11 unusual combos for unusually good sandwiches

Edited by Gail Bellamy

Photo: McCormick for Chefs

Curry Spiced Chicken Taco with Tomato-Avocado Salsa

Yield: 24 servings.

Roasted Curry Spiced Chicken:

¾ cup olive oil

¾ cup lime juice, fresh

2 Tbsp. McCormick Culinary™ Garlic Powder

2 Tbsp. McCormick Culinary™ Mediterranean Sea Salt

6 Tbsp. McCormick Culinary™ Roasted Curry Powder

1 Tbsp. McCormick Culinary™ Crushed Red Pepper

12 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, trimmed

Tomato-Avocado Salsa:

6 cups vine-ripened tomatoes, medium, ½” chunks

6 cups avocados, peeled, ½” chunks

¾ cup red onion, small dice

¾ cup cilantro, fresh, chopped

¾ cup lime juice, fresh

2 Tbsp. McCormick Culinary™ Mediterranean Sea Salt

1 Tbsp. McCormick Culinary™ Roasted Ground Cumin

48 each flour tortillas (6–8”)

12 cups frisee or other lettuce

Combine oil, lime juice, garlic powder, sea salt, curry powder and red pepper. Add chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (longer for extra flavor). For the salsa: mix all ingredients in medium bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Grill chicken over medium heat until internal temperature of 165˚F is reached. Cut chicken into thin strips. Place ¼ cup lettuce on each tortilla. Fill with Spiced Chicken and Salsa. Fold sides of tortilla over filling.

Photo: United States Potato Board

Vada Pave

From: Bombay Talkie, New York. Yield: 8 servings.

¼ cup butter

8 slider buns, split

8 tsp. dry garlic chutney (recipe follows)

8 potato vada (recipe follows)

½ cup green chutney (recipe follows)

Dry Garlic Chutney:

1 tsp. vegetable oil

½ cup grated dried coconut

1/3 cup peeled garlic cloves

2 Tbsp. red chili powder

to taste, salt

Potato Vada:

1-2 green chiles

3 galic cloves

1 1 ¼” thick slice peeled ginger

¼ cup chopped cilantro

12 large potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed

to taste, salt

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. mustard seeds

6 curry leaves, julienned

¾ tsp. turmeric, divided

1 cup chickpea flour

¼ tsp. red chili powder

½ tsp. baking soda

as needed for frying, vegetable oil

Green Chutney:

2 cups chopped cilantro

½ cup chopped mint

¼ large onion, sliced

1 cup yogurt

1 garlic clove

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. sugar

to taste, salt

In a sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Place buns in pan, cut-side down. Cook about 5 minutes or until browned. For each Vada Pav, sprinkle 1 tsp. dry garlic chutney on bottom half of bun. Place 1 potato vada on top, pressing to flatten it slightly. Spread 1 Tbsp. green chutney onto top half of bun; close bun.

To make dry garlic chutney: In a sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add coconut and garlic, sauté 2-3 minutes. Cool, grind in blender with chili powder to a smooth paste. Season with salt. refrigerate in airtight container.

To make potato vada: Grind chiles, garlic and ginger to a paste. Add chili mixture and cilantro to potatoes. Season with salt. In a deep pan, heat oil over high heat. Add mustard seeds; when they start to pop add curry leaves and ½ tsp. turmeric. Pour oil and spices over potato mixture; mix well. Divide potato mixture into 8 portions; shape into balls. In a bowl, combine chickpea flour, ¼ tsp. turmeric, chili powder and a pinch of salt. Add 1 cup water, ½ cup water, ½ cup at a time, to make a smooth, thick batter. Add baking soda; mix well. In a deep pan, heat enough oil to cover potato balls over high heat. Once oil is smoking, reduce heat to medium. Dip potato balls in batter to coat well. Deep-fry until golden brown.

To make green chutney: In blender, grind all ingredients to a smooth paste. Refrigerate in airtight container.

Photo: North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission

Roasted Sweet Potato Sandwich

From: Wildflower Bread Company, headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ. Yield: 1 sandwich.

