Inspired by European pan bagnat, this salad-stuffed sandwich is an offbeat way to enjoy an array of seasonal produce. For a nice warm-weather meal or picnic, serve this with any of VegKitchen's Potato Salads or Cold Summer Soups. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.
- 1 long Italian bread or baguette, preferably whole grain
- 2 firm, ripe, plum (Roma) tomatoes, finely diced
- 4 large romaine lettuce leaves, thinly shredded
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into very thin, short strips
- ½ cup finely chopped black olives (such as Kalamata)
or sliced sun-dried tomatoes - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon, or more, to taste
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley or thinly sliced basil leaves as desired
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Cut the bread in half crosswise (or don't cut completely all the way through, which will make it a bit more sturdy, then cut each section in half lengthwise.
Pull out some of the bread from the center of each bread half, leaving a shell of about ½ inch all around. Reserve the excess bread for another use, such as for making fresh bread crumbs.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss together.
Mound some of the salad into each bottom section of the bread shells, then cover with the top section. Gently press together. Wrap each sandwich snugly in plastic wrap and let stand for an hour or so, giving some of the tasty juices a chance to soak into the bread.
Once ready to serve, cut each sandwich in half, to yield 4 equal portions.
Variation: To make this a heftier meal, add 1 to 1 ½ cups chickpeas or other beans.
- Here are more easy and tasty Sandwiches and Wraps.
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