Sandwich time!
This past week I have had a few requests for things that don’t require particular culinary talent, or, as in the case of front quad, a kitchen…
So this week everything is from Tesco’s, I wanted to make it as easy as possible. However, almost all of theses ingredients can be purchased from a good deli, either Taylors across the road, or the few in the covered market:
- First off, the bread. There is, in my mind, no substitute for a good old fashioned fresh baked granary loaf (£1.00-£1.50), still warm from the oven such that the butter melts! But, I know that this isn’t always practical, many a time I have got a full loaf, only to make toast with it on Monday and find it stale on Tuesday. I more often than not plump for a Hovis multi-grain granary loaf. My favorite being ‘7 seeds original’, at just shy of £1.50 it’s not as cheep as a standard white loaf, but the extra cost is by far worth it!
- Cheese fillings can be improved with a simple pickle. It sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many times I have forgotten! The cheese itself, being the main attraction, can really make or break it for me. There is no comparison between tucking into a deliciously tangy mature cheddar and tomato sandwich, and two slices of bread surrounding a lifeless piece of mousetrap cheddar. Blue cheeses are generally to be avoided when it comes to the sandwich department. French soft cheese (Brie/Camembert) go really well with a little salad. And don’t forget Elemental, Edam & Jarlsberg! All these cheeses cost around £1.00-£2.00 for a decent chunk, or a pre-sliced packet.
- Meat is a common sandwich filling, from straight sandwich ham, to the more exotic cured European meats. My favorite meats to fill a sandwich are European spiced sausages, (pepperoni, salami, chorizo etc.) As a replacement for ham, I discovered the eastern European meats section of Tesco’s, and all the wonders they stock. ‘Sopocka’ is a delightfully flavored ham, perfect for a light lunch, but in generall, all the meats in that section (across the isle from the cheeses in the local Tesco metro) are great!
If you have access to a frying pan & toaster and have a few minuets to spare, this is a fantastic little variant on a cheese sandwich:
Melted Cheese Sandwich (for 1, serve with crisps/ a piece of fruit, eat hot!)
- 2 slices of bread, toasted and buttered on both sides
- a few slices of good, mature cheddar cheese
- a lettuce leaf or two (enough for the sandwich)
- a good teaspoon of caramelised onion chutney
Construct the sandwich, order doesn’t really matter, but I always think they taste better when the chutney and the cheese are on the same side of the lettuce. Pop the sandwich into the frying pan and heat over a medium heat, turning it over every few minuets. The aim is to melt the cheese whilst not burning the bread! Its easier than it sounds and shouldn’t be a problem if you maintain the flipping and don’t bee to inpatient with the heat!
Once the cheese is sufficiently oozy, take it off the heat, slice in half, and enjoy!