Sandwiches : A Salad You Can Slice

Margaret Fischlein, executive chef at Stringfellows in Beverly Hills, has brought a woman’s sense of healthful cooking to a tough, male-oriented restaurant and made it work. Her grilled vegetable sandwich, served for lunch, is loaded with squash, zucchini, eggplant, endive, asparagus and peppers. It probably fills all the daily requirements for fiber--and provides many vitamins and minerals. Also, when served with a chilled Chardonnay, white Zinfandel or Beaujolais, it makes a satisfying lunch or light supper at home--or a perfect meal for a picnic.

“I love things to be natural--I don’t mess around too much with ingredients,” says Fischlein, who credits her training at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and her work at Campanile in Los Angeles for her interest in healthful California-style cooking.

Fischlein uses rosemary bread to enhance flavor, but any herbed or whole-grain bread would work.

GRILLED VEGETABLE SANDWICH

1 yellow squash

1 zucchini

1 Japanese eggplant

1 head red-tipped Belgian endive

4 asparagus

1/2 green pepper

1/2 red pepper

1/2 yellow pepper

Marinade

8 slices rosemary or other herb bread

8 Montrachet goat cheese slices

Basil Mayonnaise

Place squash, zucchini, eggplant, endive leaves, asparagus and green, red and yellow peppers in individual piles in shallow pan. Pour Marinade over to coat vegetables well. Marinate overnight.

When ready to serve, grill vegetables until lightly browned. Do not scorch. Remove blistered skins from peppers. Cut vegetables into strips or pieces to fit size of bread slices.

Distribute mixture of vegetables on each of 4 bread slices. Place 2 slices cheese on each of remaining 4 bread slices. Place cheese-topped bread slices under broiler to glaze slightly. Serve sandwich open-face with Basil Mayonnaise on side. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Marinade

2 cloves garlic

2 shallots, minced

Dash fines herbes

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Combine garlic, shallots, fines herbes, oil and vinegar. Mix well. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

Basil Mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Fold basil and parsley into mayonnaise until well mixed. Makes about 1/2 cup.