Open Faced Sandwiches

The open faced sandwich is one of my favorites.  As a young person my mom would mix up some tuna, put a piece of cheese on top and place it under the broiler. This was and still is one of my favorite open faced sandwiches.  Although there are so many options I don’t tend to experiment much in this arena.  After trying a few of Rachel’s variations I’m looking forward to trying more of her many options in The Little Paris Kitchen.

In my area there are a plethora of artisanal breads available.  I find the best choices at Trader Joe’s.  I chose a crusty exterior and soft interior baguette.  With the baguettes it’s a; buy it today, eat it today bread. My first choice was a sweet sandwich, Strawberries with Crème Fraiche and mint on the sliced baguette; untoasted.  It was very delicious and perfect as breakfast, snack or even desert.  It almost reminded me of strawberry shortcake of sorts.  The next day I pulled out the radishes, sliced them super thin and placed them atop a slice of the baguette that was lightly toasted, slathered with unsalted butter and sprinkled with course sea salt.  WOW!! It was so tasty and savory. Another great snack item or serve it alongside a salad.

Rachel’s open faced suggestions, on a savory note are;

Roasted Ham and Pear, brush the baguette with a little extra virgin olive oil, thinly sliced pear and strips of roast ham.

Avocado and grapefruit; sprinkled with a little olive oil and salt.

And, Goat’s cheese with Fig and Walnuts, then place under the broiler for a minute or two.

On the sweet side;

Caramelized Apples; butter the bread, lay down thinly sliced apples, lightly salt and place under the broiler for a minute or two.  You can also use bananas, plums or pears.

Chocolate and Olive Oil;  brush bread with a little olive oil and top with cold grated chocolate, place under the broiler until the chocolate melts.

Peach and Brie; top with a few slices of each.

I will be trying all of these.  Thank you Rachel.