How To Build a Better Sandwich : The Snack That Stayed for Dinner

You’ve heard the story. Lord John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich, was so busy playing cards that he couldn’t be bothered to get up from the table to eat. So one of his servants put meat between two slices of bread--and the sandwich was born.

In reality the earl only gave his name to something that had been around for thousands of years. People have been eating sandwiches, in one form or another, since the discovery of fire. There is no nation that doesn’t eat them.

But America adopted the sandwich with special fervor. In other lands, a sandwich is a sometime thing, but in America the sandwich is an institution that virtually defines lunch. As we quickly discovered, sandwiches are the original finger food--convenient for kids, terrific for travel, easy on the budget. Made with the right ingredients, they provide the perfectly balanced meal.

But sandwiches are changing. Leaving lunch behind, they are moving out of the house and up from the deli; suddenly they are being found in all the best restaurants. Consider, for example, the following.

From Tony Di Lembo, chef/co-owner, Indigo Restaurant :

INDIGO’S GRILLED LAMB LOIN SANDWICH

2 (5-ounce) boneless lamb loin filets

Salt, pepper

Herb Marinade

1 sweet red pepper

3 to 4 ounces imported feta cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

4 large slices rosemary bread or 2 French rolls, split

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 pound assorted baby lettuces

Balsamic vinaigrette

Place lamb filets flat on board and butterfly with sharp knife. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Rub with Herb Marinade on both sides. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Roast red pepper directly over open flame or under broiler until skin is charred black. Place in plastic bag and allow to steam 5 minutes. Cut pepper in half, remove seeds and peel off charred skin. Slice pepper in long strips and place in small bowl. Add feta cheese, olive oil and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss well and set aside.

Preheat grill to hottest temperature and quickly char lamb filets. When almost done, lightly toast 1 side of bread slice on grill. Remove lamb and bread and place on plate.

Combine red onion slices and lettuce. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette to taste and toss lightly. Place grilled lamb on untoasted side of bread slices and arrange red pepper and feta mixture on top. Pile over some lettuce and cover with remaining bread slices. Slice in half and serve with remaining lettuce. Makes 2 servings.

Herb Marinade

4 cloves garlic, pressed

Leaves of 1 (5-inch) sprig rosemary, finely minced

1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, removed from stems

3 tablespoons olive oil

Mix together garlic, rosemary, thyme and olive oil.

CAMPANILE’S ONION BREAD SANDWICH

2-3 large eggplants

1 tablespoon Italian parsley

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Lemon juice

1/2 head garlic, roasted

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sesame paste

4 onion bread squares, preferably La Brea Bakery, split

8 to 12 ounces pecorino or fontina cheese, sliced

1 Maui onion, sliced

2 cups bitter greens (such as arugula)

Salt, pepper

Roast eggplants under broiler or on open flame until blackened. When cool enough to handle, split eggplants and scoop meat from skin. Puree eggplants with parsley, thyme, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, roasted garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil and sesame paste.

Spread eggplant mixture over onion bread bottom. Top with cheese and onion slices. Mix greens with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Add dressed greens to filling. Close sandwich with bread top. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Note: To make sesame paste, roast 1 tablespoon sesame seeds in dry skillet until golden brown, then puree. Sesame paste (tahini) can be purchased at most supermarkets or Middle Eastern grocery stores. To roast garlic, place garlic half, cut side up, on baking sheet and roast at 350 degrees until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.

GUMBO POT OYSTER PO’ BOY

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup milk

40 medium Gulf oysters

Spiced Flour

Canola oil for deep frying

4 submarine sandwich rolls (not sourdough), sliced lengthwise and toasted

Garlic Mayonnaise

Lettuce leaves

Thin tomato slices

1/2 lemon, sliced paper-thin, optional

Thoroughly mix beaten eggs and milk. Dip oysters in egg-milk wash, then in Spiced Flour until well coated.

Heat oil to 380 degrees. Fry oysters until pieces float. Drain on paper towels.

Place fried oysters in sandwich rolls. Spread with Garlic Mayonnaise and top with lettuce, tomato and lemon slices. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Spiced Flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

Combine cornmeal, flour, paprika, white pepper, salt, thyme and cayenne.

