The perfect sandwich, Bon Appetit magazine once declared, is a BLT. The way to improve upon that, they then noted? Grilling. Taste of Home magazine chimed in that submarines, too, of course, are super. What's more stupendous? Grilling.

Take such comments as part of a short course on creating snazzier sandwiches. Grilling turns good results into great ones.

The grilled turkey in the submarine is accented by grilled vegetables. You need no specific recipe for beautifying the easy BLT. Bon Appetit just advised to take TLC with your BLT. First, leave lettuce out of the equation. It's better chilled. In addition to the bacon, tomatoes, should be grilled for a juicy, smoky touch. More gusto: Add flavorful minced grilled vegetables to the mayonnaise, such as scallions.

GRILLED TURKEY SUBMARINE SANDWICH

1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 small onion, thinly sliced and divided into rings

1/2 teaspoon olive oil, plus additional for garnish

1 loaf (1 pound) unsliced Italian bread

1/3 cup store-bought Italian dressing, divided

2 ounces sliced turkey breast

4 slices low-fat Swiss cheese

2 ounces sliced ham

3 slices low-fat cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sliced dill pickles

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Yields 4 servings.

In a large bowl, toss green pepper and onion with oil. Place on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 12 inch square). Fold foil around vegetables and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender; carefully set aside.

Cut loaf in half horizontally; remove bread from top half, leaving a 1/2-inch shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Brush cut sides of loaf with salad dressing; place cut side down on grill. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

Place bottom of loaf on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 inches-by-12 inches). Layer with turkey, two Swiss cheese slices, ham, cheddar cheese, pastrami and remaining Swiss cheese. Top with green pepper mixture, pickles and tomato.

Drizzle remaining dressing over cut side of bread top; place over filling. Brush bread with additional oil. Fold foil around sandwich and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 4 to 8 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let cool enough to handle with an oven mitt and carefully cut into slices with a serrated knife.

-TasteOfHome.com

AFTER-WORK GOURMET COOKBOOK SHELF

Deborah Schneider, author of "Salsas and Moles," advises that homemade salsas thicken as they sit and you should retain some of the cooking water to thin them.

Photo courtesy of TasteOfHome.com

Submarine sandwiches are often enjoyed cold, but grilling adds a tasty touch.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.