Super Sandwiches

Let's lay the old myth to rest right up front. John Montagu. Fourth Earl of Sandwich, did not invent the dietary staple that immortalizes his name. Sandwiches go back in gastronomic history, antedating such nuances as knives, forks and dinnerware. Conceiyably, they evolved from trenchers--thick slabs of coarse bread that functioned as rudimentary plates in medieval England. However, the sandwich was indisputably named for the fourth earl, a profligate gambler and rake, after he spent 24 consecutive hours at the gaming table without other nourishment. Sounds like our kind of earl.

In the intervening centuries, the sandwich has come a long way, and Gentleman Johnnie would be startled by some of the extravagant variations on his utilitarian slab of cold beef between two hunks of bread. Italian chefs will sandwich luxurious puréed white truffles. Britain is known for dainty water-cress sandwiches, but you can also get a smashing roast beef on crusty roll before or after the Shakespearean theater in Regent's Park. Danes do wild things with tiny shrimps on triangles of buttered bread. Russians get off on halvah sandwiches; and the Dutch dote on (continued on page 132)Sandwiches(continued from page 127) broodjes--edam cheese and cold cuts on soft rolls. Petits pains au chocolat (yes, chocolate filling) titillate French, Turkish and Mexican gourmets; and Catalonians are partial to the tomato-and-ham Pa Amb Tomaquet i Pernil.

In the United States, sandwiches run the proverbial gamut from peanut butter and jelly to the Reuben, which is laden with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and other savories. Despite its international papers and British influence, the sandwich is uniquely American. Where else would you find a special sandwich argot: Bad actor is a ham sandwich; bloody complaint is rare roast beef; and an ugly American is grilled cheese. And who else boasts an annual National Sandwich Idea Contest or attributes special sandwiches to famous personalities? At New York's Stage Deli, a Reggie Jackson is roast beef, chopped liver and onion--slathered with chicken fat--and a Shirley MacLaine is a seductive synthesis of sturgeon and smoked salmon.

What makes a sandwich great? There are four, really five, components to a super sandwich--bread, spread or smear, filling, garniture and the ingenuity and flair of the artisan. That last is a God-given talent. Either you have it or you don't. If you've ever been driven by ravenous hunger to assemble one of those monumental Dagwoods at two A.M., parlaying every scrap of food in the refrigerator--baby, you have it! Which doesn't mean that a few pointers on the craft of sandwichery would be amiss.

The Terrific Sandwich Maker's Guide

1. Why cling to packaged, sliced white bread when there're pumpernickel, rye, crisp French bread, crusty rolls, English muffins, cinnamon-raisin, whole-wheat, sourdough, cheese, onion, sesame-seed, potato and oatmeal breads to be had?

2. Buy unwrapped, unsliced fresh bread. It should be neither porous nor dense but firm and spreadable.

3. Don't trim crusts unless your choppers are from Sears, Roebuck.

4. Spread and filling should extend to the edges of the bread. Soften butter and cream cheese to make them spreadable.

5. Fillings should be substantial--about four ounces is a good average.

6. Savory spreads add an extra dimension to a sandwich. Combine butter with green herbs, mustard, shallots, anchovies, shrimps, capers, lemon or orange rind, curry, parmesan or Roquefort cheese, etc. Don't overlook Russian or Thousand Island dressing, avocado purée or a zesty mayonnaise made with a flavorful oil.

7. Salt and pepper are always to one's taste and will vary with ingredients; one brand of ham may be saltier than another, etc.

8. Special tools make life easier. You'll want a stubby, flexible spatula, a sharp slicer and a bread knife, and probably a serrated French tomato knife for slicing vegetables. A multipurpose kitchen machine can be helpful.

9. Garnitures should be edible, adding crunch, color contrast and complementary taste. Parsley is for the birds.

[recipe_title]PA AMB Tomaquet I Pernil[/recipe_title]

(Bread with Tomato and Dried Ham)

Popular at El Canario de la Garriga, Barcelona, one of the young Picasso's favorite haunts. Some of his early works, signed P. Ruiz Picasso, or simply P. Ruiz, grace El Canario's walls. The offering cries for rich, ripe, flavorful tomatoes--not as common here as in Spain, unfortunately.

[recipe]Large, crusty, round Italian or sourdough bread[/recipe]

[recipe]Garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]Very ripe medium-size tomatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]Olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]Serrano or prosciutto ham or well-smoked baked ham[/recipe]

For each sandwich, cut a thickish slice across wide part of loaf. Toast bread lightly, then gently rub each slice on both sides with cut clove garlic. Cut tomato in half horizontally. Rub one half into one side of bread until all juice and pulp have been absorbed; repeat on other side with second tomato half. Drizzle one side of bread with olive oil, add light sprinkle salt and pepper, if you like. Top with thin slices ham. You may want a knife and fork with this, and Torres Sangre de Toro, a wine of the region becoming popular here.

Note: May also be served as a conventional sandwich, with bread top and bottom, but that is a bit heavy.

[recipe_title]Diana Ross At The Stage[/recipe_title]

An unlikely combination of flavors, slightly sweet and sassy, like its namesake--but it works.

