Tomato, Portobello, and Mozzarella Melts

To clean portobello mushrooms, wipe the caps with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt— never soak them in water.

PREP: 10 minutes      GRILL: 7 to 10 minutes

MAKES: 2 sandwiches or 4 servings

2 cups loosely packed arugula or watercress, trimmed

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 loaf (about 1 inch thick) focaccia or ciabatta bread

4 large portobello mushrooms (about 1 pound total), stems removed and each cut in half

2 ripe medium tomatoes (6 to 8 ounces each), cut into -inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

1. Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat.

2. In small bowl, toss arugula and vinegar until evenly coated. From loaf of focaccia, with serrated knife, cut two 8" by 2" pieces. Cut each piece horizontally in half to make a total of four 8" by 2" pieces.

3. Brush mushrooms and tomatoes on both sides with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place mushrooms, stem-sides up, and tomatoes on hot grill rack and cook until tender and charred, 6 to 8 minutes, turning over once. Transfer tomatoes to plate. Arrange mozzarella on mushrooms; cover and cook until cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

4. Place bread, cut-sides up, on work surface; top with arugula mixture, grilled tomatoes, and cheese-topped mushrooms. Cut each sandwich in half and serve immediately.

EACH SERVING: About 355 calories, 14g protein, 43g carbohydrate, 15g total fat (5g saturated), 22mg cholesterol, 595mg sodium

A KINDER CUT

Unless you have a razor-sharp edge on a chef’s knife, you’re better off using a serrated knife on a tomato, which will glide effortlessly through the skin and flesh instead of crushing it into a pulpy mess. Tip: To retain the juice inside the tomato, not on the cutting board, slice tomatoes from stem to blossom end instead of crosswise.