Hudson Valley Club Sandwich

Recipe created by Laura Pensiero
Eating well has never been easier, starting with this fresh take on a classic club sandwich, which piles one good thing upon another, starting with whole grain bread and white bean spread (together containing more than half your day's recommended fiber).
Servings: Makes 4 sandwiches
Ingredients
Spread:
- 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
Sandwich:
- 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
Directions
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:
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.