Soup and a sandwich. In case you’re like me, the phrase in all probability conjures up both workday lunches at Au Bon Ache within the ‘90s or late evening diner classes with highschool pals. However as of late, it’s additionally conjuring up my new favourite summer time dinner system. You may surprise if that is simply the pure development of an empty nest dinner maker, however within the canine days of summer time when urgent the puree button on a blender and flipping a grilled cheese is as a lot cooking as I can deal with, it feels excellent.
Select a trusty chilled soup:
Chilled Avocado Cucumber (recipe beneath) or
Basic Gazpacho
Then select a sandwich:
Swiss Soften with Tomatoes (recipe beneath) or
Hummus and Sprouts in a Heat Pita
BLTs
Fried Egg Sandwich
Grilled Cheese with Apples
Tomato Sandwich
Smashed Avocado Toast
There are just a few guidelines:
1) Within the spirit of diner custom, and should you’re not tremendous hungry, you must be at liberty to make it a half sandwich per individual.
2) The sandwich you choose MUST be straightforward — for example, no fish sandwich, which is superb, however includes fish market procuring and dredging stations and cabbage shredding and sustained warmth on a stovetop, i.e. precise cooking. Not the purpose right here! Easy, easy, easy. I’m even hesitant to counsel my favourite smashed pea toasts which might be so unbelievably good with the gazpacho, but it surely means utilizing the blender twice, and that’s one time too many on the finish of a protracted sizzling day.
3) In case you’re making the gazpacho, don’t be too Draconian about avoiding a redundant tomato state of affairs. There are only a few sandwiches that aren’t upgraded by a beefy heirloom slice, and this time of 12 months, we should always all be consuming as many tomatoes as potential.
Chilled Avocado and Cucumber Soup
Serves 4 (small bowls) or 2 (massive bowls)
2 massive cucumbers, peeled and seeded; 1 chopped roughly and 1 finely diced
1 1/2 avocados
1 cup plain complete fats yogurt
juice of 1 massive lime
1 small jalapeno chili, minced (seeds and pith eliminated to attain desired warmth degree)
5 scallions (white and light-weight inexperienced elements solely), roughly chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped (plus extra for garnish)
1 cup vegetable or rooster broth (or water)
Kosher salt and freshly floor black pepper
In a blender, mix the 1 roughly chopped cucumber, avocados, yogurt, lime juice, jalapeno, scallions, cilantro, salt and pepper, and broth. Puree till clean, including just a few tablespoons of water if obligatory till it reaches a soupy, however not gloppy consistency. Chill for so long as you possibly can, but it surely’s high quality at room temperature, too! (You may need to skinny it out once more with water after it chills.) Serve with remaining finely chopped cucumber, cilantro, and extra salt and pepper to style.
Swiss Soften with Tomatoes
Makes 2 sandwiches (or 4 halves)
In case you occur to have sauerkraut and Russian dressing readily available, it’s straightforward to show this right into a meatless Reuben.
4 slices Rye bread
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
4 slices Swiss cheese or about 4 ounces Gruyère, grated or very thinly sliced
tomato, one of the best yow will discover, sliced (4 slices)
thinly sliced pink onion, to style (or just a few dollops of sauerkraut and Russian dressing)
Warmth a forged iron or nonstick skillet over medium warmth. Butter one aspect of every slice of Rye bread. Place two of the bread slices buttered-side down on the skillet, then place cheese on prime of every. (I make one sandwich at a time in the identical skillet, however you are able to do this in two skillets or one massive skillet should you’d wish to make it go sooner.) After about 2 minutes, when the cheese has melted a little bit, place tomatoes on one half and sliced onions (or a dollop of sauerkraut and Russian dressing, see photograph) on the opposite. Hold the perimeter of the cheese uncovered a bit. Utilizing a spatula, gently flip one piece on prime of the opposite, “sealing” the melty-cheese edges. Flip as soon as extra to verify coloration is even on either side. Take away and let relaxation a minute earlier than slicing in half. Repeat with second sandwich.
What soup-and-sandwich combos would you advocate?
P.S. Dinner-worthy salads and five-minute curried rooster sandwiches.
