I love when Kenji picks up his camera and puts it on his head. It feels like he’s picking me up and putting me on his shoulders for me to watch him cook
Kenji, today was my mom's birthday. She is vegetarian and usually wants a grilled cheese from In-N-Out on her special day. I got some good tomatoes from the Farmer's Market on Saturday and some fresh milk bread from 85c this morning. We just finished eating the sandwiches and it was 10/10 the best sandwich we have ever tasted. Perfectly balanced. Thank you for making today so special. She said she never wants In-N-Out again haha
This video is super wholesome and about as real as it gets. Kenji puts the baby down for a nap and sneaks off to the kitchen to make himself a super simple and ultra delicious tomato sandwich, records it for his channel and is interrupted after two bites by the baby crying. He quickly says goodbye and rushes off to tend to the baby. Perfect video and a great insight into fatherhood. I hope your child sees this video someday
At first, I had my doubts that a Tomato Sandwich would be any good. Then I tried this..... this is a game changer! I'm loving these short and simple recipes!
I was honestly kinda surprised that Kenji would upload a recipe on what is essentially tomatoes on bread, but I realized I had never tried a tomato sandwich so I gave it a go. Something magical happens when those ingredients meet, the flavor really surprised me. It has a sort of meaty, satisfying quality to it and the whole here is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Thanks for the recipe
It's nice because he's really just encouraging people to make stuff that's good, and that's not always complicated! But even then, there's stuff to learn - toasting the insides is a cool trick if you haven't seen it before. I feel like he was just really looking forward to that sandwich and wanted to share
Tomate sandwiches are yummy, especially with heirloom tomatoes. So sweet and delicious almost candy like. The only extra thing I would add is a drizzle of olive oil.
@@daphnepearce9411 yep, the cheese and the grilling is a totally different sandwich. Just like adding bacon and lettuce would change it significantly as well.
Tomatoes naturally contain glutamate, which is what MSG is made from. That's why they pair so well with salt and it's also why that flavour altogether feels so much broader and more satisfying than you expected from a simple tomato sandwich.
or that good bread, heirloom tomatoes, kewpie mayo, and quality sea salt assembled together doesnt taste like shit. cut into triangles of course. i love Kenji, and am not mad at this recipe but its equally hilarious that people arent taking "quality ingredients matter' away from this video.
Well, what's the best way to cut a sandwich in half? Surely triangles don't really have "more sandwich," right? That's geometry and the law of conservation of matter... Square = (3 + (3 × 2) + (2 × 1)) ÷ 6 = 1.83 average bite Triangles = (3 + (2 × 2) + (1 × 1)) ÷ 4 = 2.00 average bite The the triangle shape naturally encourages bigger bites, more flavour, more enjoyment. Make mine triangles every-time.
@@Getpojke Communist nonsense. Squares are democratic. Triangles are socialist. Look it up. Somewhere out there on the interwebs there is a Phd thesis on this from Prof Irwin Corey, I am sure.
Thanks for inspiring me to go to the farmers market and make this sandwich. It was great! I don't know how to pick different tomatoes, but their heirlooms I got were amazing. I'm ready to go back every week for more!
A tomato sandwich is probably the simplest yet most delicious sandwich I've ever made. Especially with tomatoes straight from the garden... never disappoints
Tomato sandwiches were my absolute favorite summer thing to eat as a kid. I never realised how good I had it since we lived on a farm and had fresh tomatoes. Making a tomato sandwich with tomatoes bought from a grocery store sadly isnt that great
Absolutely simple and absolutely fabulous!! (And you had me at fried bread...nothing beats that flavor!). As I mentioned on your IG post, we call it a Sink Sandwich because you have to stand over the sink when eating it!
I didn’t have a tomato sandwich until I was in my 30s and relocated to Virginia. I still remember the math teacher across the hall explaining to eat it at the sink.
Definitely the most delicious way to enjoy tomato season. It’s even better when the tomato is still warm from just being picked from your own garden. My only difference is we fight for the end slice that you didn’t eat.
@@nhtathinfbntb2746 there is nothing like a home grown tomato. Store bought doesn’t even compare. Even store bought heirlooms are nothing special compared to homegrown, the intensity of flavors and sweetness and savoriness is out of this world lol
Kenji: "There's no key to making a good tomato sandwich." 5 seconds later names off numerous keys *Barbossa 'They're more what you'd call guidelines' meme*
I made this with some homemade bread and the first harvested tomatoes outta my living room. Tastes awesome. Thank you for showing easy 'recipes'. You are the best Cooking Person on YT in my opinion. I learned so much because of you. Thank You Kenji
Welp, this was my lunch today. I watched this in the morning, went into the kitchen and discovered bread, tomatoes and mayo, and realized what I needed to do. The pepper makes all of the difference, 10/10, will make again.