1 5” x 5” piece of herb focaccia bread

1 ½ oz. fig confit

2 ½ oz. roasted sweet potato slices (recipe follows)

1 ½ oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced

3 slices tomato

½ oz. baby arugula

1 ½ oz. balsamic marinated fennel

½ oz. balsamic dressing

Roasted Sweet Potato Slices:

¼ cup olive oil

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

2 ½ lb. fresh sweet potatoes, sliced

Slice focaccia in half to make top and bottom halves. Spread fig mixture on bottom half of focaccia. Cover with layer of sweet potatoes, topped by layer of cheese, then layer of tomato. Evenly cover with arugula and top with fennel. Drizzle with balsamic dressing and place remaining half of focaccia on top. Slice in half diagonally.

For roasted sweet potato slices: In a bowl combine oil, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add sweet potato slices; toss to coat evenly. Arrange sweet potato on lined baking sheets. Roast at 350°F for 25 minutes or until slightly brown and soft to the touch. Let cool; cover and refrigerate. Makes enough for 16 sandwiches.

Photo: Show Dogs, San Francisco

Fried Chicken Sandwich with House-Made Lemon Aioli, Pickled Ginger and Coleslaw

From: Chef/owners Gayle Pirie and John Clair and chef de cuisine Seth Carter, Show Dogs, San Francisco.

Aioli:

2 cups mayonnaise, preferably homemade

2 cloves garlic

1 lemon, juice and zest

to taste, salt

Coleslaw:

½ head green cabbage

1/8 head red cabbage

¼ red onion

½ red bell pepper

1 spicy pepper (Serrano, jalapeño, Thai chili)

to taste, salt and pepper

2 cups rice vinegar

1 ½ cup raw sugar

½ cup Dijon mustard

1 tsp. chili flakes

¼ cup yellow mustard seeds

2 Tbsp. brown mustard seeds

2 lemons, zest only

Fried Chicken:

4 3-oz. chicken breasts or thighs

3 cups buttermilk

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. salt

1 hamburger bun

Marinade:

1 Tbsp. ground and toasted cumin seed

1 Tbsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. vinegar powder

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. onion powder

2 Tbsp. curry powder

1 tsp. turmeric

2 Tbsp. oil

Pickled Ginger:

1 lb. ginger, peeled and sliced paper thin

¾ cup rice vinegar

½ cup raw sugar

2 Tbsp. salt

For pickled ginger: In a bowl, place thinly sliced ginger and salt. Mix well; let sit for at least an hour. Ginger should release quite a bit of water.

In a saucepan, combine sugar and vinegar; bring to a boil. After ginger is done soaking in salt, squeeze as much liquid from ginger as possible and place in a Mason jar or sealable container. Pour hot vinegar/sugar mixture over ginger; let sit until it reaches room temperature. Cover and place in refrigerator. This will keep a long time if kept cold.

For chicken marinade: Combine all spices together and mix until well-blended. Store in a container in a dry place while not being used. In bowl or pan, pour oil over chicken. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. spice mixture over chicken and massage until it’s fully coated. Add or subtract spice mixture for more or less flavor. Store chicken in refrigerator until ready to use.

For coleslaw: In saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, chili flakes and Dijon mustard. Heat over medium heat until sugar is fully dissolved and mustard is incorporated. Let mixture cool in refrigerator. Spice green cabbage, red cabbage, onion and pepper to desired width (preferably no more than ¼” thick). Combine ingredients in large bowl. Slice hot pepper paper thin and the peppers and add lemon zest to dry mix. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper; pour about 1 cup of cool syrup over the slaw. Mix well and let sit for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. After 20 minutes, strain excess syrup out of slaw and adjust salt level if needed. Store in a container in refrigerator.

For aioli: Mince garlic very fine. Add all ingredients together and mix until blended.

To build sandwich: Add 2 Tbsp. salt to 3 cups of flour. Mix well. Dredge marinated chicken in flour, shake off excess flour, then dredge in the buttermilk, then again in flour. Place in a 300°F deep fat fryer for 8 minutes, until dark golden brown. Dress both the top layer and bottom layer of a toasted hamburger bun with the aioli. On bottom layer, place about ¼ cup of coleslaw and 1 Tbsp. pickled ginger. Place chicken on top of that, and then finish with top bun. Serve with a pickle spear or other garnish.

Photo: Bonici® — The Pizza Brand from Tyson Food Service

Mediterranean Banh Mi

Yield: 1 serving.

