A little over a month of summer left, and I'm already awaiting autumn. The seasons seem backward at home, as the camphor trees dropped their yellowing leaves in spring, and the worst of the heatwave always creeps in late September. A little flipped, yet this year it feels reaffirming of a sense of normalcy, of the immovability of time. And just as I did last August, I find myself anticipating cooler months, anticipating mellow weather and comforting meals.

In my head, all I can think of are autumnal recipes and photos. My creativity has jumped past me even as I try to savor the waning summer produce. Unfortunately, so many our plants in the garden have suffered - we are still waiting on the first cherry tomato. My purple striped eggplants never made it past a sprout, but I'm hopeful that there are enough cranberry beans to save for an autumn stew! Those mighty little bean plants have been the most bountiful of the new additions. Though I wasn't able to grow them myself, I was able to find purple and white striped eggplants and gorgeous heirlooms at the farmers market!

I couldn't resist these baby striped eggplants, but purple work just as well! If you are a using large eggplant and prefer a less chewy skin, peel long stripes down the side, this way the rounds hold their shape while still being tender.

I sliced the eggplant and tomatoes into 1/4 inch rounds, brushed olive oil and balsamic vinegar on both sides, then roasted them until the tender. The tomatoes become sweet and soft, turning from a deep wine color to a bright red as the sugars caramelize. The eggplant turns golden and soaks up all of the balsamic olive oil, developing a slightly smoky flavor.

I remember making tomato confit a few years ago - slow-roasted for 2 hours with olive oil, herbs, and garlic until candy-sweet and intensely flavorful. A bit quicker than confit, this method still allows the tomatoes to soften, sugars to caramelize, and the flavors to deepen while still preserving the soft fruit and juices.

Making lunch feels challenging lately; most days I don't end up eating until late afternoon, usually snacking on bits and pieces. I found some motivation to make this sandwich: a reminder of airy summer lunches at cafes. Balsamic roasted eggplant and tomatoes sandwiched between Sea Salt + Rosemary Focaccia smeared with pesto aioli and dappled with mixed greens: a humble sandwich for long summer days.

Balsamic Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Sandwich with Creamy Pesto Aioli

Balsamic roasted eggplant and tomatoes sandwiched between Sea Salt + Rosemary Focaccia smeared with pesto aioli and dappled with mixed greens: a humble sandwich for long summer days.

Yield: 4 sandwiches | Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 loaf Sea Salt + Rosemary Focaccia
1 cup mixed greens
2 small eggplants, peeled in stripes (optional), sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
2-3 large tomatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt + pepper

For the Pesto Aioli

1 cup fresh basil
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, blanched or roasted*
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
salt and pepper, to taste

*To make things easier, just throw the cloves of garlic in with the roasting veggies for about 2 minutes!

method

For the Pesto Aioli:

In a food processor, combine the basil, garlic, parmesan, and lemon juice. Pulse a few times to chop up the basil, then slowly stream in the olive oil with the machine running. Mix until creamy, then add salt and pepper to taste and stir in the mayonnaise.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Sandwiches

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and arrange the slices of eggplant and tomato on each. You may want to take the tomatoes out before the eggplant, so try to keep them on separate sheets.
Whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar until emulsified. Brush the balsamic olive oil on each side of the slices, then generously season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes, until tender, flipping the eggplant halfway through, leaving the tomatoes* as is.
* The tomatoes can be especially hard to flip and may fall apart if you try. Don’t worry - they should be fine for the full time but just in case, I like to keep them on a separate sheet. Once the tomatoes cool off, they will be soft, sweet and caramelized.
Slice the focaccia into squares and split in half, then brush with olive and toast for 3-4 minutes. Smear each side with pesto aioli then arrange the eggplant, tomatoes, and mixed greens on either side.
Enjoy ☼