Harmony Kitchen

July 21, 2025 Recipe of the Week

It is the time of year when we just can’t get enough tomatoes. There are so many ways to use them but the first thing everyone in our family wants with the very first tomatoes of the season is a tomato sandwich.

This week, Isaac and I experimented with taking the humble tomato sandwich to the next level.

Want to try it for yourself? We have everything you need to make it happen!

Pantry items: Olive oil (1 cup) Dijon (one tsp) Juice from 1/2 a lemon (~1 tbsp) Salt and pepper

Equipment:Knife and Cutting Board
Citrus juicer (or a fork)
Immersion blender

Method

Allow the focaccia to partially or fully thaw in the freezer bag

Just before making your sandwich, refresh it in the oven by pre-heating to 450 degrees and placing the focaccia in the oven for 5-10 minutes (until heated through)

While the focaccia is crisping up, make the mayo and slice the tomatoes

To make mayonnaise, crack one egg in the bottom of a tall container that will accommodate an immersion blender (there is often one in the box the blender came in or you can use a tall straight-sided mason jar). Add dijon, lemon juice and oil (I am recommending extra virgin olive oil but as you will be blending at high speed it will have a hint of bitterness. If you want to avoid this, go ahead and use canola or avocado oil). You can also add a finely grated clove of garlic if you like but we decided to skip this to keep it simple and tomato-y! Allow all of the ingredients to settle for a minute then insert the immersion blender to the bottom of the container and start blending. The mixture will start to thicken. As it thickens, pull the blender upwards. It will thicken as you go. Once everything is thick and creamy (about a minute), give it a taste and add a bit of salt until it tastes just right.

NOTE: there is a little video of this on Harmony Farm’s FB and IG accounts. I had trouble loading it into the wordpress blog!

Cut the focaccia in half. Spread mayo on both sides and top with sliced tomatoes, basil leaves, salt and pepper.

Cut into wedges and enjoy this little taste of summer at its finest!

Time Savers, Storage Tips and Spin off Recipes

• Homemade mayo will keep in the fridge in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks
• Extra basil? Use it in salads, sandwiches or pesto but make sure you do NOT keep it in the fridge as it is susceptible to chill injury. Keep in in a jar of water on the counter like a bouquet of flowers.
• Only need one sandwich? No worries, there are so many things you can do with the extra bread!
• My all time favorite is croutons. Cut leftover/stale bread into cubes, toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper and bake on a rimmed baking sheet at 350 until they are dry and crispy, about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice to make sure they are cooking evenly. Croutons will keep well in an airtight container in the cupboard.
• No time to make croutons today? Just cut the cubes and keep them in a container in the freezer until you are ready for them. Then pull them out and prepare as above.

Did you Know?

Freezing bread is not only convenient, it can actually make bread healthier for you.

When the starch in bread freezes, it undergoes a process resulting in what is called “resistant starch”.

Resistant starch is a bit more difficult for the gut to digest so there is a slower release of glucose than you would experience after eating fresh bread.

Toasting it to refresh it actually also contributes to the formation of resistant starch, further enhancing the benefits.

This Recipe’s Plant Count: six

Time Required: 10 minutes

Number of Servings: four extra large sandwiches