Roast beef pan bagnat

Portion size: Serves 6
Hands-on time 30 min, plus 1 hour resting
Difficulty: easy

Dairy-free

Pollyanna Coupland

Food producer, delicious.

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The pan bagnat is the king of picnic sandwiches. Why? It actually benefits from being made in advance, wrapped up tightly and left so the flavours mingle and soak into the bread. Traditionally made with tuna, our meaty twist on the classic pan bagnat substitutes rare slices of roast beef instead. It’s the definition of a picnic showstopper.

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Ingredients

2 medium free-range eggs
100g green beans, trimmed
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
Finely grated zest ½ lemon, plus a squeeze of juice
½ red onion, finely sliced into half moons
1 focaccia, around 15cm x 20cm
3 basil sprigs, leaves picked
2 medium vine tomatoes, sliced
About 8 slices rare roast British beef

For the tapenade mayo

1 small garlic clove
2 anchovy fillets in oil
2 tsp capers
100g pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
10 tbsp mayonnaise

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Method

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then add the eggs and cook for 7 minutes. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and plunge into cold (ideally iced) water to halt the cooking process. Add the green beans to the pan with a big pinch of salt and cook for 4 minutes, then plunge them into the cold water too.
Once cool, drain the beans and put them in a bowl. Dress with the olive oil and lemon zest, then set aside. Put the sliced onion in a bowl and cover with cold water.
For the mayo, grind the garlic and anchovies using a pestle and mortar until they break down into a paste. Add the capers and olives a few at a time, and grind between each addition to create a thick, rough paste. Stir in the mayonnaise, then season with pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
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Peel and slice the eggs, then drain the onions.
To assemble the sandwich, halve the focaccia horizontally, then spread both sides with the tapenade mayonnaise. Arrange the onions over the base, then top with an even distribution of the green beans and basil leaves. Place the tomatoes in a layer on top, then add the beef. Lay the sliced eggs on top, then cover with the lid. Wrap tightly with a sheet of baking paper, then a sheet of foil. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Try to give it at least an hour so the flavours mingle before slicing.

Nutrition

539kcals Calories
40g (4.4g saturated) Fat
16g Protein
28g (3.6g sugars) Carbs
2.6g Fibre
2.1g Salt

Quick wins & tips

You can swap the focaccia for another loaf – just make sure it’s robust with a decent crust to prevent the sandwich turning too soggy. Ciabatta or baguette are good options to try.

Cook smarter

Soaking the onion in cold water crisps up the slices and takes away some of their harsher, more astringent taste. It’s a great little trick whenever you’re putting raw onion in a sandwich or salad.