[recipe]2 slices pumpernickel bread[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon cream cheese[/recipe]

[recipe]Bar-le-Duc or currant jelly[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 1b. tongue, thinly sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]DeLut pickles or sweet gherkins, thinly sliced[/recipe]

Spread bottom slice of bread with cream cheese and cover lightly with jelly. Add tongue and top with pickle slices. Cover with second slice of bread. Garnish with cole slaw.

Note: The Stage serves this as a triple-decker; you can also spread top slice of bread very lightly with mayonnaise and add a bit of lettuce.

[recipe_title]Helluva Roast-Beef Sandwich[/recipe_title]

[recipe]2 slices Vienna or home-style white bread[/recipe]

[recipe]Sweet butter, softened (or Béarnaise sauce)[/recipe]

[recipe]3 ozs. rare roast beef[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper, to taste[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon dehydrated onion chips[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. Swiss cheese, sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]2--3 tomato slices[/recipe]

Spread both bread slices with butter. Put roast beef on one slice and add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with onion chips and top with cheese, tomato and other slice bread. Garnish with water cress and chutney.

Note: The onion chips add a pleasant crunch as well as flavor.

[recipe_title]Volga Boatman[/recipe_title]

[recipe]2 slices whole-wheat or onion rye bread[/recipe]

[recipe]Sweet butter[/recipe]

[recipe]2 ozs. smoked lake sturgeon[/recipe]

[recipe]2 ozs. Nova Scotia salmon. thinly sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]Freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste[/recipe]

[recipe]2--3 thin tomato slices[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon chive cream cheese[/recipe]

Spread one slice bread with butter. Layer with sturgeon and salmon, sprinkle liberally with pepper. Top with tomato slices and salt to taste, but remember, the fish may be salty. Spread other slice bread with chive cream cheese and cover. Garnish with green and black olives and scallions.

Note: The Stage serves a similar sandwich on rye; Kaplan's at the Delmonico presents its version on a bagel triple-decker.

[recipe_title]Kaplan's Number Two[/recipe_title]

Virtually a meal in itself, this number two is numero uno at Kaplan's at the Delmonico.

[recipe]2 slices seeded sour rye bread[/recipe]

[recipe]Russian dressing[/recipe]

[recipe]2 ozs. roast turkey, sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]3 ozs. pickled tongue, sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]2--3 tomato slices[/recipe]

[recipe]Thinly sliced onion[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons mushroom-egg salad[/recipe]

Spread each slice bread with Russian dressing. Layer one slice with turkey and tongue. Add tomato and onion; salt if desired. Spread mushroom-egg salad on second slice bread and cover sandwich. Add lettuce, if desired. Garnish with pickled green tomato, cut in wedges.

Mushroom-Egg Salad: Combine finely chopped hard-cooked egg and sautéed (concluded on page 188)Sandwiches(continued from page 132) mushrooms. Add grind pepper, salt to taste and enough mayonnaise to bind. Refrigerate.

[recipe_title]Steak Sizzle[/recipe_title]

(Serves four)

[recipe]1 lb. beef fillet, trimmed[/recipe]

[recipe]About 1/2 stick sweet butter[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large clove garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon soy sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons medium-dry sherry[/recipe]

[recipe]Thin slice fresh ginger[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper, to taste[/recipe]

[recipe]4 crusty rolls (or English muffins), split and buttered[/recipe]

Cut fillet into 4 equal steaks. Flatten, using heavy pan, mallet or side of cleaver, to make fillets 1/4 in. thick. (We're talking about true fillet, not any boneless piece of beef.) Dry steaks on paper toweling. In large heavy pan, melt butter over medium heat until sputtering ceases. Squash garlic and sauté 1 minute; remove. Add steaks to pan and brown quickly, about 2 minutes each side. Don't overcook. Add soy, sherry and ginger. Continue cooking for another minute or two, turning once, until steaks are done to your liking. Remove to warm platter and reduce liquid in pan by about half. (Add salt and pepper, but taste first, as soy is saline.) Place each steak on roll bottom, spoon a little sauce over and cover with roll (op. Serve with sliced ripe tomatoes and cucumbers.

[recipe_title]Elio's Cubano[/recipe_title]

Available in Cuban or Cuban-Chinese restaurants--or make your own.

[recipe]6-in. length crusty French or Italian bread, split[/recipe]

[recipe]Butter, mayonnaise or mustard (optional)[/recipe]

[recipe]2 slices roast pork[/recipe]

[recipe]2 slices Virginia or boiled ham[/recipe]

[recipe]2 slices Swiss cheese[/recipe]

[recipe]2 slices mortadella[/recipe]

[recipe]Sweet-sour pickle (optional)[/recipe]

Lightly toast cut sides bread. Spread with butter, mayonnaise or mustard, if you like. Layer bottom with meat and cheese, in order given. Top with pickle (see note) and cover with remaining bread. Toast in sandwich grill under pressure, at 350° Fahrenheit, 3 or 4 minutes each side...or in heavy skillet, at medium heat, with weight on sandwich (such as flat plate holding 2 cans).

Note: In Cuba, they like it pico--spicy--which means pickle and perhaps ground pepper or red-pepper sauce. They also like the Cubano well toasted.

What do you drink with a sandwich? That's easy--anything that suits your taste. Beer, wine, lemonade, soda...even a highball, if that's your pleasure. There's only one rule: Enjoy it!

"What makes a sandwich great? Bread, spread, filling, garniture and flair. That last is God-given."