Sweet Potato & Avocado Sandwiches

I know you’re thinking, sweet potato and avocado? What? But yes, they do go together and quite well I might add! We have typically made these regularly between two slices of nice crusty wheat bread, but tonight we’d though we’d break out the panini maker. The result? Just as delicious! (You know when you get a new toy and it becomes your new favorite thing for the next day/week/month? That’s the panini maker. Makes a darn good sandwich!)

Sweet Potato and Avocado Sandwiches

The dressing is key to these sandwiches. I’m not a mustard fan but honey mustard is a whole other story. The recipe originally called for boiled sweet potatoes; we found them bland, so we brushed them with oil and honey and oven-roasted them. Delish. Not to mention good for you too.

INGREDIENTS
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp honey mustard
1 tbsp light mayonnaise
1/4 tsp poppy seeds
4 slices whole wheat bread
4 red onion slices, cut 1/8-inch thick
1/2 avocado cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
4 tomato slices, cut 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
1/2 cup baby lettuce or herb salad mix

DIRECTIONS
Toss sweet potato slices in a few tablespoons each of olive oil and honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook slices in oven until tender, about 15 minutes, flipping slices half way through.

Whisk together honey mustard, mayonnaise, and poppy seeds in a small bowl.

To construct the sandwiches, first spread half the poppy seed mixture on 2 of the bread slices, then place half of the onion, avocado, and tomato slices on top of each slice; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Add a layer of sweet potato slices, cheese and lettuce. Top with remaining bread. Slice each sandwich in half, securing each half with a toothpick. Serve with sliced dill pickles and a handful of baked chips.

Tuscan Tuna and Bean Sandwiches

I struggle with lunch. If there aren’t leftovers from the night before, I’m more likely to skip lunch altogether than actually spend the time to make something. But this tuna sandwich is worth the extra effort. It’s got a nice flavor, with a bit of a kick from the olives, quite good.

Tuscan Tuna and Bean Sandwiches

Makes 4 servings. Recipe from epicurious.

INGREDIENTS
For beans
1 (14- to 15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For tuna salad
2 (6-oz) cans Italian tuna in oil, drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For sandwiches
8 (1/3-inch-thick) slices rustic Italian bread (from a round crusty loaf) or 4 (4-inch-long) oval panini rolls
1 cup loosely packed trimmed watercress sprigs

DIRECTIONS
Prepare beans:
Coarsely mash beans with a fork in a bowl, then stir in garlic, lemon juice, oil, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Make tuna:
Flake tuna in a bowl with a fork, then stir in basil, olives, celery, onion, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until combined.

Assemble sandwiches:
Spoon one fourth of bean mixture on 1 slice of bread, then top with one fourth of tuna salad, some watercress, and a slice of bread. Make 3 more sandwiches in same manner.

Hummus and Vegetable Sandwiches

We found a good hummus! Hooray! I couldn’t tell you what was wrong with the last one, but this hummus recipe is wonderful. Paired with the bread and veggies, it really can’t be beat. A refreshing, flavorful, and super-healthy lunch (or dinner).

Hummus and Vegetable Sandwiches

Makes 4 servings. Recipe from Epicurious, with adjustments.

INGREDIENTS
For hummus:
2 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
a 16- to 19-ounce can chick-peas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup well-stirred tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Pita or flatbread, warmed
1/2 cup sliced seedless cucumber
1 large carrot, cut into ribbonlike strands with a vegetable peeler (about 1 cup)
1 small sweet onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup finely shredded radish (about 6)
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts plus additional for garnish
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

DIRECTIONS
To make the hummus:
In a food processor blend together garlic paste, chick-peas, tahini, lemon juice, oil, and cumin, scraping down side, until smooth. Add water, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste and pulse until just combined. Hummus may be made 2 days ahead and chilled. Makes about 2 cups.

Spread hummus evenly on pita and top with cucumber, carrot, onion, radish, 1/2 cup sprouts, and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Top with another pita and slice in half. (You could also put the fillings inside the pita).

Vietnamese Steak Sandwiches

We don’t eat steak often, if ever, and when we do we cringe at the prices of some of the nicer cuts. We ended up using a package of pre-sliced sandwich steak, don’t even know what cut it was, but it was in our price range. Sliced thinly enough, any cut can be tender enough to use in this recipe.

Vietnamese Steak Sandwiches

Recipe from Everyday Food. Makes 4 sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound flank steak

1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 carrots, grated
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
4 hero rolls

DIRECTIONS
In a plastic bag, combine lime juice, soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and red pepper. Add the steak and seal the bag, placing in a dish to catch any leaks. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, sugar, red pepper flakes, rice vinegar, and 1 tablespoon water. In another bowl, toss together the carrots, scallions, and cilantro leaves. Toss with half the vinegar mixture.

Preheat your grill or skillet. Sear steak on both sides until medium rare. Let rest for 10 minutes, then cut into thin slices.

Split and lightly toast the hero rolls; dividing evenly, layer with the carrot mixture and the sliced steak. Drizzle with remaining sauce, if desired.

