Tomato Sandwiches

A tomato just picked, fresh off the vine and warm from the summer is one of the high points of summer for me.  And we have had an abundance of tomatoes this year!  You may have seen my previous post about The Best Gazpacho Ever, which was a great way to enjoy the fresh abundance from the garden.  But living in the South for the last 25 years, I have learned to appreciate the simple yumminess of a tomato sandwich.
 
Kate Williams with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an article recently, “You say tomato… Three ways to improve  upon the classic tomato sandwich.”  So I tried out two of them in the Delaney Test Kitchen and I can’t pick which one is my favorite.  If you try these, you’ll have to let me know which one you pick: the Improved Classic Tomato Sandwich, or the Heirloom Tomato Sandwich with Bacon Mayonnaise.
 
Thanks to this article, I also learned how to make a tomato sandwich that didn’t drip all over the place.  The trick is to take 30 minutes to let them season. This process uses salt to remove excess water from the tomatoes, concentrating their flavor. Slice the tomato and lay tomato slices out on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or stack of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides and then just let them hang out while you put away dishes or kill time on social.
 
After about 30 minutes, you’ll see a pool of water below the tomatoes and a slick of water on top of them. Pat the slices dry, and then stack these flavor-packed tomatoes between mayonnaise-slicked slices of white bread. Big beefsteak tomatoes work great, but giant heirlooms work well too.
 

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Recipe #1:
Improved Classic Tomato Sandwich
 
INGREDIENTS

• 2 large, ripe tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 slices white sandwich bread, such as Sunbeam
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, such as Duke’s

 
PREPARATION

1.  Place the tomato slices on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper on both sides, then let sit at room temperature until water has begun pooling under the tomatoes, about 30 minutes.

 

1.  To assemble, spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise on all 8 slices of bread. Top 4 slices of bread with tomatoes, then cover with the second slice of bread. Slice in half, on the diagonal, and serve. Serves 4.​
   

Recipe #2:
Heirloom Tomato Sandwich with Bacon Mayonnaise
 
INGREDIENTS
 
·                2 slices bacon, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick strips
·                1/2 cup mayonnaise, such as Duke’s
·                1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
·                Salt and freshly ground black pepper
·                2 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
·                8 slices sourdough sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm
 
PREPARATION
1.     Place the bacon in a small skillet with 1/4 cup of water. Cook over medium-low heat,       stirring occasionally, until the water cooks off and the bacon has rendered its fat and turned very crisp, about 15 minutes. If necessary, reduce the heat to avoid scorching.

1. Drain the bacon through a fine-mesh strainer set over a heatproof bowl. Let the bacon and the bacon fat cool, but don’t let the bacon fat solidify.
2. Once cool enough to handle, chop the bacon into fine bits and add to a small bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise, lemon juice and rendered bacon fat. Lightly season to taste with salt.
3. To assemble, season the tomato slices with salt and pepper. Spread about 1 tablespoon of bacon mayonnaise on all 8 slices of bread. Top 4 slices of bread with the tomatoes, then cover with the second slice of bread. Slice in half and serve. Serves 4.