BY CECILIA NAYLOR
John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich was a notorious gambler who in a twenty-four-hour gambling streak ordered his cook to prepare food in such a way that it would not interfere with his game. The cook returned with sliced beef in between two slices of bread which enabled the Earl to continue his game with one hand and not get his grease-laden fingers on the cards. The snack was soon in vogue amongst England’s gentry and they started ordering their food “The Same as Sandwich” and eventually just “a sandwich.”
Bread or pastry filled with meat or cheese and dressed in condiments have been enjoyed since ancient times by the Greeks and Turks during their mezes. However, food historians generally attribute the creation of the modern-day sandwich to the Earl of Sandwich from the 1700s.
There is something special about the best of the worlds toppings slipped between two slices of bread to make a nutritious snack. Would you believe that we Brits love sandwiches so much that we munched our way through approximately 3.5 billion this past year.
To celebrate Sandwich Day on the 3rd of November here are our Top Ten Sandwiches:
Steak and Stilton Sandwich
Ingredients: Sirloin steak, 1 sliced red onion, 100g water cress, 2 tsp English mustard, 2 tbsp olive oil and olive oil to drizzle, 100g stilton cheese and 4 ciabatta rolls
Method: Heat olive oil in frying pan. Add onion, season and cook on medium heat for 10-15mins until golden and caramelized. Heat a griddle pan until smoking, season the steaks with pepper then griddle for 2-3 mins each side for rare and 8 mins for medium. Allow to rest. Cut the ciabatta rolls in half horizontally then lay them on the griddle cut face down for a minute until slightly charred. Drizzle with a little olive oil, slice the steak and divide between the four rolls. Add crumbled stilton cheese, watercress, onions and mustard.
Tuna Melt Sandwich
Ingredients: 400g tinned tuna, 4 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tsp dijon mustard, 2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley, 2 tbsp chopped spring onions, 2 cloves garlic freshly pressed, 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves, 2 tsp lemon juice, ground pepper to season and 125g grated cheddar cheese, 8 slices thick cut sour dough bread and butter or olive oil for bread
Method: Mix together in a bowl the tuna, mayo, mustard, lemon juice, onion, garlic and herbs. Butter or oil the outsides of each slice of bread, place butter/oil side down on a medium heat griddle pan. Top with tuna mix and grated cheese and add additional slice of bread on top. Flip and cook until golden brown on both sides and the cheese has melted.
Egg and Avocado Open Sandwich
Ingredients: 4 boiled eggs sliced, 2 ripe avocados, 1 lime juiced, 4 tsp hot chilli sauce and 4 slices of rye bread.
Method: Halve the avocados and scoop out the flesh into a bowl, add the lime juice and mash together. Spread the avocado onto the rye bread, place the sliced egg on top, drizzle with chilli sauce then scatter the water cress on top. Add a good amount of ground black pepper.
Turkey and Cranberry Sandwich
Ingredients: 8 slices of brie with rind removed, 200g cooked turkey pieces, 40g cranberry sauce, 1 avocado, 4 large lettuce leaves, 50g butter, 8 slices of walnut or wheatgerm bread
Method: Cut avocado lengthwise and remove pit, scoop avocado out with metal spoon and slice the avocado. Butter the bread, arrange lettuce, turkey, cranberry sauce, brie and avocado on 4 pieces of bread and top with remaining slices of bread.
Smoked Salmon and Dill Sandwich
Ingredients: 50g butter, 1 heaped tsp freshly chopped dill, squeeze of lemon, salt and ground black pepper, 8 slices smoked salmon, ¼ cucumber peeled and thinly sliced
Method: Mix together the butter, dill, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then spread onto the 8 slices of bread. Place a slice of smoked salmon and some sliced cucumber on top of 4 pieces of bread and top with the remaining slices of bread.
Curried Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients: 200g cooked chicken cubes, 1 chopped unpeeled red apple, 25g dried cranberries, 25g thinly sliced celery, 25g chopped pecans, 2 tbsp thinly sliced spring onions, 50g mayonnaise, 2 tsp lime juice, ½ tsp curry powder, large handful of chopped lettuce leaves, 8 slices of wheatgerm bread
Method: Combine chicken, apple, cranberries, celery, pecans, and green onions in a bowl. Mix mayonnaise, lime juice, and curry powder in a small bowl. Fold mayonnaise mixture into chicken mixture; stir to coat. Divide between four slices of bread, top with lettuce and remaining slices of bread.
Crayfish and Rocket Sandwich
Ingredients: 200g crayfish tails, 100g fresh rocket, 1 lemon, zest and juice, 1 clove garlic crushed, 4 heaped tbsp. mayonnaise, fresh ground black pepper, 8 slices of seeded bread
Method: Crush the garlic, mix with the mayonnaise and lemon zest in a small bowl, divide between the slices of bread and spread evenly. Divide the rocket between four slices of bread, top with crayfish and squeeze over a little lemon juice. Season with fresh ground black pepper then top with the remaining slices of bread.
Tomato, Mozzarella and Pesto Sandwich
Ingredients: 125g prepared green pesto, 8 thick slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, 2 ripe tomatoes sliced, handful of basil leaves, 4 ciabatta rolls
Method: Spread the green pesto on the cut side of the ciabatta rolls. Layer with mozzarella followed by tomato and basil leaves. Top with the other ciabatta halves.
Ploughman’s Sandwich
Ingredients: 4 tomatoes sliced, large handful of chopped lettuce, 4 tbsp chunky pickle, 4 slices mature cheddar, 4 slices of thick cut ham, butter to spread, 8 slices wholemeal bread
Method: Lightly butter the bread with butter. Add pickle to 4 slices of bread, layer with ham, tomato, cheese and lettuce. Place remaining pieces of bread on top.
Deli Roast Beef and Creamy Horseradish Sauce
Ingredients: 50ml mayonnaise, 50ml crème fraiche, 2tbsp horseradish sauce, salt and pepper, 400g Deli roast beef sliced, shallot thinly sliced, 1 large roasted red bell pepper sliced, handful chopped lettuce, 8 slices rye bread or seeded bread
Method: Add into a bowl the mayo, crème fraiche and horseradish sauce to whisk, season with salt and pepper. Spread onto the bread, Arrange the roast beef, shallot, red pepper and lettuce equally between 4 slices of bread. Top with another dollop of the creamy horseradish sauce and place remaining pieces of bread on top.
NB Above recipes yield four sandwiches
Enjoy!