6 strips Bonici® Canadian Bacon, Water Added

1 oz. Bonici® Old World Specialties, Fully Cooked Italian Sausage, Large Chunk, Spicy

1 tsp. lite olive oil

1 french baguette 6” long, hinged

1 ¼ oz. cucumber slices, fresh

½ oz. feta cheese, crumbled

1/8 oz. parsley, fresh, chopped

Pickled Vegetable Brine (yields approximately 7 oz.):

4 oz. rice vinegar

1 ½ oz. sweet chile sauce, commercially prepared

1 ½ oz. granulated sugar

½ tsp. fresh ginger, peeled, minced

¼ tsp. fresh garlic, minced

1/8 tsp. Sambal chile sauce, commercially prepared

Pickled Vegetables (yields approximately 4 ½ oz.):

1 ½ oz. carrots, peeled, cut into 1½” x 1/8” strips

¾ oz. red bell peppers, cut into 1½” x 1/8” strips

¾ oz. green bell peppers, cut into 1½” x 1/8” strips

¾ oz. yellow bell peppers, cut into 1½” x 1/8” strips

¾ oz. white onion, cut into 1½” x 1/8” strips

½ tsp. cilantro, fresh, chopped

Arrange frozen spicy Italian sausage and Canadian bacon in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Cover tightly and slack in cooler between 32°F and 36°F prior to use.

To assemble single serving: Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the Canadian bacon and spicy Italian sausage and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until the toppings are lightly browned. Transfer the toppings to an appropriate container, cover and hold at or above 135°F.

Spread ½ oz. soy-spiced aioli (see recipe) on cut side of the bread, on both the top and bottom. Next, layer browned Canadian-style bacon on heel of the bread, then layer the sliced cucumbers atop the Canadian-style bacon. Top cucumbers with 1 oz. pickled vegetables (see recipe), then top the vegetables with the browned spicy Italian sausage. Top the sausage with the feta cheese crumbles and the chopped parsley.

Photo: Kikkoman Sales USA

Plum Sauce Pulled Pork

Yield: 24 servings.

Pulled Pork:

3 Tbsp. salt

4 tsp. five-spice powder

2 tsp. black pepper

13 lb. boneless pork butt

¼ cup vegetable oil

8 cups Kikkoman Plum Sauce

4 cups chicken stock

24 sweet Hawaiian or Portuguese rolls, split

as needed, cilantro leaves

For pulled pork: Combine salt, five-spice and pepper; rub into pork on all sides. In large rondo, heat oil over medium heat; brown pork on all sides. Pour plum sauce and stock over pork; cover and bring to a simmer. Transfer rondo to 300°F oven. Braise pork, turning occasionally in sauce, about 3 hours or until tender and almost falling apart. Cool in sauce. Remove pork from sauce; pull apart into large shreds, discarding fat. Strain sauce. (Yield: 24 cups pork and 8 cups sauce.)

For each serving, to order: Heat 1 cup pulled pork in 1/3 cup sauce. Heat 1 roll; fill with pork and sauce. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Photo: Chicken of the Sea®

Capri Eggplant Focaccia

Yield: 24 sandwiches.

24 focaccia bread, split in half, toasted

24 slices Chinese eggplant, sliced lengthwise and grilled

1 40-oz. pouch Chicken of the Sea® Premium Skinless and Boneless Pink Salmon

1 Tbsp. capers

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced and toasted

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

as desired, coarsely ground pepper

On bottom half of toasted focaccia bread, place one slice eggplant. Gently flake and evenly divide Chicken of the Sea® Salmon among sandwiches. Top with ½ Tbsp. capers, 1 tsp. oil and desired amount of fresh ground pepper. Place top half of focaccia on filling. Serve immediately.

Photo: National Onion Association

Spicy Onion Panini with Basil and Roasted Red Pepper

Yield: 12 servings.

4½ lb. yellow onions, sliced

6 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes

12 ciabatta rolls

as needed, aioli (recipe follows)

3 cups basil leaves

3 cups roasted red pepper strips

1½ lb. sharp white Cheddar, sliced

1½ cups pitted kalamata olives, halved

Aioli:

1½ cups olive oil

3 Tbsp. white vinegar

6 medium cloves garlic

to taste, salt

to taste, freshly ground black pepper

For aioli: Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic and a few dashes of salt in an electric blender. Process until well-blended and slightly thickened. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.

