When planning our Sandwich Club we knew one thing: we needed a veggie sandwich that was a total knockout. After all, we’re the Fruit Center. The freshness and selection of our produce is at the core of what we do (pun totally intended). While the typical veg sandwich is a semi-boring mix of carrots, cucumbers and hummus, we knew we wanted one that was tantalizing, layered and over the top. What we ended up with is this gorgeous rainbow stack. It’s not just pretty – it’s a riot of fresh textures and flavors, loaded with colors. It’s a thing of beauty.
RAINBOW VEGGIE STACK with WHIPPED FETA and PESTO
2 slices Whole grain bread or hearty sourdough (we used Jessica’s Tuscan 5 Seed)
2 heaping tablespoons Theia Mediterranean Feta spread (at room temp)
2 tablespoons pesto (we love the Rana brand)
4-5 purple cabbage leaves
2-3 radishes, very thinly sliced
Pickled Red Onions
2 thick slices of heirloom tomato
Handful spinach leaves
Handful 2 Friends Farm Arugula Sprouts
½ yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 carrot, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
Salt and pepper
Parchment or wax paper for wrapping
The portions here make one large sandwich. You will have enough supplies for several — up to 4 or 5, depending on how many veggie lovers you are eating with. If you’re feeding a crowd, prep all the veggies and lay them out nicely on a board with the spreads on the side. Everyone can customize their own with a little veggie stack DIY. For the bread, we used whole grain, because it just feels right. Other options that we think would work: wheat or spinach wraps or a thick cut sourdough, provided it didn’t have any large holes.
Because this sandwich is loaded with crisp, fresh veggies there’s two things to make sure of – one, that they are cut, trimmed or otherwise prepped into a shape that will best allow them to stay put in a sandwich. Raw veg (I’m looking at you tomato) tends to slide out of sandwiches, especially ones with creamy spreads. For this reason, the layers should be thin and mostly even; and, you’re going to want to give this a good press once it’s together. We found wrapping in parchment before cutting was the way to keep things tight and tasty.
Dollop a heaping tablespoon of feta spread on each side of your bread and spread into a thin, even layer. Add a spoonful of pesto to each side and spread out as well. On one slice layer purple cabbage, then a handful of thinly sliced radish coins. Add a few pickled red onions (if you aren’t tired of them yet). Follow the onions with two thick slices of heirloom tomato and then season well with salt and pepper. Begin stacking the other piece of bread with colors: layer a handful of spinach leaves and then top with sprouts. Add thinly sliced yellow pepper and season with salt and pepper. Finally add a pile of carrot ribbons (to make ribbons: simply steady a peeled carrot on your cutting board and peel down the whole length over and over again. Your ribbons will be uniformly thin and a lot more attractive than a simple shredded carrot; as an added bonus this shape makes them easy to pile on.
Use both hands to close the sandwich, then wrap the entire thing tightly in parchment or wax paper. Pressing together just a bit to keep it all manageable. Slice in half and enjoy. We like to leave the paper on and just move it down as we eat — because this is a juicy sandwich and quite large, it keeps things together a bit more.
Make it vegan: skip the feta spread and pesto use your favorite vegan cream cheese and fresh basil leaves instead.
BEVERAGE PAIRING SUGGESTIONS
Look, we’re not going to pretend like a sandwich filled with cruciferous vegetables isn’t healthy, but this one is far from austere – the addition of savory feta spread and basil pesto makes this hugely flavorful. For the beverages, we’re taking our cues from the Mediterranean flavors in the feta and pesto and leaning towards wines from warmer European climates: specifically, Greece and Portugal. Our first choice is the Rouvalis Asprolithi. This crispy white is made from 100% roditis grapes, organically grown on the steep slopes of the Peloponnese. Clear straw yellow in the glass with aromas of tropical fruit, citrus and wild herbs. On the palate it’s balanced and well rounded with nice freshness and a hint of stony minerality. If you haven’t tried this wine yet, this is a near perfect food to match with anything involving feta cheese and fresh tomatoes.
Another warm weather white we just love at this time of year is the Foral Alvariñho which comes from an area in Portugal that’s about as far north as you can go before you hit Spain. Golden yellow in the glass with bright aromas of juicy citrus, tart green apple and flowers. On the palate this wine is full bodied and vibrant, with terrific texture and zippy acidity. A true crowd pleaser, almost everyone I pour this for loves it.
If you are thinking a beer might work nicely with this – you would also be correct. A lighter style session IPA would work beautifully here. Sessions have lower alcohol than the average IPA – typically less than 5%, but hopefully, when made well, they are still as aromatic and interesting to drink as their higher ABV counterparts. One beer that nails this balance is the Dorchester Brewing Galaxy Lights Session NEIPA. Brewed with Galaxy and Sultana hops, this brew is New England style in that it’s hazy and ripe with tropical fruit flavors and aromatics; session in that it clocks in at a day-drinking-acceptable 4.5% ABV. If you prefer a lighter, lager style beer here, we also endorse the Devil’s Purse Handline Kölsch from Dennis, MA. Clean, clear and crisp, this is a go-to for us when we want a local ale that’s thirst-quenching and straight forward. Not too malty, this is a snappy brew that tastes great with savory fare.