Nourish Network » Sandwiches

Pear, Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Panini

Lia Huber — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:49:37 +0000

Think of this as an upscale cousin to the average Joe grilled cheese, and as a perfect pair with creamy soups. Feel free to mix up the cheese; I like to add a generous grind of pepper on top of the pears before topping too. You can use any type of pear you like, but Anjou pear’s sweet, citrusy tang pairs well with the goat cheese. If your pears don’t yield slightly to a squeeze, ripen them on the counter for a few days.

2 ounces prosciutto
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 slices whole grain sandwich bread
1 medium Anjou pear, halved, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 ounces creamy goat cheese
Cooking spray

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook prosciutto 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside on paper towel.
Spread mustard on one side of all 4 slices of bread. Spread goat cheese on 2 slices. Add a layer of pear and prosciutto on top of the goat cheese and top with the other slices of bread (mustard-side down). Press down lightly with your palm to seal sandwiches.

Lightly coat both sides of sandwiches with cooking spray.

Wipe out the skillet you used for the prosciutto and heat over medium heat. Toast sandwiches 4 to 5 minutes per side, pressing down with the spatula, until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted.

Slice sandwiches in half and serve.

Serves 4

Greek Chicken Salad Pita with Lemon Vinaigrette

Alison Ashton — Mon, 09 May 2011 17:00:36 +0000

When chicken salad comes to mind, I always think of a mayonnaise-bound concoction (not that I don’t enjoy that). But this version, from Alison Lewis’s new book 400 Best Sandwich Recipes (Robert Rose) updates an old favorite with a fresh, bright-flavored, colorful spin. There’s no added salt in this recipe, because the feta and Kalamata olives add plenty of salty kick. If you don’t want to buy a whole jar of olives, look for Kalamatas that you can purchase by the pound at the supermarket salad bar, olive bar or deli case. Lewis recommends using leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken. Or, to change it up, sub chopped, cooked shrimp for the poultry. Use whole wheat pita bread, if you can find it.

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
3 tablespoons sliced pitted Kalamata olives
3 tablespoons diced red onion
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
4 (6- to 8-inch) pitas with pockets
4 lettuce leaves
8 thin slices tomato (optional)

Whisk together the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.

Combine chicken, bell peppers, olives and onion in a large bowl. Add feta and parsley, and toss gently. Add dressing, and toss to coat.

Place pitas on a work surface. Tuck 1 lettuce leaf into each pita. Spoon chicken salad equally into pita pockets. Add tomatoes, if using.

Serves 4

Adapted from 400 Best Sandwich Recipes (Robert Rose).

Devilish Egg Salad

Lia Huber — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 22:37:32 +0000

By Lia Huber

My husband claims to not be very fond of egg salad . . . but he loves deviled eggs. I, on the other hand, can’t be bothered with filling those fragile egg white shells. So this is my compromise. An egg salad that tastes like deviled eggs (with a little added heft from minced celery). Heaven.

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and mashed
2 tablespoons red onion, minced
1/4 cup celery, minced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
dash of Tabasco to taste

Mix together all ingredients together. Serve scooped onto crackers and dusted with additional paprika, or in whole wheat pitas lined with lettuce.

Serves 4

Braised Kale and Feta Tartines

Lia Huber — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:03:00 +0000

These sandwiches have become a staple in our house … in fact, they were our Christmas morning brunch this year. The cool thing is, they come together in about five minutes if you have some braised kale on hand; 15 or so if you’re starting from scratch.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound kale, zipped, cleaned and chopped
1/4 cup vegetable broth
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 slices of rustic bread

Preheat broiler.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat, and add garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add kale and vegetable stock to pan, season with salt and pepper, and toss well to coat. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 8-10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until kale is crisp-tender.

While kale is cooking, mix together feta, oregano and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Set aside.

Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, until any remaining liquid has burned off and kale is tender but still vibrant. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mound kale onto bread and spread cheese mixture on top. Broil for 3 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

Serves 4

Pear and Goat Cheese Sandwich with Toasted Walnuts

Alison Ashton — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 22:09:50 +0000

This is inspired by my favorite sandwich at Chez Lulu, a cafe and bakery in Birmingham, Alabama. I love the combo of thinly sliced sweet pear with pungent goat cheese, lightly dressed greens and toasted nuts. I used a plain version of our Knead-less Olive-Rosemary Bread, but any type of whole grain bread will do the trick.

