Sandwiches are a quick and simple meal, and have come a long way from the peanut-butter-and-jelly variety we inevitably found in our lunch boxes. Well, actually, I never found sandwiches in my lunch box because I never took a lunch to school. In elementary school, I lived close enough to walk home for lunch, and in high school it wasn’t ‘cool’ to bring a lunch so we ate at the diner across the street, where sandwiches came in three varieties: Toasted Western, Chicken Salad, and Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato.
I have always liked sandwiches and appreciate their seemingly endless configurations, and their portability. I also love that they have been with us for a long time. Hillel the Elder, a Jewish sage was said to have wrapped lamb and herbs in a matzo. In the Middle Ages, slabs of bread – trenchers – were used as plates and became the precursors of open-faced sandwiches. The meat-between-bread version that we often refer to as a ‘sandwich’ was named after the 4th Earl of Sandwich, in the 18th century. He liked eating this way because it didn’t interfere with his cribbage playing and didn’t get the cards greasy, either. The sandwich increased in popularity during the Industrial Revolution when workers needed quick and cheap meals.
I particularly like vegetarian sandwiches because the flavours and colours and textures of vegetables, cheese and sauces offer such great possibilities. In the summer, when it’s too hot to put on the oven the sandwich below is a staple for me; along with a nice glass of wine and a chair on my tiny balcony, well, I can’t complain. This sandwich gets its burst of flavour from a red pepper spread that I keep on hand because it is so versatile (great on pasta and lovely as an extra layer in vegetarian lasagna). If you try it, I would love to hear what you think.
Red Pepper Spread with Avocado and Goat Cheese on Sourdough
Red Pepper Spread (recipe below)
2 slices of good sourdough (multi-grain bread works well, too)
1 tbsp. of finely chopped parsley
Goat Cheese (crumbled, about 2 tbsps.)
½ avocado (peeled and sliced)
Salt and pepper to taste
Red Pepper Spread (makes about 2 cups)
Pinch of salt
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 tbsp. of tomato paste
1 12-oz jar of roasted red peppers (drained and patted dry)
1/4 cup good quality olive oil
Place all the ingredients in a food processor, and blend until smooth. This spread will keep, in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. (It can also be frozen.)
Note: Consider roasting your own red peppers when they are plentiful from the market.
To Assemble the Sandwich
Spread the red pepper spread on each slice of bread (as thinly or thickly as you wish). Sprinkle chopped parsley on one slice of bread; top with crumbled goat cheese and sliced avocado. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with other slice of bread.
Note: A flat bread or pita can also be used. For meat lovers, add slices of roasted chicken to the sandwich.
Peppers at the market
I love dessert and subscribe to the idea that because life is short and unpredictable, you should eat dessert first. Well, I usually don’t do that, but sometimes, with this dessert, I relent.
My maternal grandmother loved ‘fools’ – and taught me to make them when I was about five. She preferred her fools a bit more tart, often making them with gooseberries from her garden. When it was time to pick the berries, she spread out a blanket in front of them – she also had blueberries, strawberries and raspberries in her garden – and I helped her sit down because her legs were ‘bad’ all of her life. We gently plucked the ripe gooseberries, dividing them by colour, whether pale green, pink or red.
She was from the old school and didn’t believe in a lot of kitchen ‘gadgets’, so she whipped the cream in a copper bowl with a hand whisk. I can still see her arm practically vibrating as she worked the cream into stiff peaks. (Now, in my own kitchen, I swear by my stand mixer, although a chef friend of mine whips cream the same way that my grandmother did.)
‘Fools’ are rich – all that whipped cream. When I make them throughout the summer, I serve small portions. Everyone likes them, they’re easy to make and they look beautiful.
Strawberry Fool
Makes 6 servings
2 ½ cups fresh strawberries (washed, hulled, sliced)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Wash, hull, slice and pat dry the strawberries. Cook them and ½ cup of granulated sugar in a saucepan, over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash the berries with a fork. Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
When strawberries have cooled – In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add ¼ cup of granulated sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
Fold the chilled berry mixture into the cream until well combined. Spoon into serving dishes and chill, covered, for up to 4 hours.
Note: Substitute any fruit in season that you wish. Gooseberries, blueberries and raspberries work well; for a tropical flavour, try mangoes and kiwis.
Strawberry Fool
If you’d like to read more about my grandmother and ‘fools’, here’s a link to my article in Edible Toronto: http://edibletoronto.com/summer-2011/suffer-fools-gladly.htm
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