Summer sandwich with walnuts, baby broad beans and Emmental cheese

Taken from "VEG: simple, stylish and seasonal vegetarian cooking" by Catherine Mason (Pauntley Press, 2001, ISBN: 0-9534879-2-8, price £12.99)
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This is one of the most delicious sandwiches known to woman, and simplicity itself to make. Although it is nicest when made with tiny young beans fresh from the garden, it is also more than acceptable made with frozen baby broad beans. There has been a fad recently, at least among cookery writers, for removing the skins from broad beans after cooking, but if life is too short to stuff a mushroom, it's certainly too short for fiddling about with broad bean skins, and burning your fingers into the bargain. If you grow your own, they'll be tender anyway, and if not, they'll still taste good and you can feel virtuous for eating the fibre!

Use the best Emmental you can find, preferably cut off a big slab from a reputable cheese merchant. It varies quite a bit, and the pre-packed supermarket chunks can be very insipid. If the roasting of walnuts seems like a lot of trouble for the sake of a sandwich, bear in mind that they can be roasted in bulk, allowed to cool and stored in an air-tight container for several weeks. They are such a useful addition to so many salads, sandwiches and other dishes that I like to keep a supply on hand.

I haven't specified exact quantities, as they can be adjusted according to personal preference. Be generous, but not over-generous – balance is all, but basically just make it the way you want it.

  • lightly-steamed baby broad beans, dressed in olive oil and lemon juice
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • fresh wholewheat bread
  • mayonnaise
  • lettuce and other assorted salad leaves
  • ripe tomatoes, sliced
  • roasted walnut pieces
  • Emmental cheese, diced

Cook the beans just before you want the sandwich – they should be added to it while still warm. If the broad beans are small and freshly picked, they will take only about 2 minutes in a steamer to reach a state of sublime tenderness; if they are large or frozen, keep testing – they'll take a bit longer. As soon as they are tender, take them out of the steam and toss them in a little olive oil, followed by some freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Spread slices of bread with mayonnaise. Add the salad leaves, tomatoes, nuts and cheese in whatever proportions appeal to you, but don't be too heavy-handed with the cheese or nuts – they're included for accent not substance.

Scatter the warm broad beans into the sandwich, season to taste and eat immediately.

SERVES 1

Recipe copyright © 2001 Catherine Mason | other sample recipes