Fresh vegetables pickled in a vinegar mixture are piquant additions to finger sandwiches layered with a Savoury Aïoli, spinach leaves, roast beef, and Cheddar cheese.
Garden Vegetable, Roast Beef & Cheddar Tea Sandwiches
Serves: 12
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow courgette (summer squash)*
- 1 medium golden beetroot
- 2 thin slices shallot
- 1 cup sherry vinegar
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 8 slices seedless rye bread
- Savoury Aïoli (recipe follows)
- 1 cup loosely packed baby spinach leaves
- 4 ultra-thin slices Cheddar cheese
- 16 thin slices deli-style roast beef
Instructions
- Using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, cut thin vertical strips from courgette, approximately 12 slices. Peel beetroot, discarding skin. Cut approximately 24 slices from beetroot. Place courgette, beetroot, and shallot slices in a bowl and cover with vinegar and sugar. Toss vegetables in vinegar mixture. Let sit at room temperature until softened, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Rinse vegetables quickly with cold water. Drain vegetables well. Blot dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, finely chop shallot and reserve for use in Savory Aïoli (recipe follows).
- Spread a thin layer of Savory Aïoli onto 8 bread slices. On aïoli side of 4 bread slices, layer on each ¼ cup spinach, 1 cheese slice, and 4 roast beef slices, folding and ruffling to fit. Place pickled courgette crosswise over roast beef. Top with pickled beetroot and a remaining bread slice, aïoli side down, to make 4 whole sandwiches.
- Using a serrated bread knife in a gentle sawing motion, trim and discard crusts from sandwiches. Cut each sandwich into 3 rectangles. Serve immediately, or cover with damp paper towels, place in a covered container, and refrigerate for a few hours until serving time.
Notes
*if yellow courgette is not available, green courgette (zucchini) may be substituted.
Savoury Aïoli
Serves: approximately ½ cup
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon prepared English mustard
- ½ teaspoon very finely chopped pickled shallot*
- ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sherry vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, mustard, pickled shallot, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and turmeric. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator and let flavors meld for up to a day.
Notes
*Reserved from preceding Garden Vegetable, Roast Beef & Cheddar Tea Sandwiches recipe.
