When reading about Medieval cuisine, I was struck by a serving concept known as a trencher. In 16th century Medieval Europe, trenchers were pieces of stale bread used as plates. The trencher was both a serving piece and a food item. When the food on top of the trencher was consumed, the trencher itself could be eaten– but it was quite stale and stiff, so it was more often given as alms to the poor or to hungry dogs. The most important members of the household and distinguished guests were granted more trenchers for their enjoyment. The higher your status, the more trenchers you were given. At the end of a meal, a clean trencher was often served topped with cheese as a dessert. The trencher concept eventually evolved into wooden plates, more like the plates we use today, and the trencher tradition faded into history.
When I first read about trenchers, I liked the idea of using a slice of bread as a plate. I was inspired to create my own trencher–not with stale bread, but with whole-grain artisan bread and yummy toppings. In its modern incarnation, I see a trencher as a sort of open-faced sandwich. I can get as creative as I want to with the toppings; it’s like a full meal on a bread plate. Because it has less bread than a traditional sandwich, I like to generously mound on the toppings. Using fresh, colorful toppings can create a beautiful presentation.
During the winter, trenchers are best enjoyed with hearty meat stews. But during the summer, light salad-like trenchers are the way to go. In this week’s trencher, I used some harmonious Italian flavors to create a Mediterranean-inspired dish. It’s reminiscent of a tuna salad that I enjoyed on a summer trip to Tuscany a few years ago. The combination of tuna, fresh basil pesto, cannellini beans and tomatoes is so summery. The hummus was a last-minute Middle Eastern addition (I always have a little in the fridge), and it worked so well with the other flavors. What a treat! You never would have seen a trencher like this is in Medieval Europe… but hey, it’s 2011 and I’m feeling creative. 🙂
Make your pesto fresh if you can, it tastes so much better that way. I have both dairy and pareve recipes for pesto on my website: click here for the recipes. No tragedy if you need to use a jar from the grocery store, but if you have the time and ingredients fresh is the way to go. By the same token, you can make your own hummus or use a tub from the store. If you’d like to try my Classic Hummus recipe (one of my favorite recipes!), click here.
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Mediterranean Tuna Trencher
Ingredients
- 4 slices of bread (I like to use a fresh-sliced artisan whole grain or sourdough bread)
- 6 ounces can or jar of tuna packed in olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
- 1/2 fresh lemon, juiced
- Salt and pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons hummus
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto (use dairy free pesto to make dairy free)
- 2 small Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 ripe red tomato, seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup small white cannellini beans (canned), drained and rinsed
- Arugula (optional, for garnish)
- Sliced radishes (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Drain olive oil from the tuna and place tuna inside a small bowl. Shred the tuna into small flakes with a fork.
- Add 1 tbsp fresh minced parsley. Add fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Stir till combined. Add olive oil to moisten the tuna salad, if desired.
- Place your bread slices on a plate. Spread each slice with ½ tbsp of hummus and ½ tbsp of pesto.
- Place a few slices of Persian cucumbers on top of the spreads.
- Mound a quarter of the tuna mixture onto each slice of bread.
- Top each trencher with 1 tbsp of cannellini beans and ½ tbsp of diced tomato.
- Garnish the trenchers with arugula, sliced radishes, and the leftover sliced Persian cucumbers. Serve.
Nutrition
Tori, I just came across this and LOVE it! Not only does it look delicious, but I’d never heard about trenchers and it’s so interesting to learn these fun culinary facts! 🙂
I just made a simple thuna sandwich and blogged about it but you made real delicious meal. Even if we can only see pictures and your description, I think the thuna you used for it is proud to be in such a good company with all the ingredients and will not regret it’s death.
Thanks for such an inspiring blog what gave me the “kick in the ass” to start blogging about (kosher) cooking.
That looks so fast-food friendly I don’t know why we don’t have sandwich shops serving trenchers of all kinds.
Yum! I have all of that stuff on hand. Lunch tomorrow is set!!
It was cool when you called it a trencher – it became awesome when I saw the hummus and pesto spread!
Ooooh look at all that yumminess on top of that trencher! It’s delicious! I especially love the hummus/pesto spread. This is how I used to eat when I was a kid…very common in Macedonia, but instead of pesto or hummus, it was a roasted red pepper spread called Ajvar. 🙂
Love the history! This is one gorgeous sandwich/trencher 🙂
I’ve never heard of a trencher before but I’m feeling creative already…loving all the different flavors you have going on with these!
I love tuna! This trencher of yours looks really healthy & tasty! Bookmarked and buzzed! 😉
Tori, what prompted you to read on Medieval cuisine? 🙂
I love the idea of open sandwich and no plates. Hummus and pesto…hmmm.. you opened a new frontier for me 🙂
Ilke, I’m a food history nerd. I’m always reading up on some kind of historical cuisine. This week, I’m studying Southern soul food, foods of the French Revolution, and the etymology of the word “apple.” Next week… who knows? 😉
This looks like a fabulous lunch or light dinner! Thanks for sharing!
This looks delicious! I love the different flavors you’ve added to the trencher….layers and layers of happiness! I’m allergic to tuna, but I bet chicken (maybe leftover rotisserie) would work fine!
Thanks for a great recipe – pics are fab (as always) – buzzed!
I love this type of open faced sandwich and your tuna looks tasty. I always enjoy a little food history in posts this is interesting.
Ooh! Thanks for the history lesson, Tori! Trencher… what a neat name! I love using bread as a trencher! The possibilities are endless! This Mediterranean Tuna Trencher is absolutely perfect for the weather we’re having in So Cal 🙂
It is perfect for the hot weather, Hester– it makes a really light, fresh lunch that is full of flavor! I make it once or twice a month, my husband loves it. 🙂
This looks fantastic…. I would totally make this.
Once again The Shiksa rocks it out!! It looks messy but delicious I LOVE hummus and pesto never thought of putting them together. Will try it as is (minus the tomato due to allergies) for me, hubby doesnt like hummus or pesto so I think I will try Baba Ghanoush for him. I bet adding Sumac would be an excellent zing and would be a nice garnish too.
Teri, great idea re: sumac– if you try it, let me know how it worked! Hope your hubby enjoys the baba ghanoush. 🙂
this looks great!!! it’s also diabetic friendly. i will certainly make this in smaller portions as an appetizer or quick bites
to keep my blood sugar leveled.
Thank you so much for posting this
Cynthia, I’m so glad this option works for your diabetic diet! Wonderful idea to serve it as an appetizer.