Being a Southerner from Charleston, SC, I didn't know the humble but delicious tomato sandwich needed enhancing. But you did it. I've had it your way twice this week, and it will be the way I make tomato sandwiches from now on. Although I deviated and used Duke's.
I just wanted to make a request for gardening content! Even if it's just a tour of your garden. I know you have a fantastic garden back in that yard and I would love to see all your scientific approach applied to gardening!
Some variation of a tomato sandwich will always be my favourite food. Another awesome way is on a toasted flour tortilla, they get so nice and crispy, perfect with the tomato and mayo. Great video as always Kenji, thanks chef!
Have you tried the Cook's Illustrated version? It kind of boosts it all (sweet/acid/salt): 3/4 tsp cream of tartar 3/4 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp white sugar small pinch MSG (optional) Sprinkle a bit over the tomatoes, griddle your bread.
I love when chef's eat the food they prepare. The eating sounds the ummm.... Haa. Adds a lot much after watching whole process. More and more shows should do it. Thanks kenji.
Yes to all of this! I have always loved toasted bread on tomato sandwiches but if you toast both sides you can end up squishing the tomatoes and end up with a mess. Toasting just one side still gives you that great crunch yet soft enough on the inside to not squish things. And you made a tomato sandwich the right way which is lots of tomatos, not just one slice which can easily turn into bread sandwich with a slight taste of tomato. Load it down!
Just starting to get meaningful amounts of our homegrown tomatoes here in the UK. Had a lovely toasted (on the outside) tomato, brie and (homegrown) kale pesto sandwich for lunch today. This video gave me fond memories of snagging a tomato or two from my Welsh grandads (Taid in Welsh) greenhouse and making a really simple white bread and tomato sandwich as a kid. He grew great tasting tomatoes
Yep, tomatoes are (finally) in season! We just made the fist 40 mile round trip to get 20 lb boxes of Yakima field ripened tomatoes, to make marinara sauce, which gets frozen for year 'round use. Our tomato sandwiches usually involve fresh basil, tomato slices and fresh mozzarella and toasted in the waffle iron(the grates flip over to a flat side). ATK's puff pastry boat tomato tart tonight :D
Yes! Lots of flaky salt! The flaky/kosher kind distributes really well and allows you to get awesome coverage while still technically using less salt than a small grain salt! Tomatoes have just gotta have a bunch of salt!
As a child I did not understand why my mom drove all the way to New Jersey for tomatoes to make a tomato sandwich. Now I totally do and have to have a few every summer.
I love these sandwiches! Sometimes I love to add a couple of fresh basil leaves as well. Other times I've added some actual mozzarella. All taste amazing.
Same, tomato and basil go very well with it! Try adding a little balsamic glaze next time! It’s great! I’ve even put a few drops of Worcestershire sauce too and it’s also deicious
Having toasted side out does the same thing in terms of the outside not being soggy. But yes you're right no bread gets soggy when toasted side is in. I myself prefer toasted side out.
I don't know if it's just my palate, but I find that the combination of mayo, salt and tomato really shines when you go outrageously overboard in pepper. Sometimes I'll put as much as a teaspoon on a single tomato sandwich. That bitter, almost citrus-y sharpness really ties the whole sandwich together for me.
This is my first Kenji video. I wanted to try something short and easy to digest. I was not disappointed. Subscribed! I love the salt container also, I want one just like it.
I made this tomato sandwich and now it’s all I think about. I never would have made a tomato sandwich now it’s like spam and rice to me. Easy and yummy as hell.
Local here on the Eastside, recently discovered that Fred Meyers sells Dukes and it made my week, thought I wouldn't be able to find it after I got hooked on it in the south
Looks like Dukes really stepped up their distribution game! Stores recently started stocking it where I live (eastern midwest). It's just as good as Kewpie, IMO, and is a fraction of the price.
hi Kenji, big fan been cooking my way through Wok. Thank you, been making tomato sandwiches for years with my garden fresh supply of tomatoes. Just started butter toasting one side of the sandwich and i have to thank you . You took it to another level . WOW thanks so much.
I love how there really are only two non-negotiable points here! • fresh, ripe, in-season tomatoes • cut into triangles Everything else is a matter of personal taste.
@@danm8004 It's key to _choose each negotiable point according to your preference._ Choosing the right bread is key, but negotiable. Japanese milk bread? Light sourdough? Hippy seedy bread? Any is good, according to your preference, but making the choice is key. Choosing the right mayo (Kewpie? Hellmanns? Duke's? Miracle Whip???) is key, but negotiable according to preference. Even toasting the outside is negotiable, but doing or not doing it is key to your perfect sandwich. For any of these key _but negotiable_ points, failing to make the right choice will result in a less than perfect sandwich. *But neither using fresh, ripe, in-season tomatoes nor cutting into triangles is negotiable at all, at all!*
@@danm8004 It's also key to drink your :CaffeineOfChoice: before responding to notifications in the morning! ;) Now that I'm more awake, I do clearly see that it was a moral imperative to make exactly that reply to my original comment!
