‘Wichcraft: make an amazing sandwich
Right about now—officially eight weeks into the school year—is when I get really, truly tired of making sandwiches. I need inspiration, a blast of creativity that will transport me from the mundane world of PBJs and into the exotic land of caramalized apples, roasted beets and fried goat cheese on ciabatta rolls.
But first, how did this whole meal-between-two-slices-of-bread thing start? The story began with John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, who unwittingly created our favorite lunch. It’s said that the card-playing aristocrat wanted to keep his cards from getting greasy during a game of cribbage, so he had his valet serve his meat between two slices of bread. Subsequent card-playing royalty ordered their food “the same as Sandwich,” and over time, the catchy name stuck. The concept soon evolved to include often elaborate dressings, sauces, cheese and a variety of vegetables.
The sandwich soon evolved, with every country creating its own variety, from the French croque-monsieur and the Greek gyro, to Italy’s panuozzo and India’s vada pav. But in the United States, sandwich has become synonymous with luncheon meat or peanut butter.
If you’re in a sandwich rut, mix it up. First, vary your bread from the standard loaf choices: try ultra-thin baguettes, pitas, naan, tortillas, ciabatta rolls or corn tortillas. Use more interesting spreads that mustard and mayo, like herbed vinaigrettes, spiced oils, savory jams or chutneys. Then load your creation up with nutritious choices, like beans, lentils, tempeh, lean protein and lots of vegetables, and savory spreads that let you use less cheese and fat.
Try some of these bewitching versions of our favorite lunch. You may never go back to PBJs.
Grilled Fontina Sandwiches with Rosemary-Fig Jam
Serves 4
Creamy Fontina cheese is the perfect backdrop for sweet-and-savory fig jam; you’ll use less cheese when you choose a stronger variety. You can substitute high-quality packaged fig jam for time savings; add minced fresh rosemary when you’re spreading it on.
1 cup chopped dried figs
1/2 cup dry white wine (or substitute apple juice or brandy)
1 cup water
1 large sprig rosemary
8 slices gluten-free or rustic, whole-grain bread
1/2 cup fig jam
1/2 to 1 cup grated Fontina cheese
2 cups baby arugula leaves
Grapeseed oil or other neutral oil
1. Combine figs, wine or juice, water and rosemary in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until mixture is thick and sticky, but still very moist. If jam is too wet, remove lid from pan and cook for 2 to 5 minutes, until any excess water is cooked off.
2. Remove and discard rosemary. Transfer jam to a small food processor, and process into a thick paste.
3. Spread both sides of bread with fig jam (store remaining jam in a glass jar, refrigerated, for up to 10 days). Arrange cheese on four of the slices, layer arugula leaves over cheese, and cover with remaining four slices.
4. Lightly oil a large, heavy skillet and heat over medium heat. Arrange two of the sandwiches in the skillet, and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn sandwiches and cook remaining side, pressing down lightly with a spatula, for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Lightly oil pan again, and repeat with remaining sandwiches.
5. To serve, halve each sandwich on the diagonal, arrange on individual plates, and serve hot.
Goat Cheese Muffaletta
Serves 6
The New Orleans classic sandwich is served on white bread, and typically contains layers of salami, ham and other meats. This vegetarian version uses whole-wheat bread, and modest schmear of goat cheese stands in for the traditional heaps of provolone.
1 cup chopped green olives
1 cup chopped Kalamata olives
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tarragon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 garlic cloves, pressed in a garlic press
1/2 cup olive oil
1 loaf muffaletta bread or Italian bread
6 ounces soft goat cheese
1. In a medium bowl, combine olives, onion, tarragon, mustard and garlic, and stir to mix well. Stir in olive oil.
2. Halve muffaletta loaf lengthwise, and spread olive mixture on one side of bread. Spread goat cheese over remaining bread side. Layer spinach leaves on top and cover with top part of bread. Press down gently but firmly, and let stand for 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
3. To serve, cut sandwich in 6 sections on the diagonal. Arrange one section of sandwich on each serving plate, and serve immediately.
Tempeh and Pumpernickle Sandwiches with Horseradish Slaw
Serves 6
Tempeh stands in for beef in this vegetarian, fiber-rich version of the classic Reuben. Vary the amount of horseradish as you’d like, for a more intense take. 1/2 cup homemade or high-quailty mayonnaise
1/4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 tablespoons prepared white horseradish
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 small yellow onion, halved crosswise and cut into very thin slices lengthwise
2 packages tempeh
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 slices pumpernickle or hearty wheat bread
6 spicy dill pickle spears
1. Whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, horseradish and honey in a large bowl. Add cabbage and onions, stir to mix, and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to let flavors blend.
2. While slaw marinates, cut each piece of tempeh crosswise into quarters, then cut each quarter horizontally into two thinner slices. Sprinkle tempeh pieces with tamari.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet and cook tempeh for 3 minutes on each side, until golden, turning carefully to prevent breaking. Transfer tempeh as it’s cooked to a plate and cover with another inverted plate to keep warm.
4. To assemble, arrange hot tempeh on 6 slices of bread. Top with slaw. Cover with remaining bread. Press down gently and cut in half on the diagonal. Arrange two halves on each plate, along with a pickle, and serve immediately.
Spicy Shrimp Banh Mi
Makes 4 sandwiches
The classic Vietnamese version of a sub, Bahn Mi is best made using the thin, crispy baguette by the same name; but a very thin French baguette stands in nicely.
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon unrefined cane juice
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2/3 cup shredded daikon radish
1 large carrot, shredded
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons homemade or high-quality mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Sriracha or other hot sauce, or to taste
1 Vietnamese baguette* or very thin, whole-grain baguette
1 pound medium shrimp
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and slender stems
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
8 green lettuce leaves
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, honey and red pepper flakes. Add radish and carrot, and stir to mix. Let stand, stirring frequently to mix, for 15 to 30 minutes. Pour any remaining liquid out of bowl, and gently squeeze mixture to remove extra liquid.
3. Whisk together 2 tablespoons sesame oil, fish sauce, mayonnaise and Sriracha in a small bowl, and set aside.
4. Split baguette in half lengthwise and hollow out bread in center to within 1/3 inch of outside. Place on a baking sheet and crisp in oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
5. While baguette is crisping, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, and cook shrimp and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing and stirring frequently, until shrimp is just done.
6. To serve, brush mayonnaise-Sriracha sauce on both sides of bread. Arrange cilantro on bottom halves of baguette. Top with hot shrimp. Mound carrot-daikon slaw on top of shrimp, top with onions and lettuce, cover with top halves of baguette, and press down gently but firmly. Cut each section into half diagonally, and serve immediately.
* Vietnamese baguettes are made of wheat and rice, and are very light, thin and crispy; they’re available at Asian markets and some large specialty markets.