This isn’t really a recipe. It’s just a sandwich, and not one of those gourmet fancy-pants overstuffed deep-fried grilled cheeses or anything else that’s particularly noteworthy. But I just realized (while staring sadly at the last of my heirloom tomatoes) that I haven’t shared this on the blog. If I don’t do it now, I’ll have to wait until next summer, and that won’t do at all.
It’s just a sandwich. But it’s one of those dishes where simplicity is what makes it so perfect. It’s not trying too hard with fig spread or melted double-cream brie or goat gouda (although don’t get me wrong – I love and need all of those things, too). It’s not made with multigrain artisan bread hand-kneaded by Norwegian master bakers (huh, huh…master bakers). It’s not piled so high with alfalfa sprouts and artichoke tapenade that you can’t even bite into it. It’s just a sandwich, on plain old whole wheat bread, piled just high enough (but not too high) with just the basics – peppery fresh basil, perfectly ripe end-of-summer tomatoes, creamy avocado, just a few ever-so-thinly sliced onions, a thin swipe of mayo and a few generous grinds of sea salt and black pepper.
It’s just a sandwich, but I crave it throughout the summer and miss it when the tomatoes are gone. It could be that the five minutes it takes to put together belie how good it is, or how perfectly it goes with a handful of kettle-cooked potato chips. Or it could be that sometimes the simplest, seemingly most basic things in life are the things you enjoy the most.
- 2 slices whole wheat bread
- 1-2 tsp mayonnaise or Vegannaise
- 5-6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
- ½ large ripe tomato, sliced
- A few thin slices of raw white onion
- ½ medium avocado, sliced
- ½ tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Spread the mayonnaise on one slice of the bread. Spread the chopped basil evenly across the slice.
- Stack the sliced tomatoes, onion, and avocado on top of the basil. Drizzle with balsamic, if using, and sprinkle salt and pepper on top.
- Top with the second slice of bread, slice, and serve.
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That sounds like a lovely sandwich indeed! Simplicity is sometimes the best. 🙂