This sandwich came about in our favorite way: by visiting the greenmarket, picking up the cheese, and then meandering through the farmers’ stands to see what fresh offerings might be paired with it. It was June; we came away with beautiful asparagus, red onions, basil, and a rustic bread—all the fixins for an open-faced sandwich on the grill. (If you don’t have an outdoor grill, you can use a grill pan.) Thinking back to the days when cooks in diners put hubcaps atop burgers as they cooked, to steam them a bit, we recommend either closing the grill or inverting a metal bowl over the sandwich to keep the heat in and help melt the cheese. By the way, if you can’t find or do not care for Vacherin, substitute any good melting cheese.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 open-faced sandwiches
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a bowl, combine the asparagus and onion, and toss in the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the asparagus and onion on a grill or in a hot grill pan and cook until slightly charred, 5 to 10 minutes. Return the asparagus and onion to a mixing bowl, toss in the vinegar and basil, and set aside.
Step 2
Grill the bread until golden brown on one side only. Remove and lightly rub the toasted side with the garlic. Top the garlic toast with the asparagus and onion, and follow with the cheese. Place the open-faced sandwiches on the grill, cover, and remove when the cheese is just starting to melt. Garnish with the thyme. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.