For panini: Caramelize onions over low heat in oil for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Mix in red pepper flakes. Split ciabatta roll and brush inside lightly with aioli. For each serving: layer bottom of roll with ¼ cup basil leaves, ¾ cup caramelized onion, ¼ cup roasted red pepper, 2 oz. cheese and 2 Tbsp. olives. Add ½ oz. prosciutto if desired. Brush top of roll with aioli. Place in panini grill set at medium high, slowly close lid, somewhat flattening sandwich inside, and grill for 15 minutes or until golden and melted.

Photo: La Brea Bakery

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Yield: 4 sandwiches.

4 La Brea Bakery Telera Rolls

4 chicken breasts (4 oz. each), boneless, skinless

3 oz. hot sauce

2 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 oz. butter

2 Tbsp. canola or other vegetable oil

6 oz. blue cheese

1 stalk celery

¼ head iceberg lettuce

¼ cup ranch dressing

to taste, fine sea salt

to taste, freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small (preferably nonstick) pot, combine hot sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce and butter. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside. Peel celery to create thin shavings. Crumble blue cheese and combine in a bowl with celery shavings. Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper. Put olive oil in a medium sauté pan (large enough to fit chicken pieces in one layer) over medium-high heat and place chicken pieces in pan when oil is hot. Turn chicken over after 3 minutes; continue cooking 3 more minutes. Brush chicken with half the sauce and place pan in oven until chicken is cooked through (4 to 5 more minutes). Remove chicken from oven and brush with remaining sauce. Separate roll tops and bottoms; place them on ovenproof sheet pan, crust sides down. Place rolls in oven to lightly toast. While rolls are in oven, cut lettuce into ¼” strips and toss with ranch dressing. Remove rolls from oven and divide blue cheese and celery mixture between the four roll bottoms. Place chicken on top of blue cheese and celery; top with lettuce. Complete the sandwiches with roll tops and serve.

Photo: Pacific Northwest Canned Pears

Grilled Pear Cubano

Yield: 12 Sandwiches.

12 ciabatta or hard rolls, split

1 ½ cups Pear Mustard (recipe follows)

12 oz. thinly sliced baked ham (24 slices)

12 oz. thinly sliced Swiss or Provolone cheese (24 slices)

as needed, thinly sliced roast pork, turkey breast or smoked turkey breast

12 Pacific Northwest Lite Canned Pear halves, drained, juice reserved

24 thin dill pickle slices (lengthwise)

as needed, oil

Pear Mustard (yields ½ cup):

1 ½ cups reserved Pacific Northwest Lite Canned Pear juice

1 cup yellow mustard

For pear mustard: In a saucepan, reduce pear juice to ½ cup. Cool slightly. Add yellow mustard and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until ready to use as directed.

For sandwiches: Lay split rolls on clean work surface. Spread 1 Tbsp. pear mustard on insides of each roll. Top each roll with 2 slices ham, 2 slices of cheese, 1 sliced pear half, 1 slice pickle, halved, and 2 slices of pork. Top with bun top. Brush sandwich lightly with oil on both sides of bun. Grill sandwich in panini maker or on a flat-top with weight until it’s golden on both sides and cooked through (approximately 2-3 minutes per side). Remove from grill and let sandwich stand 1-2 minutes before cutting in half and serving with carrot slices or plantain chips, if desired.

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Blueberry, Corn & Cilantro Salsa

Yield: 4 servings (2 tacos and 1/2 cup salsa per serving).

4 tsp. olive oil, divided

¾ cup fresh, or frozen and thawed, corn kernels

1 pkg. (6 oz.) Driscoll’s Blueberries

¼ cup chopped white onion

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

½ medium jalapeño pepper, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

¼ tsp. 1/8 tsp. salt, divided

1 lb. peeled and deveined large shrimp

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1/8- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

8 corn tortillas

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn. Cook until corn starts to brown, about 2 minutes.
Add blueberries and cook 30 seconds, remove and transfer to a bowl. Stir in onion, cilantro, jalapeño pepper, lime juice and 1/8 tsp. salt. Set aside.

Combine shrimp, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and remaining ¼ tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Wipe out the skillet and heat 1½ tsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add half the shrimp and cook 1½ to 2 minutes per side until opaque and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and shrimp.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Place 2 on each serving plate and top with shrimp and blueberry salsa. Serve immediately.