Let guests serve themselves at a sandwich bar

My first memories of sandwiches are of warm, crisp, buttery brown triangles of white or whole-wheat bread filled with delectable melted yellow cheese. In the Kostyra household, these were served with bowls of steaming tomato soup for lunch. We all loved that meal.

At some point, tomatoes were added to the filling, and I savored the mixture of sharp cheddar and tart slabs of homegrown Big Boy tomatoes between slices of buttery toast.

I can't quite recall when I started eating the tuna fish salad sandwiches of which I became inordinately fond, nor when I first had bacon, lettuce and tomato (my current favorite). But those were my early forays into the world of sandwiches.

As Mother taught me, it was always about the ingredients, not complexity; freshness and contrasts, not quantity. But it was also about generosity.

At Skylands, my house on Mount Desert Island, Maine, sandwiches are served at least once each summer weekend. Why? They are easy, they are loved, they are generous and everyone wants one of the delicious concoctions we come up with in the kitchen.

For a panini lunch, the more variety in cold cuts and cheeses, the better. A good panini iron is ideal, but two cast-iron pans — one for cooking, one for pressing — also work well.

I could go on and on. The more I think about sandwiches, the hungrier I become. Right now, I am going to the freezer for a hunk of pain de seigle for a grilled cheddar and tomato sandwich. What are you craving?

PANINI BAR

Serves 10 to 12

2 loaves ciabatta, halved horizontally and quartered crosswise

1 loaf whole-grain bread, cut into slices ½ inch thick

Pesto (recipe follows)

Olive Tapenade (recipe follows)

½ pound each thinly sliced soppressata, prosciutto, bresaola and coppa

½ pound each thinly sliced smoked mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, provolone, fontina and ricotta cheeses

2 tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 head radicchio, leaves separated

1 bunch fresh basil

1 jar (3 ounces) best-quality anchovies

1 bunch fresh oregano

Lemon wedges, for squeezing

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Set out ingredients for guests to build panini. Heat a panini press. Brush each sandwich with oil, and place in press. Grill according to manufacturer's instructions.

Alternatively, heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Place a sandwich in skillet, and top with a smaller heavy skillet. Cook, flipping once, until bread is golden brown and cheese melts, 3 minutes to 4 minutes per side.

Transfer to oven to keep warm. Repeat.

PESTO

Makes 1 cup

3 cups packed fresh basil, torn into pieces

¼ cup pine nuts

2 garlic cloves

Coarse salt

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground pepper

Purée basil, nuts, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt in a food processor. With machine running, slowly add oil, and process until smooth. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate up to 1 day.

OLIVE TAPENADE

Makes 1 ¼ cups

2 cups black olives, such as Kalamata, pitted

4 anchovy fillets

½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pulse olives, anchovies, parsley and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Stir in oil. Cover, and refrigerate up to 3 days.

CRAB SALAD SANDWICH

Serves 4

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¾ teaspoon coarse salt

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon crème fraîche

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

1 tablespoon minced chives

Freshly ground peppercorns, preferably pink

8 ounces lump crabmeat

4 leaves red-leaf lettuce

1 avocado, thinly sliced

8 slices brioche, toasted

Mix lemon juice, salt, crème fraîche, shallot and chives. Season with pepper. Fold in crab. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Divide lettuce, avocado and crab among 4 bread slices. Sandwich with remaining slices.

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