In the name of total disclosure - this sandwich came about because I was too lazy to make eggplant caviar which seemed awfully fiddly for a weekend morning, despite being what I really wanted. That being said, as a trade-off, this was not bad!
In fact, this really was quite a delicious sandwich, maybe one of the best I have every made - roasted until custardy eggplant slices with skin that crisped up like bacon, sweet red pepper, tangy Feta, salty anchovies, juicy tomato, good sourdough -- toasted -- and a punchy and herbaceous quick mayonnaise based on Hellman's from the jar, roasted garlic and garden herbs.
Pretty perfect for a Saturday lunch for one.
2 -4 thin slices of eggplant (enough to cover your bread in one layer)
1/2 red pepper
2-4 slices of fresh tomato
1 clove garlic, unpeeled*
2-3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 Tbsps chopped herbs (I am still winding down the herb garden which is not ready for the summer to be done and so had thinnings of Italian parsley, tarragon, oregano and two kinds of mint, but use whatever bits and bobs you have in your hydrator -- people who cook always have half used packages of herbs hanging around...Just basil on its own would work well here, though I particularly liked the pops of fresh oregano as I ate)
1 Tbsp Feta, crumbled
2 tsps mayonnaise
1 tsp olive oil
Preheat the oven to 375.
Place the eggplant, red pepper and garlic on a parchment paper lined tray. Brush with the olive oil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through.
While the vegetables are cooking, go do whatever Saturday morning task you have been putting off.
As soon as the vegetables come out of the oven, toast your bread. This sandwich would have been delicious with bread grilled in olive oil on the stove top but I felt there was enough fat in the sandwich as is so toasted it instead.
While the bread is toasting, slice your tomato and make a quick herb mayonnaise by combining the herbs, Feta and mayonnaise in a bowl.
To assemble: pop the garlic clove out of its skin and beat into the mayonnaise. Add a quarter of the mayonnaise to one piece of bread. Place the eggplant in one layer on top of that piece of bread, dollop on a quarter of the mayonnaise, top with peeled and sliced red pepper, dollop with a quarter of the mayo, top with the sliced tomato on which you then sprinkle the chopped anchovies. All that remains is to spread the remaining mayonnaise on the second piece of bread and use it as the sandwich lid.
Cut in half and enjoy your oozy, warm, delectable sandwich. Maybe even treat yourself to a small glass of dry white wine with your lunch.
Because of the anchovies and Feta I did not add salt to the sandwich, but you may wish to salt the vegetables prior to cooking them.
This is a thirty two minute to the table sandwich, of which twenty five minutes were unsupervised cooking time as I cleaned the bathroom.
Inspiration recipe, here.
* since I had the oven on and was roasting vegetables, I took the opportunity to roast a few extra cloves of garlic so that I can use them in other dishes over the course of the week and save time.
