It simply isn’t summer until you’ve had a tomato sandwich.
The tomatoes at this time of year feel as precious as jewels, glowing with juice and vitality, tasting of sun and gardens. The best thing to do with them is as little as possible, which is why the tomato sandwich – whether a caprese, BLT or even a simple tomato-and-mayo combo – is such a seasonal essential.
Recently, I was inspired to try a new-to-me version after seeing a NYT Cooking recipe for a tomato and halloumi sandwich. As the recipe notes say, this veggie-friendly sandwich is “a play on the classic American BLT that replaces bacon with halloumi cheese, seared until golden and crisp”. Perfectly in-season heirloom tomatoes with squeaky, crispy cheese? Count me in.
For my version, I kept the two main ingredients, but replaced most of the others. It’s my firm belief, for instance, that focaccia is the best sandwich bread; it is soft and yielding but won’t melt when subjected to saucy situations; unlike sourdough or baguettes, it also won’t tear up the roof of your mouth. I added lightly dressed mint and rocket, then to impart another delicious dimension to the halloumi, I fried it with an apricot jam glaze. To round it out, I made saffron-infused aioli. Homemade aioli might sound challenging, but an immersion blender makes the process foolproof and fast. (Of course, you can also use store-bought mayo for ease.)
The result is a simple pleasure, but one with deceptively complex flavours. It deserves a beer that strikes the same balance, which is why I reached for Tilquin’s new Petite Gueuze, the first canned gueuze on the market. It’s lighter than a typical gueuze but sacrifices little of the style’s aromatic complexity. I noted a stonefruit quality that paired beautifully with the apricot-glazed halloumi, while the high carbonation scrubbed up the sandwich’s salt and richness, and helped the combination feel beautifully refreshing.
Your summer deserves nothing less.
Halloumi, Tomato & Saffron Aioli Sandwiches
Serves 6
For the saffron aioli:
Large pinch saffron
1 large egg, room temperature
200ml neutral oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon garlic paste
Large pinch flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
For the halloumi:
350g halloumi, sliced into ¼-inch-thick pieces
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup apricot jam
2-3 teaspoons dried mint
For the sandwiches:
4 medium heirloom tomatoes
6 medium squares focaccia
Flaky sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the salad leaves:
120g rocket
30g mint
Juice of ½ lemon
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt, to taste
1. First, make the saffron aioli. Place the saffron in a ramekin and add 1 tablespoon of warm water. Stir and leave the saffron to bloom for a few minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the aioli. In a tall, narrow plastic container or glass, add the remaining ingredients. Fully submerge the immersion blender and begin to blend, slowly raising and lowering the blender until the mixture has emulsified; this should only take 10 seconds or so. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add the saffron with its water and blend until combined. Transfer to a lidded container and store in the fridge.
3. Next, prep the halloumi. Add the oil to a large frying pan and place over medium-high heat; before it warms, add the halloumi in a single layer and cook until it starts to sizzle and brown (you may need to cook the halloumi in two batches, depending on the size of your pan). Flip and cook on the reverse for 2-3 minutes, or until deeply golden-brown on both sides.
4. While the halloumi cooks, prepare the jam glaze: Add the apricot jam to a small bowl and top up with just enough water until it has a pourable consistency. Mix through the dried mint.
5. When the halloumi has browned, pour the apricot glaze over the slices; it should sizzle rapidly. Toss so the halloumi is evenly coated, and cook for 30 seconds more, or until the liquid has thickened and reduced. Remove from the heat; transfer the halloumi slices to a bowl and leave to cool.
6. Next, prep the remaining sandwich ingredients. Core the tomatoes; then, using a serrated knife, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange in a single layer on the cutting board and season generously with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; set aside. Using the same knife, slice the focaccia pieces in half width-wise, so you can use them as sandwich bread.
7. When the halloumi has cooled slightly, prep the salad leaves. Add the rocket and mint to a medium bowl and pour over the lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil; toss gently with your fingertips to prevent the leaves from wilting. Season to taste with flaky sea salt.
8. To build the sandwiches, separate the focaccia tops and bottoms, and slather a layer of the saffron aioli onto each. Pat the tomato slices dry (they will release some water after being salted) and divide between all of the bottom pieces of bread, arranging in a loosely overlapping single layer. Divide the halloumi between the sandwiches, topping the tomatoes with a single layer, then finish each sandwich with a good handful of the greens.
9. Place the top pieces of the focaccia over each sandwich and press snugly to hold everything in place. You may wish to wrap your sandwich in foil or baking paper before slicing it in half to help keep everything together. Serve right away.
Claire M Bullen is a professional food and travel writer, a beer hound and all-around lover of tasty things. You can follow her at @clairembullen. For more recipes like this, sign up to our HB&B All Killer No Filler beer subscription - you'll receive Claire's recipe and food pairings, plus expert tasting notes, with 10 world-class beers like this one every month.