Adobo-Marinated TLT (You MUST Try This Sandwich, Trust Me)

This vegetarian sandwich from 101 Cookbooks (with minor adjustments) is so packed with flavor that even without meat I’m still saying “holy cow, that was good!” I made it for Shabbat lunch last week and it held well overnight in the refrigerator, so it’s perfect for making in advance.

A few simple ingredients (grainy bread, tempeh, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce) plus a bit of extra care and you’ll have it. Roasting the cherry tomatoes with a touch of sugar and olive oil leaves them sweet and blistering. The cross-section of flavor between the smoky tempeh, sweet tomatoes, creamy avocado and crunch of bread is simply awesome. If you’re a big meat eater this sandwich will convince you that vegetarian food can still be packed with flavor and supremely filling. It’s no joke. Enjoy!

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers

8 ounces of tempeh, cut into 1/3-inch thick strips

1 small basket of cherry tomatoes (2 cups)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
scant 1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 small head of romaine lettuce, cored, then cut into 1/4-inch ribbons
1-2 large avocados, mashed with a pinch of salt and a dash of lemon juice just before assembling
4 or 8 extra-thin slices of hearty whole grain bread, well toasted
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and adobo sauce. Pour 1/3 of the tempeh marinade into an 8×8 baking dish (or something comparable) – you want a dish that is just big enough to hold the tempeh in a single layer – this way it will be fully enveloped by the marinade. Pour the remaining marinade over the top of the tempeh, cover and keep in the refrigerator for a couple hours, overnight or until ready to use.

While the tempeh is marinating, roast the tomatoes. Cut each tomato in half and arrange them in a large oven-proof baking dish. Mix together the olive oil, sugar, and salt and pour this over the tomatoes. Gently toss them a bit, making sure they all get coated, finishing with each tomato facing cut-side up. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or so, until the tomatoes are shrunken and sweet.

When the tempeh is done marinating heat a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the tempeh slices for a few minutes on each side.  Set the tempeh slices aside until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.

To assemble each sandwich take one slice of bread and slather a generous layer of mashed avocado. Place a small helping of the shredded lettuce on top of the avocado, a few tomatoes, then a few slices of the tempeh, and more tomatoes. Slather avocado on the other side and place face-down on top, for a complete sandwich.

I drizzled a tiny bit of olive oil on top to add a hint of moisture and richness since I made these in advance, though that’s not necessary.