Thanks a lot for sharing this, I have made this sandwich and variations of it a dozen times since. Definitely in my top 10 of comfort meals I love to cook at home.
Kenji, this is so, so good! Love it. Hint: get the best tomatoes 🍅 you can. Decent bread 🍞. Kewpie mayonnaise is must. Don’t forget the flaky salt . What you’ll get is a heavenly good sandwich 🥪- the essence of summer.
One of my favorite snacks for the past year has been just salted tomato on a slice of whole wheat toast. I'll also spread either hummus or guacamole if I have them, but I also can eat it plain and I still love it. It's such a simple dish but it tastes amazing with even mediocre tomatoes.
yum! for me if i have to put salt, i put a small pinch of sugar also. otherwise, im fine by salt and mayo by itself in a sandwich, even if it is not toasted for a quicker meal.
Ok, wasn't gonna weigh in but feel I have to, lol. Try putting the onion and tomato together in the same sandwich. If the bite of the onions is strong it seems that salt on the onion tends to cute that back, but a sweet onion is preferred. Also, I have tended to interchange mayo with butter, but this all is just me, you do you, lol.
Toasting the inside of the bread was an absolutely fantastic touch and I'll be using that trick on a lot of sandwiches from now on! It gives a nice buttery taste, but also softens up the bread as it steams a bit in the pan.
As a west coast kid, I had never heard of these until the last few years (thanks TikTok) and they absolutely changed my life, haha. I can't get enough of them.
Not to express unhealthy parasocial relationships on main but this video feels like watching your dad make a sandwich on a sleepy saturday morning (even though it's friday) and tbh those are the exact vibes I need rn
It encourages me that your tomatoes have the heat stress lines too. The first time I grew tomatoes they all had them and I thought something was wrong because they didn't look exactly like store tomatoes. Now I realize exactly how much better htey are despite imperfections!
These are really good with cucumbers, too, like a 2:1 tomato to cucumber ratio. Salt the cucumbers, and let the completed sandwich sit for a second so the salt pulls liquid out of the vegetables and mixes with the mayonnaise/oil. So so so good
This made me remember that I used to eat tomate bread, but it was usually just a slice of very dark german bread with tons of seeds in it topped with thick slices of tomate and salt and pepper. Haven't made that in like 15 years
I fell in love with Mayo Tomato sandwiches after watching Harriet the Spy with Michelle Trachtenberg and Rosie O'Donnell waaaay back in the day. So glad to see this video!!
Props to Kenji for not using superlatives like “best ever sandwich ” and other “my way is the best way” adjectives to describe his recipes. Really encourages me in thinking about what I like vs what other people tell me to like. Kenji is too humble and grounded to say this, but he is the best (or at minimum, one of the best). An icon not only in terms of exploring food and inspiring cooks, but being respectful towards something that’s dear to all of us in some form or the other.
My mouth is watering. That is my second favorite tomato sando, my first is Tomato and cottage cheese, One of the slices is not coated in kewpie mayo it is layered with a how your heart feels amount of small curd or whatever cottage cheese dusted with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. The other has the mayo. we are not heathens. Both sides get toasted to light brown or just get the spoon out. Pro tip lightly dab your maters on a cloth for a sec to wick the worst of the water if you want a less flavorful but dryer sandwich.
Made this and yep, used the Kewpie mayo and used truffle sea salt on it....WOW. Next I'm trying the rosemary truffle sea salt, and then the smoked truffle sea salt....darn it...now I'm hooked!
Ok, I just made this (with slight variations) and it was surprisingly one of the best sandwiches I've eaten...and I've eaten A LOT of sandwiches! I used heirloom tomatoes I got at Trader Joe's and whole wheat bread. The only other slight variation was I sprinkled some apple cider vinegar (I would have used red if I'd had some) on the tomatoes and then salted. I then let them "marinate" a bit before assembling the sandwich. Your idea of only toasting the insides of the bread was brilliant, and delicious. Oh, and you converted me to Kewpie mayo some time ago and it is my exclusive mayo now. I think it was a big part of the deliciousness of this sandwich. In fact, it was so good, after I finished the sandwich I went into the kitchen and made another half, and I never do that! Thank you for sharing!
A simple tomato sandwich with mayo is really good, I came up with that on my own last year. I bunch of freshly cracked black pepper elevates it but you can also do some basil or something obviously
Been enjoying home growns from my farmers market for awhile. Been making Gazpacho using a balsamic vinegar made from Italian plums. I. LOVE. TOMATOES!!!!
