Green Goddess Mayonnaise (makes enough for 4-6 sandwiches):
1/3cuppacked basil leaves
1/3cuppacked tarragon leaves
1/3cuppacked chopped chives
2medium-large garlic cloves
2anchovy fillets
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4teaspoonsalt
1/2cupgood mayonnaise (such as Spectrum's olive oil mayonnaise)
Pickled spring onions (makes enough for 4-6 sandwiches):
2spring onions, bulb thinly sliced
1/2cupwhite wine vinegar
2teaspoonssugar
1teaspoonfine sea salt
1/4teaspoonblack peppercorns, lightly crushed
Per sandwich:
2slicespan bread (I like something with a neutral flavor such as Josie Baker's Wonderbread)
1/2a small, ripe avocado, sliced
2fat slices fresh mozzarella
1medium-sized green zebra tomato (or other heirloom tomato), sliced
a few thin slices cucumber
several slices pickled onion
a handful of sprouts (such as broccoli sprouts), rinsed and dried
a couple of small lettuce leaves (butter or romaine), rinsed and dried
Instructions
Make the mayonnaise:
In the bowl of a food processor, combine all ingredients except for the lemon juice (i.e., the basil, tarragon, chives, garlic, anchovies, lemon zest, salt, and mayonnaisin the bowl of a food processor. Puree smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in the lemon juice. Chill until needed.
Pickle the onions:
In a medium-sized jar, combine the onions slices, vinegar, sugar, salt, and peppercorns. Put the lid on the jar and let sit for at least 10 minutes, shaking a few times to dissolve the salt and sugar. Use immediately or refrigerate until needed, up to 1 week.
Assemble the sandwiches:
Toast the bread and spread both slices with a thick layer of the mayonnaise. Top with the avocado, mozzarella, tomato, cucumber, pickled onion, sprouts, and lettuce. Sandwich with the other slice of bread and press down gently. Optionally wrap the sandwich in parchment or secure with two toothpicks, and slice in half with a sharp serrated bread knife or chef's knife.
Notes
I like the briny umami that the anchovies add to the mayonnaise, but feel free to leave them out if you prefer. (You may wish to add more salt, garlic, or lemon if you do.)The mayonnaise keeps well for up to a week, staying vibrant green and marrying the flavors together nicely. I like the onions best when freshly pickled, but they will also keep in the fridge for a week or more.Wrapping the sandwiches in parchment paper prior to cutting them in half helps them to hold together, but feel free to skip this step in favor of deliciously messy sandwiches.Nutritional values are based on one of four sandwiches.