Moroccan-style Potato and Egg Sandwiches

Taylor LOVED these sandwiches. We made way too much, but he ate them for 3 meals in a row. I agreed that they had a good flavor and texture, but I thought they needed something more. Like a ‘cooling’ type of sauce. Next time I’d add maybe a cumin/honey/lime/yogurt sauce, even something like we used for the Fish Tacos. I think with all the bread and potato and egg the sandwich felt a bit dry to me, and a yogurt sauce would moisten it. Maybe the Harissa that the recipe mentions (that we couldn’t find) does just that? Who knows! This is definitely one we’ll try again!

Moroccan-style Potato and Egg Sandwiches

Makes 4 servings. Recipe from Epicurious.

INGREDIENTS
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1/2 lb Italian frying peppers, cut into 2- by 1/4-inch strips
1 large onion, halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3/4 lb boiling potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 Portuguese, challah, or kaiser rolls (about 4 inches in diameter)
extra-virgin olive oil
harissa (spicy North African condiment) or cayenne (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Cover eggs with cold water by 1 1/2 inches in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan and bring to a rolling boil, partially covered. Reduce heat to low and cook eggs, covered, 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let eggs stand in hot water, covered, 15 minutes. Rinse eggs under cold water 5 minutes to stop cooking. Peel eggs and quarter lengthwise.

Meanwhile, toast cumin seeds in a dry 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant and a few shades darker, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then grind to a powder in grinder. Transfer to a small serving bowl.

Cook peppers, onion, potatoes, salt, and pepper in oil in same skillet over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut off an end of each roll and pull out some of bread from center to form a wide deep pocket in each roll. Put 2 egg quarters in bottom of each pocket and fill with vegetable mixture. Top filling in each sandwich with 2 of remaining egg quarters and sprinkle with some of cumin.

Serve sandwiches with remaining cumin and oil and harissa for seasoning.

Toasted Tomato, Basil, and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

Another perfect summer meal. Full of fresh and bright flavors. This is one of those meals that is so incredibly simple to make, and yet when you’re eating it you feel like a true gourmet. We sliced up the rest of our heirloom tomatoes, using a combination of orange and green zebra tomatoes. With some goat cheese, fresh herbs (we used basil and tarragon), and tart kalamata olives, well, it’s 10am on Sunday morning and I’m craving a repeat.

The recipe calls for grilling the bread, but for us grill-less folk, it works fine toasted in a sauté pan. this is also a great use for the No-Knead Bread we love so much.

Toasted Tomato, Basil, and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

Makes 4 servings. Recipe adapted from Epicurious.

INGREDIENTS
6-8 slices crusty bread
1/2 cup olive oil
5 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped mixed fresh herbs (such as tarragon, thyme, and rosemary)

3/4 cup soft fresh goat cheese (plain, peppered, or herbed)
1 large heirloom tomato, thinly sliced into rounds
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives

DIRECTIONS
Preheat barbecue or a large sauté pan (medium heat). Combine oil, garlic, and herbs in small bowl. Brush top sides of bread with half of oil mixture.

Toast bread, oiled sides down, until lightly toasted, about 1-3 minutes, until crisp. Remove from heat. Quickly spread toasted sides with goat cheese.

Return to pan. Cook until bottom sides are toasted and the cheese begins to melt, about 3 minutes. Top with tomatoes, olives, and drizzle with remaining herb oil mixture.

Tuscan Tuna and Bean Sandwiches.

Look familiar? Well, it didn’t to me. This has never happened before. We made a recipe we thought was new, and as I was getting ready to post it, I realized we had posted it before. Before meaning way back in ‘07 when I thought the closer I could get to the food the better (you rarely see the entire plate in those photos). But yea. We actually made something twice without realizing it. I could have moved on and posted one of the other recipes I have queued in my photo library, but for some reason I felt I had to post this picture. If a sandwich could ever be described as pretty, this just might be the one. Or maybe it’s not the sandwich itself but the beautiful blurry background colors – rich brown and turquoise blue. That could be it too. I can never have enough of brown and turquoise.

Revisiting things is nice too. You know, since I know not all of you have been reading this blog since ‘07, nor do you have the time to travel back that deep in the archives (or maybe you do? if so, well done!) With that in mind, I may have to dredge up a few old favorites in need of a better photo (sorry, but some of my initial shots just don’t do the poor recipe justice!) and repost them for all to enjoy, again.

And no, I didn’t plan on two sandwich posts back to back either. Give me a break, or I just might have to make another sandwich and go for three in a row. So there. I like sandwiches. You should too.

Tuscan Tuna and Bean Sandwiches

Makes 4 servings. Recipe from epicurious.

INGREDIENTS
For beans
1 (14- to 15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For tuna salad
2 (6-oz) cans Italian tuna in oil, drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For sandwiches
8 (1/3-inch-thick) slices rustic Italian bread (from a round crusty loaf) or 4 (4-inch-long) oval panini rolls
1 cup loosely packed trimmed watercress sprigs

DIRECTIONS
Coarsely mash beans with a fork in a bowl, then stir in garlic, lemon juice, oil, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Flake tuna in a bowl with a fork, then stir in basil, olives, celery, onion, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until combined.

Spoon one fourth of bean mixture on 1 slice of bread, then top with one fourth of tuna salad, some watercress, and a slice of bread. Make 3 more sandwiches in same manner.