With all of the nice weather we've been having lately, I've got sandwiches on the brain. To me, they're just the perfect food: tasty, filling, portable, and full of endless possibilities. (I thought about recreating this one for last week's birthday picnic, but I wasn't sure if anyone would be adventurous enough to eat a sweet potato sandwich.)
I have to tell you that it's delicious and simple to make, and with spring just around the bend, it's a good excuse to bust out your grill for the first time this season.
Makes 4 tortas:
2 cups prepared black beans (drained)
2 cloves garlic (roasted for milder flavor)
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
juice from 1/2 lime
2 poblano chilies (roasted, peeled, seeds removed)
1-2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled, sliced 1/8 thin using a mandolin)
1-2 medium zucchini (sliced 1/8 thin using a mandolin)
olive oil
ancho chili powder
salt and pepper
4 torta buns (hoagie buns are a good sub)
3-4 ounces soft goat cheese (or queso fresco)
2 avocados (peeled, quartered)
garnish: shredded cabbage, sliced tomato, green onion, cilantro, mayo, hot sauce, lime
Using a food processor, blend the black beans, garlic, chipotle powder, and lime juice together until this forms a thick paste. Brush both sides of the sweet potato and the zucchini with olive oil, sprinkle both sides with ancho chili powder and salt. Preheat your grill. Grill sweet potato and zucchini for 3-5 minutes per side.
Warm buns so they are nice and crispy on the outside. Slice buns in half and pull out the excess bread from the top half of the bun. (This creates a chamber that will make for a neater sandwich.) Starting at the bottom, spread black beans on the bun, top with roasted poblano, zucchini, sweet potato, cilantro, green onion, tomato slices, cabbage, avocado, hot sauce, cheese, and mayo.