I do the same thing with toasting on one side with my BLTs too. Helps the insides of the sandwich not become outsides, lol. Also I find it keeps my hands from getting as greasy (because if you're making a BLT, you have to toast the bread in the bacon fat).
loved Kenji letting us know ahead of time that none of his "keys" are actually key then calling almost every step key
That was really key for me.
was JUST gonna comment that 😂😂😂
To be fair he did warn us that he would probably say every step is key 😂
haha i didnt notice
Now this is key, actually not really. But it really is key.
I love when Kenji picks up his camera and puts it on his head. It feels like he’s picking me up and putting me on his shoulders for me to watch him cook
obsessed with this comment
that’s how I fell in love with his channel!!! also when he says “alright guys gals and non-binary pals!” 🥹 makes me feel so loved 🥰
I feel like remi the rat
I just hate seeing his bare feet and dogs roaming around
A reverse Ratatouille of sorts
"It's really key that you use nice flaky sea salt... Or whatever salt you have"
Love this guy lol
Hahahahahahahaha
Jamon: "can...can I have that piece of tomato?"
Shabu: "I NEED IT, GIMME THAT SLICE OF TOMATO RN!"
I feel like all of Kenji's viewers are either a Jamon or a Shabu, and we all know which one we are
No, you got it wrong. Shabu begs for food. Jamon demands to be hand fed.
I thought tomato bad for dog
@@owlstone a ripe tomato is healthy in moderation for a dog, it's the plant (since it's a nightshade) that is very toxic to them. The fruit is fine
I really love seeing the personality differences between Shabu and Jamon
I wish I had that Jamon energy, but I'm really just a Shabu.
^same 😂
@@ImSpartacus811 yeah, that big, lazy bite looked so relaxed and nice.
I love how whenever Kenji bites into something really good it makes him laugh. I want my meals to make me laugh, damn.
I read this comment just as he was about to laugh, and I laughed.
That little giggle is my serotonin drip for any of his videos.
that's when you know it's worth replicating at home
@@kalfin2000 Glad someone else notices it. Once it first stood out to me I kinda took to listening for it in every vid and it makes me very happy
It's like Bob Ross after "beating the devil" out of the paint brush following cleaning it.
Kenji, today was my mom's birthday. She is vegetarian and usually wants a grilled cheese from In-N-Out on her special day. I got some good tomatoes from the Farmer's Market on Saturday and some fresh milk bread from 85c this morning. We just finished eating the sandwiches and it was 10/10 the best sandwich we have ever tasted. Perfectly balanced. Thank you for making today so special. She said she never wants In-N-Out again haha
i gotta get some milk bread
This video is super wholesome and about as real as it gets. Kenji puts the baby down for a nap and sneaks off to the kitchen to make himself a super simple and ultra delicious tomato sandwich, records it for his channel and is interrupted after two bites by the baby crying. He quickly says goodbye and rushes off to tend to the baby. Perfect video and a great insight into fatherhood. I hope your child sees this video someday
This comment is also super wholesome
I love how Jamón waits for the food to be placed directly into his mouth 😂
He has a hip injury iirc, so yeah he's not gonna be hoppin around lol
@@MauiWowieOwie kenji abuses his dogs?
@@brownie3454 You're just the funniest person on this planet
@@Charlesxo there’s nothing funny about animal abuse that poor dog
"I know where it's going to be. It will be brought to me and placed at my feet."
At first, I had my doubts that a Tomato Sandwich would be any good. Then I tried this..... this is a game changer! I'm loving these short and simple recipes!
I was honestly kinda surprised that Kenji would upload a recipe on what is essentially tomatoes on bread, but I realized I had never tried a tomato sandwich so I gave it a go. Something magical happens when those ingredients meet, the flavor really surprised me. It has a sort of meaty, satisfying quality to it and the whole here is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Thanks for the recipe
It's nice because he's really just encouraging people to make stuff that's good, and that's not always complicated! But even then, there's stuff to learn - toasting the insides is a cool trick if you haven't seen it before. I feel like he was just really looking forward to that sandwich and wanted to share
Tomate sandwiches are yummy, especially with heirloom tomatoes. So sweet and delicious almost candy like. The only extra thing I would add is a drizzle of olive oil.
@@FreemanTheGman Yeah, but I don't think the cheese is necessary. The tomatoes steal the show.😊
@@daphnepearce9411 yep, the cheese and the grilling is a totally different sandwich. Just like adding bacon and lettuce would change it significantly as well.
Tomatoes naturally contain glutamate, which is what MSG is made from. That's why they pair so well with salt and it's also why that flavour altogether feels so much broader and more satisfying than you expected from a simple tomato sandwich.
