Fresh Tuna Nicoise Sandwiches

• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound fresh tuna steak 1 1/2 inches thick
• 2 12-inch French breads, 2 to 3 inches wide
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled and halved
• 4 tablespoons good-quality mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon black-olive paste
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 2 heads Bibb lettuce, well-rinsed and dried

1. Beat the lemon juice, anchovy paste and olive oil together and brush this mixture on both sides of the tuna.
2. Preheat a grill or broiler to very hot.
3. Grill or broil the seasoned tuna briefly, two minutes or so on each side, enough to sear the outside but keep the center very rare.
4. Slice the breads in half horizontally as if making hero sandwiches.
5. Lightly toast the cut sides under the broiler or on the grill, then rub them with the cut sides of the garlic.
6. Mix the mayonnaise with the olive paste and spread on the bread.
7. Slice the tuna one-half inch thick and arrange the slices on two of the bread halves.
8. Top with tomato slices.
9. Remove cores from lettuce heads and arrange leaves over the tomatoes, then cover with the remaining bread.
10. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.

lemon juice, anchovy paste, extravirgin olive oil, tuna, inches wide, clove garlic, mayonnaise, blackolive paste, tomatoes

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3548 (may not work)