Tomato sandwiches and BLTs start off this chapter, which includes other luncheon favorites such as tomatoes filled with ham salad and tomatoes stuffed with a luscious crabmeat rémoulade. Plus there are recipes for a rich (and easy) Homemade Mayonnaise and a delicious Olive Oil Sandwich Loaf for cooks who want to have the best and start from scratch. For snacks or appetizers to serve with toasts or crackers or as sandwich spreads, there are two tasty recipes: Baby Plum Tomato and Olive Tapenade and Matbucha, a spicy Moroccan tomato dip.
On a visit to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, we dined with friends at Crook’s Corner. As soon as we were seated, the chef sent over a platter of tomato sandwiches. We all dove in, leaving not even a crumb behind.
Done casually on Harris Teeter white bread cut into quarters with the crusts left on, the sandwiches were paved with an inch of Hellmann’s, Chef Bill Smith’s mayo of choice and, as he told us, what his grandmother always used. They were the most perfect way to begin a wonderful summer meal. You can make these with my Homemade Mayonnaise (page 54) or your mayo of choice, and you can put them on my Olive Oil Sandwich Loaf (page 52). Or not.
MAKES 2 SANDWICHES
2–3 large, ripe, juicy heirloom tomatoes, such as Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, German Johnson, Mr. Stripey, or your favorite slicer (about 1½ pounds), peeled if you like
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
About ¼ cup Homemade Mayonnaise (page 54) or store-bought mayonnaise
4 slices white bread, of your choice
Core the tomatoes and cut into thick or medium-thick slices, discarding (okay, eating) the ends. Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mayonnaise on the bread, as thick as you dare. Place the tomato slices on 2 of the bread slices; place the other 2 bread slices on top. Cut the sandwiches into halves or quarters. Pick up one half or quarter, lean over the sink, and devour.
Whoever came up with the combination of crisp, just-fried bacon; juicy, dead-ripe tomatoes; soft lettuce; and mayonnaise on toasted bread was a genius. No one is ever unhappy with a good BLT. Not even vegetarians, who make do with just the lettuce and tomatoes.
Everyone seems to have his or her own twist, but mine is plenty classic. I prefer tender garden lettuce with its herby, green flavor, which softens and blends into the sandwich instead of staying wet and fighting it (read iceberg). I also adore sweet onions on my BLTs, and I prefer them open-face; the second slice of bread simply gets in the way and blunts the flavor. It’s also filling. I’d really rather have another sandwich. Also, you can’t easily “adjust” a closed-face sandwich. Like adding a little more salt or positioning the bacon to get some in every bite. Speaking of bacon, use the best you can get.
MAKES 2 SANDWICHES
4–6 thick bacon slices
2–4 large slices crusty country-style bread, (multi-grain or cracked-wheat is good)
About ¼ cup Homemade Mayonnaise (page 54) or store-bought mayonnaise
2 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes, such as Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, German Johnson, or your favorite slicer (about 1 pound)
About 1 cup soft, mild lettuce leaves
Few slices Vidalia onion or other crisp, sweet white or red onion (optional)
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Fry the bacon in a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat, turning once, until crisp and golden, 8–10 minutes. Drain on a double layer of paper towels.
Toast the bread slices and spread with mayonnaise. Core the tomatoes and cut into ½-inch-thick slices, discarding or eating the ends. On two slices of toast, layer lettuce, tomato slices, and a little onion, if you like. Season to taste with salt and pepper and arrange the bacon on top. If desired, place another slice of toast on top, pressing down lightly, and cut the sandwich in half. If it’s open-face, leave it whole. Serve right away.
NOTE * If you’re feeding a crowd, multiply everything as needed and put all the fixings on platters. Serve on the porch or picnic table and provide tons of napkins and a pitcher of sweet tea.
Many favor soft, store-bought white bread to enclose fat slices of tomato slathered with mayo, but I like my tomato sandwiches on a bread with more presence, with a firmer crumb and a finer flavor. Try the rosemary variation, especially for tomato sandwiches. Rising times will vary depending on the heat of your kitchen. The olive oil glaze gives the loaves a matte finish, and the egg glaze adds a high shine. The choice is yours.