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup mixed salad greens
1 ounce goat cheese
2 (1-1/2 ounce) slices whole grain bread
1 slice onion, separated into rings
5 thin pear slices
1/2 teaspoon chopped toasted walnuts

Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Add salad greens, tossing to coat. Spread cheese on 1 slice of bread. Top with greens, onion, pear, walnuts and remaining slice of bread.

Serves 1

Cold Salmon Sandwich with Lemon-Caper Mayo

Cheryl Sternman Rule — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:57:14 +0000

Buy a little extra salmon the next time you’re fillet-shopping and cook it all up at once. The next day, pair the cold leftovers with a hit of lemon-spiked mayo and briny capers for a fancy-looking lunch perfect for one.

1-1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons drained capers
3 ounces cold leftover (cooked) salmon fillet
1 slice good sourdough or French bread
Salad greens

In a small bowl, stir together the mayo, lemon juice, and capers. Lay the salmon on a slice of sturdy bread, slather it with the lemon-caper mayo, and serve with fresh, crunchy salad greens.

Serves 1

Recipe licensed from Cheryl Sternman Rule at 5 Second Rule

Honey-Roasted Fig Tartine with Prosciutto

Lia Huber — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:21:51 +0000

I had a fantastic sandwich from Cowgirl Creamery while in Point Reyes this weekend that reignited my love of sandwiches … in particular, topless ones called “tartines.” I made this one with leftover Red Hawk from my visit, along with luscious figs picked up en route. Drizzling them with honey and popping them under the broiler gives them an impromptu jammy quality; especially good paired with gooey cheese and crisp prosciutto.

3 medium to large figs, cut in half lengthwise
2 teaspoons honey
several grinds of black pepper
1/4 ounce of Camembert (or similar, like Red Hawk from Cowgirl Creamery), cut into thin slices
1 thin slice of prosciutto
1 half (cut lengthwise) of a quarter of a baguette

Preheat broiler. Place figs, cut side up, on a piece of foil in the broiler pan and press down gently with a fork to flatten. Drizzle with honey, grind pepper over top and broil for 5-10 minutes, until bubbling and soft.

In the meantime, lay the cheese slices on the cut side of the baguette and top with prosciutto. Place on tray with figs and broil until prosciutto is just crisp and cheese melted, about 3-5 minutes.

Arrange figs on top of prosciutto and serve.

Makes 1 sandwich

Tilapia Po’ Boys

Alison Ashton — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 23:33:13 +0000

By Alison Ashton

Po’ boys are a New Orleans sandwich traditionally made with deep-fried oysters (another sustainable pick) or shrimp. In N’awlins’ lingo, these po’ boys are served “dressed” with lettuce, tomato and seasoned mayo. Look for U.S. farmed tilapia, as the most sustainable choice; otherwise, substitute domestically raised catfish.

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon drained capers
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco, Sriracha, or your favorite hot sauce)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 (3-ounce) tilapia filets
1/4 cup canola oil
4 hoagie rolls, halved lengthwise
8 tomato slices
4 butter lettuce leaves

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

Combine cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Place egg in a separate shallow dish. Working with 1 filet at a time, dip fish in egg, allowing excess to drip off, then dredge in cornmeal mixture. Repeat with remaining filets, egg, and cornmeal mixture.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 dredged filets to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden-brown. Repeat with remaining oil and filets.

Spread cut sides of rolls evenly with mayonnaise mixture. Layer each roll with 1 filet, 2 tomato slices, and 1 lettuce leaf.

Serves 4

Obscenely Good Eggplant-Ricotta Tartine

Lia Huber — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:21:23 +0000

This sandwich should come with a rating–and not because it’s topless (tartine is the French word for open-faced sandwich). Because it’s that good.

1 pound eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh ricotta
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 cup arugula
4 slices rustic, whole grain bread

Preheat grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant slices with the oil, salt and pepper. Grill for 5-8 minutes, flipping once or twice, until browned and super-tender. Transfer back to the bowl.

Mix together herbs, garlic, ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano and spread evenly on the four slices of bread. Toast in a toaster oven or broiler for 3-4 minutes, until cheese just starts to bubble.

Mound arugula onto the sandwiches and top with eggplant.

Open-Faced Tomato Avocado Sandwich

Lia Huber — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:53:47 +0000

This sandwich embodies all sorts of nutritional virtues: whole grains, healthy fats and fresh vegetables. But really it does even more than that . . . it exemplifies how enjoyable even the simplest fresh food can be.

4 slices whole grain sandwich bread
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
1 ripe avocado
2 large tomatoes (preferably heirloom), sliced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt

Toast the bread and rub with the cut side of the garlic halves. Spread the avocado on each slice of bread and top with tomato slices. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Serves 2