Even though summer is still officially a few weeks away, tomato season is upon us. I freaking love fresh tomatoes. While they can be put to use in almost limitless ways, one of my favorite methods of consumption for these juicy little sun fruits is in sandwich form.
Tomato sandwiches are just plain good. All the fresh tasty flavor, bright acids and sweet softness packed between two slices of bread. Oh yeah.
They don’t really need much help, but a few years ago I came across a sandwich that I’ve been addicted to ever since.
I have a strong affinity for other yummy vegetables as well as for that churned miracle called butter, so anything that combines the lot is bound to be good.
Enter the Tomato and Cucumber Sandwich with Garlic-Anchovy Butter. The name practically tells the whole story, but I’ll give you a few more details.
If you’re not familiar with them, compound butters can be a very versatile and interesting ingredient to keep around your kitchen. Basically, it’s just stuff mashed into butter. It can be sweet or savory, spicy or cooling, baked with or smeared on later, served hot or cold; practically anything you can think of.
However, the one for this sandwich is one of my favorites. Take a half stick of butter and let it warm up to just under room temperature. Mash a clove of garlic and one or two anchovy filets. Chop up a tablespoon of flat leaf parsley.
Toss all of that business in with the butter. Squeeze in a dollop of sriracha (or whatever your favorite hot sauce is) and a hearty pinch of salt. Mix it up with a fork and spread it on something. Or roll it up into a nice log shape and pop it in the fridge for later.
For this particular summer treat, I slather a healthy amount on each slice of bread and then layer on slices of the freshest tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions I can find.
It’s tastetacular. And don’t mispronounce that on purpose.
It’s not funny.
-L. Pants
