Like many people in the world, I grew up eating food stuffed between two pieces of bread. My first food memories are of the tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches my parents made with toasted Bimbo, the Wonder Bread of Spain. Sometimes they’d add a layer of serrano ham. I’d always thought that tomato sandwiches were unique to my childhood, but then I came to the United States and discovered the BLT. As much as I love bacon, when the tomatoes are amazing, I’ll take this sandwich over a BLT any day.
SERVES 4
PICKLED RED ONION
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
FOR THE SANDWICHES
2 extra-large beefsteak tomatoes (see Note), blanched and peeled
¼ cup Herb Dijon Mayonnaise
4 brioche rolls or hamburger buns, such as Martin’s potato rolls, split and toasted
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
1 Hass avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced
Alfalfa sprouts
FOR THE PICKLED RED ONION
Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, thyme, and black peppercorns in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Put the onion slices in a heatproof bowl, pour the hot brine over them, and set aside to pickle for 1 hour.
Drain the brine from the onion and reserve to pickle more onions. (Pickled onion can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week.)
TO BUILD THE SANDWICHES
Slice the tomatoes crosswise ¾ to 1 inch thick. You will need 4 nice slices for the sandwiches; reserve the extra slices for another use.
Spread the mayonnaise on the tops and bottoms of the rolls. Set the tomato slices on the bottoms, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Top with the avocado slices, pickled red onion, and alfalfa sprouts. Close the sandwiches and serve.
NOTE: It’s important that the tomatoes be about the same diameter as the buns you are using for a well-balanced sandwich. One extra-large beefsteak tomato should yield 2 or 3 sandwiches.