The key takeaway here is this should just be called a Key sandwich.
LOOL
or that good bread, heirloom tomatoes, kewpie mayo, and quality sea salt assembled together doesnt taste like shit. cut into triangles of course. i love Kenji, and am not mad at this recipe but its equally hilarious that people arent taking "quality ingredients matter' away from this video.
This is so ridiculously easy but tastes so immensely good... Already made it two days in a row. Thanks Kenji!
This video really showed me that the KEY to making a great food video is to give the viewer as manny KEY ingredients and techniques as possible 👍
“Because, triangles always taste better!” - Kenji (although the science of this is still unsettled)
My hypothesis has always been triangles fit better into your mouth, so you get more of the different tastebuds in direct contact
Well, what's the best way to cut a sandwich in half? Surely triangles don't really have "more sandwich," right? That's geometry and the law of conservation of matter...
Square = (3 + (3 × 2) + (2 × 1)) ÷ 6 = 1.83 average bite
Triangles = (3 + (2 × 2) + (1 × 1)) ÷ 4 = 2.00 average bite
The the triangle shape naturally encourages bigger bites, more flavour, more enjoyment. Make mine triangles every-time.
@@Getpojke Communist nonsense. Squares are democratic. Triangles are socialist. Look it up. Somewhere out there on the interwebs there is a Phd thesis on this from Prof Irwin Corey, I am sure.
Some things don't need science. 😊
@@danielzheng2242 I agree... sharper corners. Always makes the first bite a better fit.
The little chuckle after he takes the first bite. True joy. Love your videos so much!
Thanks for inspiring me to go to the farmers market and make this sandwich. It was great! I don't know how to pick different tomatoes, but their heirlooms I got were amazing. I'm ready to go back every week for more!
A tomato sandwich is probably the simplest yet most delicious sandwich I've ever made.
Especially with tomatoes straight from the garden... never disappoints
On the other hand, it take some serious "skills" to do anything with tomatoes straight from the garden not taste good.
Tomato sandwiches were my absolute favorite summer thing to eat as a kid. I never realised how good I had it since we lived on a farm and had fresh tomatoes. Making a tomato sandwich with tomatoes bought from a grocery store sadly isnt that great
@@ohlawd6763 yeah growing some in the garden for the first time this year has really opened my eyes to the difference in quality. 100% worth it!
Absolutely simple and absolutely fabulous!! (And you had me at fried bread...nothing beats that flavor!). As I mentioned on your IG post, we call it a Sink Sandwich because you have to stand over the sink when eating it!
I didn’t have a tomato sandwich until I was in my 30s and relocated to Virginia. I still remember the math teacher across the hall explaining to eat it at the sink.
Sink is actually wrong, though. Use a real plate (never paper!) so you can *_lick up all the dripped juices after you finish the sandwich!_*
“as i mentioned on your IG post” ugh what a narcissist
he does not give af about you
@@alysoffoxdale This is correct.
@@alysoffoxdale or just have another piece of bread to mop up the juices like you would with tomato soup.
Definitely the most delicious way to enjoy tomato season. It’s even better when the tomato is still warm from just being picked from your own garden. My only difference is we fight for the end slice that you didn’t eat.
I always eat the end slice by itself (with a little salt of course).
The chef's treat
@@popefacto5945 lol same that's the tasting slice to see how good the tomato is by itself!
i have never had an in season heirloom tomato in my life, does it actually just taste amazing with just salt?
@@nhtathinfbntb2746 there is nothing like a home grown tomato. Store bought doesn’t even compare. Even store bought heirlooms are nothing special compared to homegrown, the intensity of flavors and sweetness and savoriness is out of this world lol
Kenji really speaks like a chef. It's always: "It's KEY you use this ingredient..or do whatever you want it'll still be delicious."
Kenji: "There's no key to making a good tomato sandwich."
5 seconds later names off numerous keys
*Barbossa 'They're more what you'd call guidelines' meme*
Kenji: *toasts bread on one side*
Adam Ragusea: "HETEROGENEITY!"
@@DougAdams an entire tomato is more than enough acidity lol
The ACTUAL key is to soak the tomatoes in white wine beforehand
@@sirensongss it's a joke about adam ragusea ! he loves his food acidic
I made this with some homemade bread and the first harvested tomatoes outta my living room.
Tastes awesome. Thank you for showing easy 'recipes'. You are the best Cooking Person on YT in my opinion. I learned so much because of you.
Thank You Kenji
Welp, this was my lunch today. I watched this in the morning, went into the kitchen and discovered bread, tomatoes and mayo, and realized what I needed to do. The pepper makes all of the difference, 10/10, will make again.
How can you NOT love this man? You are such an inspiration on so many levels.
