Serrano summer sandwiches

Ice cream, watermelon, burgers and strawberries: all excellent summer foods. But to me, nothing says summer like a serrano sandwich, which you’ll often find me eating for lunch on steamy weekends.

I have my husband to thank for this culinary tradition: a few summers ago, he stopped by Stinky, a fantastic cheese shop in our neighborhood, for sandwich fixings and stumbled out with what happened to be the perfect combination.

To make a serrano sandwich, use a few slices of Jamón serrano (dry-cured Spanish ham; prosciutto works, too), a little Mahón (a salty, sharp Spanish cheese), tomato slices and the tiniest drizzle of olive oil tucked between slices of ciabatta bread (you can sub French or any fresh baked white bread). Serve with chilled rosé and you’re looking at the ideal meal for a hot and lazy afternoon. (It doesn’t hurt that it takes all of two minutes to throw this together).

It may not seem like it, but you can make this sandwich fairly svelte: cut the excess fat off the ham, slice the cheese very thin (it’s so flavorful you don’t need much), and use ample tomato (which adds much-needed moisture, as the cheese and meat are both relatively dry).

Enjoy!

–Camille