I love bread. And I especially love it when it's crisp and toasted with olive oil. It's perfect warm, dipped in a pool of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and equally perfect smothered with fresh tomatoes and basil. Now, for all the goodness there is in bread, I sometimes have a problem with sandwiches, as in, there's just too much bread on my sandwich. It doesn't necessarily matter if it's the best bread you've ever had. If the ratio of bread to fillings is wrong, the sandwich experience is diluted, the way iced tea loses its flavor after the ice cubes melt in your glass.
The French tartine, thankfully, solves this problem quite nicely. An open faced sandwich, it's never overwhelming. The ingredients are lovingly layered, seasoned, and you can eat it how you please, with a fork and knife or your hands.
I experienced a bit of a summer cooking crisis when I made that pot of beans in July. (Wonderful, actually, with toasted bread, but that's beside the point.) I wasn't quite in the no-cook-cooking mindset, but I finally made it. This simple dinner actually requires no cooking at all. With a glass of wine and a green salad, it's a quintessential summer meal.
SMOKED SALMON AND AVOCADO TARTINE
Serves 2
Smoked salmon is a wonderful way to incorporate more omega-3's into your diet. Look for wild caught varieties, which are more sustainable than farmed.
4 large bread slices
1 avocado, mashed and drizzled with lemon
1 3 ounce package of smoked, wild caught Alaskan salmon
1 radish, thinly sliced
Drizzle each slice of bread with olive oil and place on a grill pan over medium-low heat. Grill on both sides, until nicely toasted.
Spread one quarter of the avocado over each piece of bread. Season with salt and pepper. Evenly distribute the smoked salmon, season with salt and lemon juice, then top with radishes.