The tomato sandwich (+ some other things) that made a man cry!!!
Being a Southerner from Charleston, SC, I didn't know the humble but delicious tomato sandwich needed enhancing. But you did it. I've had it your way twice this week, and it will be the way I make tomato sandwiches from now on. Although I deviated and used Duke's.
Can't go wrong with Duke's! I'm gonna try toasting the inside of the bread tomorrow for lunch, that sounds like it would work amazingly.
John’s island here! Pages okra grill NEEDS this in the menu!
I just wanted to make a request for gardening content! Even if it's just a tour of your garden. I know you have a fantastic garden back in that yard and I would love to see all your scientific approach applied to gardening!
"Now the key here..." This is me lit at 2 AM making a snack thinking I'm a master chef.
Some variation of a tomato sandwich will always be my favourite food. Another awesome way is on a toasted flour tortilla, they get so nice and crispy, perfect with the tomato and mayo. Great video as always Kenji, thanks chef!
Have you tried the Cook's Illustrated version? It kind of boosts it all (sweet/acid/salt):
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp white sugar
small pinch MSG (optional)
Sprinkle a bit over the tomatoes, griddle your bread.
I love when chef's eat the food they prepare. The eating sounds the ummm.... Haa. Adds a lot much after watching whole process. More and more shows should do it.
Thanks kenji.
Yes to all of this! I have always loved toasted bread on tomato sandwiches but if you toast both sides you can end up squishing the tomatoes and end up with a mess. Toasting just one side still gives you that great crunch yet soft enough on the inside to not squish things. And you made a tomato sandwich the right way which is lots of tomatos, not just one slice which can easily turn into bread sandwich with a slight taste of tomato. Load it down!
The quintessential summer sandwich. I love my bread as toasted as Kenji is in this video.
Kenji: _"Let everyone get to know each other"_
Babish fans: ‼️
Mark Twain has a classic line about letting things "Swap juices."
@@bigbird2451 gross
@@danm8004 It may sound gross. But that's what makes flavor.
Just starting to get meaningful amounts of our homegrown tomatoes here in the UK. Had a lovely toasted (on the outside) tomato, brie and (homegrown) kale pesto sandwich for lunch today. This video gave me fond memories of snagging a tomato or two from my Welsh grandads (Taid in Welsh) greenhouse and making a really simple white bread and tomato sandwich as a kid. He grew great tasting tomatoes
Yep, tomatoes are (finally) in season! We just made the fist 40 mile round trip to get 20 lb boxes of Yakima field ripened tomatoes, to make marinara sauce, which gets frozen for year 'round use. Our tomato sandwiches usually involve fresh basil, tomato slices and fresh mozzarella and toasted in the waffle iron(the grates flip over to a flat side). ATK's puff pastry boat tomato tart tonight :D
Sounds delicious
As weird as it sounds I love hearing Kenji enjoy his food at the end. It’s always so wholesome!
Yes! Lots of flaky salt! The flaky/kosher kind distributes really well and allows you to get awesome coverage while still technically using less salt than a small grain salt! Tomatoes have just gotta have a bunch of salt!
Just made this. 10/10. So simple, but so delicious. Kenji is god-tier.
This video was really key.
As a child I did not understand why my mom drove all the way to New Jersey for tomatoes to make a tomato sandwich. Now I totally do and have to have a few every summer.
I love these sandwiches! Sometimes I love to add a couple of fresh basil leaves as well. Other times I've added some actual mozzarella. All taste amazing.
Same, tomato and basil go very well with it! Try adding a little balsamic glaze next time! It’s great! I’ve even put a few drops of Worcestershire sauce too and it’s also deicious
sounds like a margherita!
@@hokkaidomelk exactly!
Having the toasted side of the bread in also helps keep the bread from getting soggy.
Yeah it’s pretty key
Having toasted side out does the same thing in terms of the outside not being soggy. But yes you're right no bread gets soggy when toasted side is in. I myself prefer toasted side out.
That's why it's key.
Thanks Kenji
I don't know if it's just my palate, but I find that the combination of mayo, salt and tomato really shines when you go outrageously overboard in pepper. Sometimes I'll put as much as a teaspoon on a single tomato sandwich. That bitter, almost citrus-y sharpness really ties the whole sandwich together for me.
I use pepper AND a few drops of hot sauce on the tomato.
Kenji: I’ve got bread and fruit!
The internet: HOLY YES!!
This is my first Kenji video. I wanted to try something short and easy to digest. I was not disappointed. Subscribed! I love the salt container also, I want one just like it.
I made this tomato sandwich and now it’s all I think about. I never would have made a tomato sandwich now it’s like spam and rice to me. Easy and yummy as hell.