MAKES 2 LOAVES
¼ cup warm water (105°–110°)
1 envelope or a scant tablespoon active dry yeast
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
2¼ cups lukewarm water
½ cup fruity extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
7–8 cups white bread flour or all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves (optional)
Additional olive oil or 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon whole milk, for glaze
Put the warm water in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle (or a large bowl). Stir in the yeast and sugar. Let stand until the yeast is frothy, about 10 minutes. (If it isn’t, throw it out and try again with cooler water and/or fresher yeast.)
Mix in the lukewarm water, olive oil, and salt. Add 2 cups of the flour and beat slowly at first, then on medium speed, until well mixed and creamy (if mixing by hand, use a whisk). Scrape the bowl and paddle.
On low speed (or with a wooden spoon), add 4 more cups of flour, about ½ cup at a time, beating just until mixed—it may look lumpy. Mix in the rosemary, if using.
Switch over to a dough hook as the dough becomes harder to mix (or transfer the dough to a floured work surface). Knead the dough on low speed, adding flour as necessary, about a tablespoon at a time, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. If machine-kneaded, turn it out onto a work surface and finish kneading by hand until silky, 1–2 more minutes.
Coat a large bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it over to oil the surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Grease two 8½ × 4½-inch loaf pans with shortening.
Gently punch down the dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and cut it in half. Pat each half into a rectangle about 9 inches long. Roll up tightly from the long side, tucking the ends under. Place each loaf seam-side down in a prepared pan. Cover the pans with cotton or linen dish towels. Let rise at room temperature until the dough just swells over the tops of the pans, 45 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°.
Brush the tops of the loaves with olive oil or the egg glaze. Bake until well browned and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom, 40–45 minutes. Turn out of the pans, place directly on the oven rack, and bake until the bottom crust is browned, about 5 more minutes. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool completely.
I like to use a combination of olive oil and a neutral-flavored oil, such as canola, in this recipe because I find olive oil alone too overpowering. You may, of course, make it with only canola oil. Mayonnaise can be flavored with chopped herbs such as dill, parsley, or chives, or enhanced with minced garlic and more lemon juice or lemon zest. Or try curry powder and lime zest. For spicy mayonnaise, add Cajun seasoning and/or Sriracha and maybe a bit of orange zest. Refrigerate mayonnaise promptly after making it, and use it up soon. If it starts to get too thick during processing, do what the pros do: add a touch of warm water.
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS
Yolk from 1 large egg
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup canola oil or other neutral oil, such as safflower or grapeseed
¼ cup fruity extra-virgin olive oil
Put the egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, the water, the mustard, and the salt in a food processor. Process just to blend (you may have to mix it a little with a spatula). With the machine running, pour the oils through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, adding another tablespoon lemon juice (and maybe some warm water) about halfway through if it starts to get too thick.
When all the oil has been added, taste, adding more lemon juice or salt, if you like. Cover and refrigerate.
For a striking presentation, spoon this luxurious salad into black or orange tomatoes. Fresh tarragon can be very mild, so I’ve given a range for the amount. Rémoulade is a classic New Orleans sauce that’s wonderful with the sweet crabmeat.
MAKES 4 LUNCHEON SERVINGS
⅓ cup Homemade Mayonnaise (page 54) or store-bought mayonnaise
2–3 tablespoons chopped tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped drained capers
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1½ teaspoons Creole or grainy Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon sweet paprika
1 small garlic clove, finely minced or grated
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
8 ounces crabmeat, picked over for shells
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
4 medium, firm tomatoes (about 6 ounces each)
Stir together the mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of the tarragon, and the parsley, capers, lemon juice, mustard, paprika, garlic, and cayenne pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Add the crabmeat, egg, and scallions and mix gently. Taste for seasoning, adding a little salt or more tarragon or cayenne pepper, if you wish.
Slice the tops off the tomatoes. With a melon baller, remove the insides of the tomatoes to make a shell. Gently press your fingers inside the tomato shells to squeeze out any remaining seeds or juice. Place the tomatoes on a serving platter with sides to hold them upright or in a baking dish. Spoon about ½ cup crab salad into each and serve.
