for the version that is popular in the South of France. You may remember that I studied at the Universite in Bordeaux during college. I also had a sweet family in Toulouse “adopt me” for weekends and holidays.

They made sure that I tried any number of culinary delights and specialties from France. And when we vacationed on the Mediterranean, this sandwich was among them. I wish I had good food pictures from back then. Sigh….

So, while I was walking down Memory Lane the other day, reading all your comments, I felt this extreme urge for this sandwich.

A pan bagnat is a kind of “bathed” sandwich. You want it dripping with good French vinaigrette dressing. Mine was pretty basic, including the following ingredients:

real French baguette
canned tuna, drained
lettuce
tomatoes
bell pepper
kalamata olives, though nicois would be more authentic

I added cilantro just to be wild and crazy. And a “real one” would have sliced onion and hardboiled egg. But the best part is the dressing. Drizzle it liberally over your sandwich

My French “mom” taught me the dressing. And there really isn’t a recipe. It’s done by feel more than anything. So, these measurements are approximate. I’ll have to do a vlog someday on vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette

In a small bowl, place 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard. Add enough red wine vinegar to thin the mustard, about 2 to 3Tablespoons. Blend well. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in enough oil to create an emulsion, about 3 Tablespoons. The dressing will be thick.

What’s on YOUR Plate?

Share with us a recent meal you prepared. Either link it up below or tell us about it in the comments. Please make sure that you link to www.goodcheapeats.com in your post so others know where the dinner party is.

And don’t forget to visit the other good eaters participating today. I’m sure you will be inspired to make all sorts of Good Cheap Eats at your house.