Surely one of your best ever videos Kenji. Who knew a tomato sandwich could be such a tempting proposition? Very amusing and instructive.
Welcome to Kenji's Meta Cooking Show! Where everything and nothing is key in a good recipe!
I love this. I had "nothing" in the fridge today and so I made this, it was delicious and so quick.
Local here on the Eastside, recently discovered that Fred Meyers sells Dukes and it made my week, thought I wouldn't be able to find it after I got hooked on it in the south
Looks like Dukes really stepped up their distribution game! Stores recently started stocking it where I live (eastern midwest). It's just as good as Kewpie, IMO, and is a fraction of the price.
That ASMR at the end feels so intense. Love it!
Kenji: Has the refrigirator equivalent of Narnia.
Also Kenji: Tomato on bread.
tomato on bread is the food equivalent of middle earth after sauron is defeated
hi Kenji, big fan been cooking my way through Wok. Thank you, been making tomato sandwiches for years with my garden fresh supply of tomatoes. Just started butter toasting one side of the sandwich and i have to thank you . You took it to another level . WOW thanks so much.
I love how there really are only two non-negotiable points here!
• fresh, ripe, in-season tomatoes
• cut into triangles
Everything else is a matter of personal taste.
No. It's all key. Everything is key.
@@danm8004 It's key to _choose each negotiable point according to your preference._ Choosing the right bread is key, but negotiable. Japanese milk bread? Light sourdough? Hippy seedy bread? Any is good, according to your preference, but making the choice is key. Choosing the right mayo (Kewpie? Hellmanns? Duke's? Miracle Whip???) is key, but negotiable according to preference. Even toasting the outside is negotiable, but doing or not doing it is key to your perfect sandwich. For any of these key _but negotiable_ points, failing to make the right choice will result in a less than perfect sandwich. *But neither using fresh, ripe, in-season tomatoes nor cutting into triangles is negotiable at all, at all!*
@@alysoffoxdale it's key to note that I was only making a flippant remark and I don't actually disagree with your original premise.
@@danm8004 It's also key to drink your :CaffeineOfChoice: before responding to notifications in the morning! ;) Now that I'm more awake, I do clearly see that it was a moral imperative to make exactly that reply to my original comment!
Thanks a lot for sharing this, I have made this sandwich and variations of it a dozen times since. Definitely in my top 10 of comfort meals I love to cook at home.
I've been making mine like this for ages. Only difference, is that I add a little bit of fresh basil.
@@DougAdams caprese sandwich? Yes please.
Kenji, this is so, so good! Love it. Hint: get the best tomatoes 🍅 you can. Decent bread 🍞. Kewpie mayonnaise is must. Don’t forget the flaky salt . What you’ll get is a heavenly good sandwich 🥪- the essence of summer.
One of my favorite snacks for the past year has been just salted tomato on a slice of whole wheat toast. I'll also spread either hummus or guacamole if I have them, but I also can eat it plain and I still love it. It's such a simple dish but it tastes amazing with even mediocre tomatoes.
Nice.
yum! for me if i have to put salt, i put a small pinch of sugar also. otherwise, im fine by salt and mayo by itself in a sandwich, even if it is not toasted for a quicker meal.
Never realised my favourite childhood sandwich was just this but with raw onions
Edit: it has both tomatoes and raw onions ik it didn't make sense
Hey, same here, my dad introduced me to that. He said once "try a sandwich of raw onion with mayo" and I never stopped eating it
Ok, wasn't gonna weigh in but feel I have to, lol. Try putting the onion and tomato together in the same sandwich. If the bite of the onions is strong it seems that salt on the onion tends to cute that back, but a sweet onion is preferred. Also, I have tended to interchange mayo with butter, but this all is just me, you do you, lol.
@@GhostTeller you probably smell horrible all the time.🤣
@@jonu3114 hell yeah lol
I love tomato sandwiches, now I have to try onion sandwiches
Toasting the inside of the bread was an absolutely fantastic touch and I'll be using that trick on a lot of sandwiches from now on! It gives a nice buttery taste, but also softens up the bread as it steams a bit in the pan.
From what I know we don't grow those kind of tomatoes in Ireland and every time I see them I want them more and more, sadge.
So simple I literally just made one after watching, really good indeed.
Shout out to Harriet the Spy for bringing tomato sandwiches into my childhood and subsequent adult life.
As a west coast kid, I had never heard of these until the last few years (thanks TikTok) and they absolutely changed my life, haha. I can't get enough of them.
Not to express unhealthy parasocial relationships on main but this video feels like watching your dad make a sandwich on a sleepy saturday morning (even though it's friday) and tbh those are the exact vibes I need rn
It encourages me that your tomatoes have the heat stress lines too. The first time I grew tomatoes they all had them and I thought something was wrong because they didn't look exactly like store tomatoes. Now I realize exactly how much better htey are despite imperfections!