Garlic Mayonnaise

1 cup mayonnaise

3/4 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped parsley

Dash lemon juice

Combine mayonnaise with garlic, parsley and lemon juice. Mix well.

ANGELI PANINO RICOTTA

2 small sweet red peppers

6 to 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

12 imported black olives, pitted

Homemade Ricotta cheese

Juice of 1/4 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

8 slices Italian flat bread

Roast red peppers over open flame or under broiler, turning with tongs until completely blackened. Place in plastic bag, close and let stand 10 minutes.

Peel peppers carefully under cold running water so as not to tear. Cut slit in bottom of each pepper and carefully remove seeds and membranes, trying to keep pepper whole. Slice peppers lengthwise into thin strips.

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until tender. Add peppers and saute about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add olives. Cool.

Combine Homemade Ricotta, lemon juice, basil, parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper to taste in small bowl. Cut bread in half. Lightly drizzle insides of bread with remaining olive oil.

Spread 1 side of bread with herbed ricotta mixture. Top with sauteed peppers. Complete sandwich with other half of bread. Makes 4 servings.

“This ricotta must be served just as it cools to really enjoy the farm-fresh dairy flavor, aroma, and light, moist texture. Refrigeration destroys the delicacy of the homemade cheese.”

Homemade Ricotta

2 quarts milk

1 cup whipping cream

4 to 8 tablespoons lemon juice

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Fruity olive oil

Bring milk and whipping cream to simmer very slowly in saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice, small amount at time. Use only enough lemon juice to curdle milk and cream. Mixture should separate into curds and whey in matter of seconds.

When mixture curdles, pour into colander lined with double thickness of dampened cheesecloth. Allow to drain at least 1 hour or until very thick.

Place drained ricotta on serving platter. As soon as cooled, sprinkle with generous amount salt and grind of pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Makes 2 cups.

GRILLED CALAMARI WITH LEMON AIOLI SANDWICH

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

4 calamari steaks

Salt, pepper

2 teaspoons lemon juice or to taste

Lemon Aioli

4 large French rolls, split, buttered and grilled

Assorted greens

Melt butter with olive oil in small skillet. Add garlic and saute until tender. Brush mixture over calamari steaks. Grill over hot coals until just done, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, brushing with more garlic butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lemon juice to taste.

Spread Lemon Aioli over bread bottoms. Fill with greens, calamari and, if desired, sliced tomato, caviar or capers. Top with roll tops and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Lemon Aioli

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 clove garlic, minced

Mix mayonnaise, lemon zest and garlic.

The next sandwich recipe is from “The Art of the Sandwich” by Jay Harlow (Chronicle Books: 1990). Either make the duck for this sandwich using a recipe from a Cantonese cookbook or do as Harlow advises and buy a whole Cantonese-style roast duck from a Chinese restaurant. If you can find unfilled bao (Chinese buns), substitute them for the rolls.

CHINESE ROAST DUCK SANDWICH

2/3 cup dried apricot halves

1/2 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger root

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon cider vinegar or rice vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 Chinese roast duck, whole

4 to 6 large soft rolls, or 8 to 12 small dinner rolls, warmed in oven and sliced open

1 bunch watercress

Place apricots in small bowl. Pour boiling water over and let stand until cool. Drain water into small saucepan. Dice apricots finely and add to water along with ginger, sugar and vinegar. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half.

Mix soy sauce with 1 tablespoon cool water and dissolve cornstarch in it. Add soy sauce mixture to apricot sauce, cook until glossy and slightly thickened. Transfer sauce to bowl and keep warm.

Carve duck, starting with breast and leg meat in large pieces with skin attached.

Arrange skinless pieces on serving plate. Slice breast and leg meat into thin strips, each with little skin attached, then arrange attractively on top. Garnish platter with watercress.

To serve, set out duck, apricot sauce, rolls and either chopsticks or forks. Let each person make sandwich by tucking some duck inside sliced roll, adding little sauce and then sprig of watercress. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

MICHAEL ROBERT’S PRESSED SANDWICH

(From “Susan Costner’s Great Sandwiches” cookbook)

1/2 chicken breast

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 medium onion, sliced

1 (8-inch) long French bread

2 ounces Brie, sliced

2 slices thick-cut bacon, well-cooked

Grill or saute chicken breast 3 to 4 minutes per side over medium heat. Slice.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring over medium heat until onion starts to turn pale gold. Remove from skillet and reserve on plate.

