• 1 can (16 ounces) white beans (great northern or cannellini)
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves peeled garlic
• 2 Tbsp. dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Salt

• 12 slices toasted whole wheat bread
• 12 small inner leaves romaine lettuce
• 8 slices (1/4-inch thick) tomato
• 12 very thin slices red onion
• 1 avocado , peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced cooked chicken breast
• 8 strips cooked bacon (optional)
• 2 cups broccoli or alfalfa sprouts

To make a spread: Drain and rinse beans. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just golden. Add beans and cook, tossing, for 1 minute. Add wine and cook 1 minute more. Add broth and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a food processor. Add lemon juice, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste; puree until smooth. Set aside for 10 minutes to let cool and thicken.

Use ingredients to make 4 sandwiches. For each, put 2 tablespoons of spread on 1 bread slice; top with lettuce, tomato, and onion. Add another bread slice with 2 tablespoons spread, chicken, bacon, tomato, avocado, and sprouts; top with a final bread slice. If desired, cut sandwich and secure with wooden toothpicks.

Recipe variations:

• Omit rosemary from spread, and add 4 or 5 chopped basil leaves.
• For a kick, stir some ancho or poblano chili paste, harissa, or salsa into spread.
• Substitute preserved tomatoes or pickled vegetables (such as zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, mushrooms, or onions) when fresh ones are out of season.
• Use mesclun or arugula in place of romaine and omit chicken and bacon to make a vegetarian sandwich.

From Hudson Valley Mediterranean: The Gigi Good Food Cookbook, by Laura Pensiero. Copyright (c) 2009 by Laura Pensiero. Published by William Morrow Cookbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.