I like how he knew he was going to say "this is key" and thus said a warning beforehand, "these are not key" haha
Hands down the best way to enjoy summer 🍅
Cheers from San Diego California
I stand with Duke's but Kewpie needs a special space next to it.
These are really good with cucumbers, too, like a 2:1 tomato to cucumber ratio. Salt the cucumbers, and let the completed sandwich sit for a second so the salt pulls liquid out of the vegetables and mixes with the mayonnaise/oil. So so so good
I will be trying this!
I prefer my tomato sandwiches with bacon and lettuce.
Solves the slipperiness of just tomatoes as well.
This made me remember that I used to eat tomate bread, but it was usually just a slice of very dark german bread with tons of seeds in it topped with thick slices of tomate and salt and pepper. Haven't made that in like 15 years
Kenji can you make a video on congee?I'd also love to see a video on carmalized onions, mushrooms, and panchetta savory oats.
I fell in love with Mayo Tomato sandwiches after watching Harriet the Spy with Michelle Trachtenberg and Rosie O'Donnell waaaay back in the day. So glad to see this video!!
Props to Kenji for not using superlatives like “best ever sandwich ” and other “my way is the best way” adjectives to describe his recipes. Really encourages me in thinking about what I like vs what other people tell me to like.
Kenji is too humble and grounded to say this, but he is the best (or at minimum, one of the best). An icon not only in terms of exploring food and inspiring cooks, but being respectful towards something that’s dear to all of us in some form or the other.
It's winter here so not tomato season, but I'll be trying this when I can get some !
As a southerner, I can say the only thing wrong with this is that the 'maters must be sliced paper-thin and the sandwich stacked with many slices.
My mouth is watering. That is my second favorite tomato sando, my first is Tomato and cottage cheese, One of the slices is not coated in kewpie mayo it is layered with a how your heart feels amount of small curd or whatever cottage cheese dusted with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. The other has the mayo. we are not heathens. Both sides get toasted to light brown or just get the spoon out. Pro tip lightly dab your maters on a cloth for a sec to wick the worst of the water if you want a less flavorful but dryer sandwich.
Made this and yep, used the Kewpie mayo and used truffle sea salt on it....WOW. Next I'm trying the rosemary truffle sea salt, and then the smoked truffle sea salt....darn it...now I'm hooked!
The toasting one side is brilliant actually. This video betters my tomato season
I grew up eating tomato and cheese sandwiches in the summers. This looks FAR better than any than I had as a kid.
I just had this for lunch. Such a simple delicious sandwich. One of my favs
A good tomato sandwich is maybe the best part about summer. Love them so much.
This is an absolute southern delicacy that not that many people know about. Good to see Kenji spreading the good news.
Ok, I just made this (with slight variations) and it was surprisingly one of the best sandwiches I've eaten...and I've eaten A LOT of sandwiches! I used heirloom tomatoes I got at Trader Joe's and whole wheat bread. The only other slight variation was I sprinkled some apple cider vinegar (I would have used red if I'd had some) on the tomatoes and then salted. I then let them "marinate" a bit before assembling the sandwich. Your idea of only toasting the insides of the bread was brilliant, and delicious. Oh, and you converted me to Kewpie mayo some time ago and it is my exclusive mayo now. I think it was a big part of the deliciousness of this sandwich. In fact, it was so good, after I finished the sandwich I went into the kitchen and made another half, and I never do that! Thank you for sharing!
These are so popular in Jersey. Grew up on these. All my friends where I live now think it’s a weird sandwich. Love em
👍🏻👍🏻
My mom loved taking tomatoes out of the garden and making tomato sandwiches.
A simple tomato sandwich with mayo is really good, I came up with that on my own last year. I bunch of freshly cracked black pepper elevates it but you can also do some basil or something obviously
Been enjoying home growns from my farmers market for awhile. Been making Gazpacho using a balsamic vinegar made from Italian plums. I. LOVE. TOMATOES!!!!
Fresh Basil! either whole leaf or finely chopped and mixed into the mayo; simple and levels this sandwich up big time!
It warms my heart knowing kenji and I have the exact same salt cellar
So simple, so perfect 🥲
I do the same thing with toasting on one side with my BLTs too. Helps the insides of the sandwich not become outsides, lol. Also I find it keeps my hands from getting as greasy (because if you're making a BLT, you have to toast the bread in the bacon fat).
Darn it! Guys had to point it out and now every time I hear Kenji say it, I laugh to myself!!😂😂
I just made a tomato sandwich and I used some sriracha Mayo and some fresh cracked black pepper on it and it was delicious 🤤
A homegrown or true farmer's market tomato, that ** the key.