Cut out center of bread without cutting through crust. Stuff cavity with onion, chicken, Brie and bacon.

Place skillet over low heat and melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Place sandwich in pan. Place second skillet on top, then press down and weight with brick (or something else equally heavy). Cook 4 minutes. Remove top skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and turn sandwich over. Replace skillet and weight. Cook 4 minutes. Remove sandwich and cut into 4 triangles. Serve with crisp-fried potato chips and Dijon mustard, if desired. Makes 1 serving.

BORDER GRILL VEGETARIAN TORTA

1 Bolillo, cut in half lengthwise

Butter

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 cup Black Beans

1/2 cup Cheese Mix

1/4 cup Roasted Pepper Mix

2 tablespoons sliced green olives

1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced

1/2 tomato, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons thinly sliced red radishes

Lettuce

Generously spread cut sides of Bolillo with butter. Toast on hot grill. Spread mayonnaise on both halves of bread. Spread Black Beans on bottom half. Top with Cheese Mix.

Place under broiler few minutes to melt cheese. Top with Roasted Pepper Mix, sliced olives, avocado, tomato, radishes and lettuce. Cover with top half of bread. Makes 1 serving.

Note: Commercial bolillos are also available in Mexican bakeries.

Bolillos

2 cups warm water

3 packages dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups warm milk

5 1/2 cups bread flour, about

5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, about

Salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

Butter, softened

Combine warm water, yeast and sugar in large mixing bowl. Whisk to dissolve yeast. Let stand until foamy. Stir in warm milk, 1 1/2 cups bread flour and 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour. Beat until lump-free. Let stand until light and foamy, about 1/2 hour.

Combine 3 cups bread flour, 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon salt and baking powder. Add to yeast mixture, mixing well. Work in enough additional flour, up to 1 cup each, to make medium-firm, non-sticky dough. Knead 5 to 8 minutes on machine with dough hook. Let stand in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Divide dough in 4-ounce portions. Shape into balls. Let rest briefly. Shape into 6-inch-long rolls, tapering at ends. Depress long center with hand or finger and slather generously with soft butter. Sprinkle with little flour, dumping out excess flour. Enclose butter and remaining flour by pressing sides together and rolling lightly with palm of hand. Place seam side down on parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Let rise until doubled, about 1/2 hour.

Turn rolls over, seam side up. Stir together 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 cup water and place in spray bottle. Spray rolls generously with salt water.

Bake at 375 degrees 10 minutes (about 7 minutes in convection oven); turn rolls upside down. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and continue baking until rolls are crisp and brown on outside and firm inside, about 30 minutes (20 minutes in convection). Cool on baking sheet. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

Note: Bolillos may be sprayed second time during baking, if heavier crust is desired.

Black Beans

1/2 pound black beans

2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil

3/4 cup diced onion

Salt, pepper

Place black beans in heavy saucepot. Add water to cover beans by 3 inches. Bring to boil. Simmer until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours, adding more water if needed.

Heat butter in separate pot. Add onion and saute over medium heat until caramelized. Add beans. Cook over low heat 15 to 20 minutes, mashing beans until creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes enough filling for 4 to 5 sandwiches.

Roasted Pepper Mix

3 sweet red peppers

3 poblano chiles

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Salt, pepper

Place red peppers and poblano chiles over open flame or under broiler. Roast until blackened and blistered, turning chiles with tongs for even roasting. Place peppers and chiles in plastic bag. Close and allow to sweat until vegetables are cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.

Peel off charred skin using small sharp knife. Cut chiles and peppers into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Mix with lime juice and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes enough for 4 to 5 sandwiches.

Cheese Mix

1 cup Manchego cheese

1/2 cup fresh Panela cheese

1/2 cup Cotija cheese

Shred cheeses and mix. Makes about 2 cups, enough for 4 to 5 sandwiches.

Note: If cheeses are unavailable, use Jack cheese as substitute.

Food styling by Minnie Bernardino and Donna Deane and Norman Stewart