Meet my lunch, every day until tomato season is over. I'm not sure if this is a regional thing, but I have been obsessed with "true tomato" sandwiches for as long as I can remember. And when I say "true tomato" sandwiches, what I mean is tomatoes in-season — so they actually taste like tomatoes!
Tomatoes are a touchy subject with me. I refuse to buy them out of season, no matter how "faux good" they look. Honestly, what's the point? They taste and smell like bland, damp cardboard with a touch of floor grit. And even if you are the kind of person who does buy them out-of-season (I forgive you; I can't be mad that you're buying produce), with a summer tomato you really appreciate the elements that weren't there during the winter.
It's sliced sunshine.
I can wax poetic about this sphere of wonder all day, but, long story short, a sun-ripened tomato sandwich is my life. And this is how I do a Carlene Version:
- open-faced (because it's not about the bread)
- toasted (for a crisp element)
- sea salt (to bring out the essence of the tomato)
- and a mixture of small greens (I don't want crisp iceberg or romaine).
There's an art to a tomato sandwich, clearly.
Tomato Sandwich
Ingredients
1 slice whole wheat bread
1 small, in-season tomato, sliced
1/2 Tbsp. mayo (Tip: Use the real stuff…seriously)
Sea salt
Mixed greens
Directions
- (This should be fairly obvious, but just in case) Toast the bread.
- Add mayo and sliced tomatoes to cover the entire piece of bread.
- Top with a sprinkle of sea salt and a handful of mixed greens.
The cherry on top of a tomato sandwich is the fact that it's a beauty food: whole grains, mixed greens and the tomato are foods to love.
