A fresh take on the simple bread and tomato lunch

J.M. Hirsch, AP Food Editor

Obviously, the season has a role in this, but lately I've found myself craving bread and fresh tomatoes.

It's a combination with a history for me. When I was a kid, my go-to summer sandwich - and I always made it for myself because I was the only one who could make it right - was slabs of whole-wheat bread smeared thickly with Miracle Whip, and topped with hunks of extra-sharp cheddar cheese and a single, thick slab of tomato. The slab had to be at least one inch thick and had to be cut from the centre of the fruit. No ends or tops, please.

It was heaven. Rich and creamy, sharp and fresh. To this day, that sandwich remains a comfort food I return to. Usually around midnight.

By the time I was a tween, my family had moved to Germany and weekends were spent driving around various parts of Europe. We called it 'eating our way through the continent', for dining and planning on dining did seem to occupy much of our time. But no matter where we were, lunch always followed the same template.

We'd stop at a small, local bakery and grab a heavy loaf of rustic bread. Then on to a grocer for tomatoes, a hunk of cheese and a jar of blisteringly hot mustard. Then we'd find a park, sit down with our spread, tearing off chunks of bread, dabbing them with mustard and topping them with ragged chunks of cheese and slices of tomato.

As repetitive as that lunch sounds, it actually was a wonderfully delicious way to explore the different cuisines. The breads and cheeses vary so much between regions and countries.

Now that I am an adult and have a child of my own, I don't find myself wandering Europe during weekends quite so much. I'd actually be happy just to get out to a movie now and then. But I still crave - particularly this time of year - the simple pleasure of bread and tomato. So I decided to create a grown-up version, rich with garlic and rosemary.

But the focus, as it should be, remains on the bread and tomatoes.

Toasted Parmesan Tomato Bread

Start to finish: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large spring fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2tbs kosher salt

Ground black pepper

4 large, thick slices sourdough bread

4 large tomatoes

3 ounces Parmesan cheese

Directions

Heat the oven to broil

In a small, sturdy bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt and black pepper, to taste. Mix well, then use the back of a heavy spoon to mash the garlic and rosemary together to form a paste. This also can be done using a mortar and pestle, or a mini food processor. The rosemary won't mash well; this is fine.

Spread a quarter of the mixture over one side of each slice of bread.

Slice two thick slabs out of the centre of each tomato. Reserve the tops and bottoms of the tomatoes for another use. Set two slabs over each piece of bread. Shave some of the Parmesan over the tomatoes on each slice. Set the assembled bread on a baking sheet and broil on the oven's middle rack until the cheese is just starting to brown, about two to three minutes. Serve immediately.

Tomatoes are readily available in Jamaica now and very reasonably priced, so this may be a good time to grab some at the market and try this delicious recipe.

J.M. Hirsch is the food editor for The Associated Press. He blogs at http://www.LunchBoxBlues.com and tweets @JM_Hirsch. Email him at jhirsch@ap.org.