Much to our enjoyment, the garden decided to really grow this year. The past few years we had only decent results, but this year we are gathering beautifully fat fruits from the vines. The fact that things grow never gets old to me or stops amazing me. I put a seed in the dirt and then a deliciously sweet plant ends up on our plate. Just like that.
In the afternoon sunshine, we picked a few things and made dinner.
Our better boy plants are already producing red slicing tomatoes, and we are taking advantage of every last one. Tomatoes should nearly always be wedded to a handful of basil, and fortunately that is growing well too. (We are so excited that things are growing.)
I picked up a loaf of golden french bread, pulled some cooked chicken breasts, whirled a bit of pesto, sliced a fresh cucumber and juicy tomato, rinsed some lettuce, schmeared some dijon, sprinkled some feta, and presto, we had a meal. There is an art to a good sandwich. Balance of texture, fluffy golden bread with browned edges, the ratio of filling to meat to bread, and as Stephen says, "It is just a snack unless you need two hands to hold it."
Good sandwiches are a smart food in the summertime when we want to get out for a Saturday and spend the day in the sun. A sandwich like this is sure to remind us of the joy we get from a garden that is growing.
1 pound chicken breasts, cooked, cooled, and pulled
1/3 cup basil pesto or arugula pesto
1 red slicing tomato, thinly sliced
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
4 romaine lettuce leaves
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 tablespoon dijon
salt and pepper
a loaf of soft french bread
Basil Pesto makes about 3/4 cup
2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
olive oil until smooth
salt to taste
1. In small food processor, puree garlic with pine nuts and a few tablespoons of olive oil. Once smooth, add in basil and another drizzle olive oil. Puree just until smooth. Over mixing can make the basil bitter
Assembly
1. Toss cooled pulled chicken with pesto. Set aside
2. Slice open bread, and brown in toaster
3. Schmear dijon on bread and layer fillings. Top with chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper over all. Try to get it closed, and take a big bite. Enjoy