This is a wonderful way to use up ham that’s left over from a picnic or summer party. The tomato serves as an edible vessel for the salad, but if you like, skip the fuss and serve it more simply with sliced ripe tomatoes. Add a basket of hot biscuits or fresh-baked cornbread to round out the meal. Use excellent bread-and-butter pickles, preferably from a home-canner’s pantry. Make the ham salad early in the day so the flavors have time to blend. Serve any extra on the side.
MAKES 4 LUNCHEON SERVINGS
2 cups finely chopped ham
¾ cup bread-and-butter pickles, drained (1 tablespoon juice reserved) and chopped
⅓ cup Homemade Mayonnaise (page 54) or store-bought mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped Vidalia onion or thinly sliced scallions
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or dill (or 1 tablespoon of each)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 medium, firm tomatoes (about 6 ounces each)
Mix together the ham, pickles and pickle juice, mayonnaise, onion or scallions, parsley and/or dill, and mustard in a medium bowl. Season with plenty of pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until ready to serve.
Slice the tops off the tomatoes. With a melon baller, remove the insides of the tomatoes to make a shell. Gently press your fingers inside the tomato shells to squeeze out any remaining seeds or juice. Place the tomatoes on a serving platter with sides to hold them upright or in a baking dish. Spoon about ½ cup ham salad into each and serve.
This is based on a recipe from Emeril Lagasse. He used large plum tomatoes, but baby plum tomatoes, especially Black Plums, become intensely rich and sweet when roasted. Black Plum tomatoes are now a staple in my garden, almost too prolific. But they hang around long after others are done producing, so they end up in a lot of dishes. You can also make this with the large multicolored cherry tomatoes found at supermarkets or farmers’ markets.
This is delicious spread on thin slices of toasted Italian bread or on focaccia. Add ham, goat cheese, or mozzarella for a more substantial appetizer or hearty sandwich.
MAKES 6 APPETIZER SERVINGS
1 pound baby plum tomatoes, such as Black Plum or Juliet, halved (about 3 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fruity extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary leaves
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup pitted, chopped calamata olives
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon drained, chopped capers
Mound the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Add the garlic, olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper and toss to coat. Arrange the tomatoes cut-side down. Bake until soft and very juicy, 15–20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.
With a slotted spoon, transfer one-third of the tomatoes to a cutting board. Chop them coarsely and scrape into a medium serving bowl. (Yes, this gets a little sloppy.) Repeat with the remaining tomatoes and scrape any remaining juices from the baking sheet into the bowl. Stir in the olives, parsley, and capers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the tapenade. Taste for seasoning. Serve chilled.
This saucy, spicy cooked dip of tomatoes, roasted peppers, and sweet paprika originated in Morocco and is very popular today in Israel. Most often, matbucha is served as a mezze, or appetizer selection, which includes olives and other spreads, such as hummus, with pita bread or crackers. I especially like it as a spicy accent spooned alongside fried eggs or atop a feta cheese omelet. Matbucha is a nice thing to make when you’ve got lots of tomatoes and they’re tasty but don’t have perfect texture; it also freezes well. Out of season, use canned tomatoes.
MAKES 8–10 APPETIZER SERVINGS
1 large red bell pepper
1 medium-large green bell pepper
⅓ cup olive oil
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced (1½ cups)
4–5 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1½–2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper, or to taste
¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
5–6 large, ripe, meaty tomatoes, such as Amish Paste, Oxheart, or Rutgers (2½ pounds), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 5 cups) or 2 28-ounce cans tomatoes in juice, drained (1½ cups juice reserved), cut into 1-inch chunks
Roast the bell peppers directly over the flames of a gas burner or under a broiler, turning often, until the skins are charred and blistered, 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover with a dish towel so they steam and cool for about 20 minutes. Peel off the skins with your fingers and a paring knife. Cut the peppers in half and remove the cores and seeds. Cut into rough ½-inch pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the red onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until tender, 5–6 minutes. Add the paprika, Aleppo pepper, sugar, salt, black pepper, and cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the roasted peppers.
Add the fresh tomatoes (or canned tomatoes and reserved juice) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until the vegetables are very tender and the mixture is saucy and thick but not too dry, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, cover, and refrigerate; it thickens as it cools. Taste again before serving.