Food Recipes Fancy Tomato Sandwiches A BLT's got nothing on this perfectly layered baguette sandwich. By Ananda Eidelstein Ananda Eidelstein Instagram Website Ananda Eidelstein is a vegetable-loving food writer, recipe developer, and editor. She is the former Senior Food Editor at REAL SIMPLE magazine. Prior to writing and editing feature stories, having her own monthly vegetarian column, and developing over 300 recipes during her time at RS, she was the Assistant Food Editor at Rachael Ray Every Day. She has also gained experience in the test kitchens of Martha Stewart's Living, and Saveur magazines, in catering, TV, and a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City. Ananda is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, now known as the International Culinary Center, with nearly a decade of culinary and food media experience. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 14, 2021 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Greg DuPree Hands On Time: 15 mins Total Time: 15 mins Servings: 8 There's an art to building the best sandwich, and this recipe is the pièce de resistance. Spreading the salted chive butter on both sides of the freshly cut baguette is about more than just gilding the lily—it protects the bread from getting soggy when layered with the tomatoes. A nutty alpine cheese like Gruyère or Comté balances the acidic tomatoes, while a tangle of baby arugula offers peppery bite. But the most exciting addition to this layered masterpiece might be the fried onions, which add texture, richness, and umami to each bite. Ingredients ¾ cup (1½ sticks) salted butter, softened, at room temperature ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives 2 long baguettes (about 12 ounces each) 8 ounces Gruyère, Comté, or sharp Cheddar cheese, sliced ¼ inch thick 8 small-to-medium firm-ripe heirloom tomatoes (3 pounds total), cored and sliced ¼ inch thick ¾ teaspoon kosher salt freshly ground black pepper 3 cups baby arugula 2 cups crispy fried onions, such as French's Directions Stir butter and chives in a medium bowl until smooth and well combined. Split baguettes horizontally. Spread chive butter on cut sides of baguettes (about 3 tablespoons per side). Arrange cheese on bottom baguette halves. Layer sliced tomatoes on top of cheese, seasoning tomatoes with salt and several grinds of pepper as you go. Top with arugula and onions. Replace top baguette halves. Slice each sandwich crosswise into 8 pieces for an appetizer or 4 pieces for a main. Make Ahead Refrigerate chive butter in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Let come to room temperature before using. Print