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You put cranberry sauce on turkey sandwiches, don’t you? Mango chutney on chicken or cheddar sandwiches? Goat cheese or brie with fig jam?
How about fresh fruit?
Fruit and cheese, a perfect complement on a plate, do equally well on a baguette, croissant or other bread.
Lush stone fruits are a perfect complement, particularly ripe and juicy nectarines, peaches and plums. (With a sandwich, even barely-ripe works).
In the cooler months, turn to apples, grapes, pears, orange, raisins and other dried fruits, including coconut.
FRUITED SANDWICH TRICKS
Slice or dice the fruit as you prefer.
Consider turning fruit and berries into a compote.
You can also turn the fruit into a spread, by pulsing in a blender or food processor. Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg.
In an hour, you can pickle the fruits, alone or with onions.
Grill, toast, pan-fry or use your panini press as you wish.
Before adding the top slice of bread, sprinkle some raisins or dried blueberries/cherries/cranberries and nuts on the filling.
Try a sweeter condiment: honey mustard, mayo mixed with a bit of jam, mostarda. As appropriate, use a drizzle of balsamic, honey, even barbecue sauce
Play with different breads: not just whole grain, but baguette, brioche, ciabatta, croissants, Portuguese sweet bread (like King’s Hawaiian), etc.
Add fresh herbs: basil, chives, cilantro, dill, rosemary or other favorite.
Sweet onion adds a counterpoint, as does a bit of heat: cracked black pepper, sliced or minced chiles, red pepper flakes.
SUMMER FRUIT & SANDWICH RECIPES
Blue cheese with peaches or nectarines
Brie with apricots, blueberries, fresh basil and a honey drizzle
Creamy blue (Castello, Dolcetta, St. Agur) with peaches or nectarines
Cotija or feta with guava
Feta with watermelon and basil
Goat cheese with mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries) and a honey drizzle
Goat cheese with stone fruit: apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums
Goat cheese with fresh figs
Mozzarella with cantaloupe, basil leaves, optional pimento
Mozzarella or burrata with fresh figs (or any fruit)
Smoked gouda or smoked mozzarella with plum
YEAR-ROUND FRUIT & SANDWICHES RECIPES FOR SUMMER
Blue cheese and pear
Brie with apple, grape, mango or pear on baguette
Cheddar and Granny Smith apple, with a sprinkling of raisins and toasted pecans/walnuts
Chicken, egg or tuna salad (or curried chicken/tuna/egg salad) with grapes; with Delicious or other sweet apple; with kiwi or pear
Cream cheese with any fruit: apples, berries, grapes, pears, etc.
Fried paneer or halloumi with mango
Goat cheese with dried fruits, figs, raspberries, strawberries and optional chopped pistachios or toasted pecans
Grilled cheese or panini with Granny Smith apple and caramelized onion
Grilled proscuitto with mozzarella with fig (fresh, dried, jam)
Grilled tofu and pineapple with a drizzle of barbecue sauce.
Ham and cheese with pineapple
Mozzarella with sliced strawberries and a balsamic glaze drizzle
Waldorf chicken salad (with apples, grapes, celery, chives and toasted walnuts) on a croissants
SWEET RECIPES FOR DESSERT OR SNACK
Grilled gjetost* cheese (photo #5) with apples on cinnamon-raisin bread
Grilled brie on pound cake with fig jam
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*Gjetost (JEE-nust) is a unique, caramelized, fudgy cheese that some say tastes like dulce de leche or a Sugar Daddy. A blend of cow’s and goat’s milk is boiled until caramelization occurs, then packed into blocks. The taste is super unique but If I had to compare it to something, I wo.
RECIPE: GOAT CHEESE & PEACH SANDWICH WITH CILANTRO
This recipe from Good Eggs was the inspiration for today’s tip. The recipe was adapted from one in Samin Nosrat’s cookbook, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking.
This recipe works well as a wrap and go sandwich for lunch or snacks.
Ingredients For 4 Sandwiches
1 log goat cheese
1 baguette
1 pound peaches (substitute nectarines)
Cilantro or other herb
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[1] For a sweet touch, add fruit to your sandwiches. The recipe for this goat cheese, peach and cilantro baguette is below (photo courtesy Good Eggs).
[2] In the summer, head for the stone fruits. Slice ‘em, dice ‘em, picked ‘em (photo courtesy Washington State Fruit Commission).
[3] Grapes are available year-round. Pick red grapes for more color, and be sure they’re seedless (photo courtesy Sun World).
[4] Berries are a treat on cheese sandwiches. Even if they’re not sweet enough for eating plain, no added sugar is needed on a sandwich (photo courtesy Green Giant Fresh).
[5] Gjetost, a caramelized cheese from Norway that tastes like dulce de leche. |
