Chef Albertos Tomato Sandwich Food

BURNT END MELT SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat a smoker for cooking at 225 degrees F.
• Trim any excess fat from brisket. Sprinkle the brisket liberally with kosher salt. Stir together the black pepper, granulated garlic and 1/4 cup Cajun spice, then sprinkle all over the brisket. Place brisket fat-side up on a smoking tray and place in smoker. Add soaked and drained hickory wood chips and smoke until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 195 degrees F, about 12 hours.
• Let the brisket rest and cool completely, preferably overnight.
• Preheat the smoker for cooking at 250 degrees F. Cut the brisket into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread these cubes in an even layer on a sheet tray. Sprinkle with brown sugar, the remaining 1/4 cup Cajun spice and the BBQ Sauce. Mix thoroughly with your hands to ensure every piece is coated. Spread them out in an even layer and put the tray back in the smoker with fresh soaked wood chips to smoke for 2 hours. Remove from smoker.
• Hollow out the ciabatta. Add Mac and Cheese, some brisket burnt ends, green pear, some Cheddar and BBQ Sauce. Close the sandwich and place on a flattop panini press until cheese melts, about 1 minute. (Save the remaining meat for another use.)
• Combine light brown sugar, ketchup, pineapple juice, molasses, liquid smoke, mustard, salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, Cajun spice and 1 cup water in a stainless steel saucepan. Heat on low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon so the sugars do not burn on the bottom of the pan, until it comes to a simmer. Simmer until desired consistency has been achieved, for about 1 hour. Allow to cool completely, then transfer to a clean plastic container or mason jar and store in the fridge.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour to hot melted butter and whisk constantly for 3 minutes. Slowly add milk while continuing to whisk, then continue to cook, whisking, until sauce is thickened and bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar, salt, pepper and Cajun spice. Stir until smooth and velvety, then fold in precooked noodles. Return to low heat and stir constantly until noodles are heated through. Serve.

TOMATO, CHEESE, AND AVOCADO SANDWICH

Steps:

• If you like your sandwiches toasted, go ahead and toast your bread.
• Mix the mayonnaise, mustard, and balsamic together, then spread it thinly on one side of each slice of bread.
• Place cheese on a mayo/mustard side of a piece of bread; if including proscuitto, place it on the provolone.
• Spread the slices of avocado next, then the tomato, and season to taste with salt and pepper; then top with lettuce and the other slice of bread with the mayo/mustard side facing the lettuce.
• Note: using a fully ripe avocado is very important.

TOMATO SANDWICHES WITH BLUE CHEESE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Drizzle the cut-side of the bread with olive oil, then put on a sheet tray and place in the oven to toast, 3 to 5 minutes. Evenly spread the butter between the 2 pieces.
• In a non-reactive bowl, combine the blue cheese, cream cheese, Worcestershire and vinegar until well mixed. Add the heavy cream slowly and whip with a rubber spatula or whisk until smooth and mousselike. Reserve until ready to use.
• Slice each tomato into four thick slices, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Spread a thick layer of the blue cheese mousse on the bottom half of the prepared loaf. Add the sliced tomatoes and liberally spread the shaved onion. Top with the top piece of bread and slice into servings.
• Serve with plenty of napkins.

CAPRESE SANDWICH WITH TOMATO, MOZZARELLA, AND FRESH BASIL

Steps:

• Eat now or wrap tightly to enjoy later.

FRIED GREEN TOMATO SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat a deep fryer with canola oil to 375 degrees F. You can also use a cast-iron skillet filled halfway with canola oil.
• In a skillet set over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, about 10 minutes.
• In a shallow dish, add the flour and season with some salt and pepper. In a second shallow dish, add the eggs and lightly beat. Dredge the tomato slices in the flour then in the eggs and again in the flour.
• Fry the battered green tomato slices until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
• In a large skillet set over medium heat, add a tablespoon of the canola oil. Add the fried green tomatoes to the skillet, stacked 2 high. Cover the stack with 2 pieces of the cheese and let melt, about a minute. Repeat with the remaining stacks of tomatoes and cheese, adding another tablespoon of oil halfway through.
• Spread some mayonnaise onto both sides of a bun and layer with a stack of fried green tomatoes covered with melted cheese, 2 slices of crispy bacon, lettuce and top with top of the bun. Repeat for the remaining buns and tomato stacks, and then serve hot.

OPEN-FACED ASPARAGUS SANDWICH

Steps:

• For the hops oil: Fill a glass bottle to the top with the hops, about 4 cups depending on the size of the bottle. Zest and juice 10 of the lemons and reserve for the citrus shallot dressing. Juice the remaining 2 lemons and reserve 1/2 cup juice for the hummus. Slice the lemon rinds and add them to the bottle. Add the olive oil until the bottle is full. Turn the bottle upside down so the hops and rinds float upwards, infusing the oil. The longer the oil sits, the stronger the flavor. Infuse for a minimum of 48 hours, turning the bottle several times a day.
• For the hummus: Pour the beans into a large stockpot. Cover with cold water until the water line is about 3 inches above the beans. Partially cover the stockpot with a lid and bring the water to a boil over medium-low heat. Simmer the beans slowly so they don't crack and break, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. If the water has been completely absorbed but the beans don't seem tender, add a bit of warm water and continue cooking to the desired texture. Drain any excess water and pour the beans onto a cookie sheet in an even layer to cool.
• For the citrus shallot dressing: Add the orange zest and juice to a mixing bowl with the reserved zest and juice of 10 lemons. Add the olive oil and shallots and use a whisk or blender to mix together. Refrigerate until using.
• To finish the hummus, puree the basil and garlic in a blender or food processor. Add the cooled beans and process. While the blender is running, gradually add the reserved 1/2 cup lemon juice and the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until using.
• For the roasted red bell peppers: Roast the peppers by placing them on an open gas flame, turning them frequently with tongs, until all sides are charred black, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Peel the peppers, removing the skins, seeds and stems. Dice the peppers, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Set aside.
• For the sandwiches: Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.
• Drizzle olive oil over the asparagus spears and red onion slices. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables about 1 minute per side. Grill each side of the ciabatta halves until lightly browned.
• To assemble: Spread a small amount of hummus in the middle of each plate to keep the sandwich from sliding around when fully assembled. Place a grilled ciabatta half on top of the hummus and spread a generous amount of hummus on top of each ciabatta half, about 1/4 cup. Add some roasted red bell peppers and grilled red onions.
• In a small bowl, toss the arugula in the citrus shallot dressing. Pile up some arugula on top of each bread piece, followed by 4 spears of grilled asparagus. Finish with the pear tomatoes and sliced Fresno chiles. Lightly drizzle the hops oil over the sandwiches. Season with salt and coarsely ground black pepper.