Guest Author - Catherine Bridges
Always consider your diner (and yourself) when creating a sandwich. Allergies, likes, dislikes, favorites and, of course, what's on hand in your kitchen. What season is it? What new flavors or foods have you and your diner talked about trying? What's fresh and new at the market?
This leads into your first step, selecting your main filling and deciding which sides you will serve with the sandwich. Chips, pickle spears, pickled beet spears or fries? Use these next steps and take a few moments to plan. You might be surprised at the benefits your planning will reap.
Step #1: Select your theme or main filling and decide what sides you'll serve.
Step #2: Select bread. Baguette, potato roll, ciabatta, flatbread, lettuce or everyday sandwich bread.
Step #3: Select your filling. Ham salad, egg salad, roast beef, turkey or pastrami?
Step #4: Select cheese or not. Mozzarella, provolone, pepper jack, cheddar or Swiss?
Step #5: What more will there be? Sliced nuts, lettuce, onion, tomato, relish, or peppers? A good rule of thumb is no more than two.
Step #6: Select condiments to highlight, enhance and flavor your filling and accompanying ingredients. Mayonnaise, mustard, salad dressing, or fresh herbs and spices? Try leaves of fresh basil on a pastrami and Swiss sandwich.
To actually build the sandwich, start with one slice of bread and decide whether to spread on your condiment. Remember, spreading condiment on both slices of bread intensifies its flavor and makes it more of an equal partner to your filling. Be sure they don't compete and that they don't completely clash. Then, begin with your filling and layer each of your other ingredients on top: cheese, the extra something and finally, another spread of condiment on the second piece of bread. Top your sandwich, slice your sandwich in half or on the diagonal and serve.
Serving your sandwich cold or hot? Is your side cold or hot? There's not a rule saying cold sandwich with a cold side, etc., Hot potato fries or sweet potato fries go just as well with a cold sandwich as they do with a sandwich warmed in a panini grill or in a stovetop skillet. Consider your side, how the sandwich itself will be eaten and how all the flavors and textures go together. If you're happy, then you're ready to eat. Enjoy!
