Farm Club–Inspired Zucchini Sandwich

Makes 2 sandwiches

There are some meals you eat while traveling that you can’t stop thinking about. For us, this zucchini sandwich from Farm Club near Traverse City was one of them.

Farm Club grows much of what they serve, and when we visited, they were in full zucchini mania—using what was plentiful and in season. Their sandwich was simple, but every layer did something important: sautéed zucchini, melty mozzarella, basil mayo and sweet bread-and-butter pickles piled onto really good bread.

It’s crunchy, creamy, a little sweet and completely satisfying—even without meat. Although, if your family hears “vegetable sandwich” and immediately starts looking for the chicken, I’ve included that option too.

Ingredients

Basil-Pesto Mayo

● ⅓ cup mayonnaise

● 2 tbsp prepared basil pesto

● 1 tsp fresh lemon zest (optional)

Sandwiches

● 1 medium zucchini

● 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed

● kosher salt

● 4 slices sourdough or your favorite seedy artisan bread

● 4 oz fresh mozzarella, torn or thinly sliced

● ¼ cup bread-and-butter pickles, drained

● mayonnaise, for grilling the bread

Optional Addition

● 1 cooked chicken breast, thinly sliced

● Jalapeño Taco seasoning, to taste

Make the Basil-Pesto Mayo

Stir together the mayonnaise + pesto. Taste and adjust with a little more pesto or lemon zest if needed. Remember, pesto already brings basil, garlic, nuts, cheese and oil to the party, so it does a lot of the work for you.

Prepare the Zucchini

Trim the ends from the zucchini. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice it lengthwise into thin, even planks.

Once you reach the soft, seedy center, turn the zucchini over and continue slicing from the opposite side. The seeds hold a lot of water and can make the sandwich soft and squishy. Leaving that center out gives you a much better texture.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet or on a griddle over medium heat. Add the zucchini in a single layer and lightly season with salt. Sauté for about a minute per side.

You are not trying to brown the zucchini heavily or cook it into mush. You only want to remove some of its water and make the slices flexible enough to fold and stack. One medium zucchini will make a surprisingly generous sandwich once the slices are cooked.

Build the Sandwiches

Match up your slices of bread before building the sandwiches—especially when you’re working with a rustic loaf. That way, all those beautiful curves and “ears” line back up when you close the sandwich.

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread. This will be the outside of the sandwich. Mayonnaise gives the bread a crisp, evenly golden crust and is less likely to brown too quickly than butter.

Place two slices of bread, mayonnaise-side down, onto a skillet or griddle set over low to medium heat. Add a layer of mozzarella, followed by a generous stack of sautéed zucchini. Add a little more mozzarella on top to help hold everything together.

Top with the remaining slices of bread, mayonnaise-side up. Cook slowly until the bottom is golden and the cheese begins to melt. Carefully flip and continue cooking until the second side is crisp and the mozzarella is soft and melty.

Open each sandwich and add a spoonful of basil-pesto mayo, several bread-and-butter pickles and a few fresh basil leaves. I like adding the pickles at the end because I want them cool and crunchy—not warm.

Close the sandwiches, slice and serve immediately.

Add the Chicken

For a heartier version, season sliced cooked chicken with Jalapeño Taco seasoning and add it to the sandwich along with the zucchini and mozzarella.

The original vegetable version is surprisingly satisfying, but the chicken is a good backup plan for anyone in your family who believes dinner must include meat.

Tips from Trish

Use good bread. When a recipe has only a handful of ingredients, each one matters. Rosemary sourdough was wonderful here, but any sturdy artisan loaf will work.

Don’t cook the zucchini to death. The goal is to make it flexible and remove some moisture while keeping its fresh flavor.

Bread-and-butter pickles matter. Their unexpected sweetness balances the salty mozzarella, savory pesto and crisp bread. If you don’t like them, try lightly sweetened pickled red onions instead.

Don’t overbuild it. Roasted red peppers, tomatoes and chicken would all be delicious, but too many additions can take away from what makes the original sandwich so good. Sometimes less really is more—even if I have to remind myself of that often.

Serve it with something fresh. Melon, berries or another colorful fruit adds a cool contrast and makes a golden sandwich look much prettier on the plate.

This is exactly what I love about traveling: finding something wonderful along the way and bringing the idea home to share with you. If you’re near Traverse City, stop by Farm Club for the original. Until then, this will get you pretty close—and you may never look at an overflowing pile of zucchini the same way again.

Slightly Spicy Margarita

Makes 1 margarita

This bright, refreshing margarita is the perfect partner for the zucchini sandwich. It’s tart, lightly sweet and full of fresh citrus flavor, with just enough tequila to make it feel like a proper vacation drink.

Ingredients

● 2 oz tequila

● 1 oz fresh lime juice

● ½ oz fresh orange juice

● 1 tsp spicy agave syrup, or to taste

● ice

● kosher salt for the rim

● lime wedge, for serving

Make the Margarita

Run a lime wedge around the side of a glass. Roll the glass in the salt. This way you have salt but a full side of the glass is free for drinking without.

Add the tequila, lime juice, orange juice and agave syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is cold.

Strain the margarita into the prepared glass. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve immediately.

Tips from Trish

Use fresh citrus. Bottled lime juice won’t give you the same bright, clean flavor as freshly squeezed juice.

Adjust the sweetness. Start with 1 tsp of agave and add more if you prefer a softer, sweeter margarita.

Choose your rim. Kosher salt keeps things classic, while Tajín adds a little chile-lime heat that works with this drink.

Make it sparkling. For a lighter drink, pour the margarita over ice and top it with a splash of sparkling water

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