One might assume that being a fantabulous chef ....yes, it's my new word!, and surrounded as we are in our professional kitchens with amazing foods, that we eat nothing but the best of steak, the finest of fish, and oodles of oysters, truffles, lobster and caviar washed down by the best of wines, however nothing could be further than the truth! we are more likely to be reduced to leftovers or using up the ends of things that we couldn't possibly serve up to the paying public!
Working as so many of us in the trade did, and still do, for 12 - 14 hours a day, meals are usually quickly snatched affairs with something being scoffed just before the lunch rush or even after the lunch crowd has gone which could be about 3 in the afternoon, and then maybe not having our 'dinner' until 11.00pm at night after the kitchen has closed.....if we are lucky.
The sandwich was always the lifesaver for me as it could be quickly eaten, was pretty healthy when made properly, and could be filled with anything you fancied and believe me I was witness to some exotic and dodgy fillings over the years, certainly nothing I could not divulge here...trade secrets after all!
But one of my favorite sandwiches was a club sandwich or something along those lines. There was always cooked chicken, bacon, lettuce and mayonnaise available for sandwiches along with other salad items but the combination of those 4 basic ingredients was delicious, you just had to jazz it up a bit after that, and of course choose your bread wisely. Nowadays chefs are quite spoiled when it comes to bread choices.....from sour dough and Guinness, to crisp paninis, wraps and ciabattas whereas twenty odd years ago we had brown or white sliced bread and that was it.
So here is my most favorite Chef's Life-Saving Sandwiches......
You will need.....
your bread of choice....I love a big ciabatta roll warm from the oven.....here's a tip....slice the opening our roll open before warming it in the oven....much easier to work with
1 breast of chicken about 100g or a smoked chicken breast if you can get it
2 -3 slices of dry cured back or streaky bacon....I prefer streaky
a handful of crisp lettuce leaves.....cos, iceberg or whatever is your favorite
pickled cucumbers....I love the ones that come pre-sliced for convenience
chipotle style mayonnaise......you will need
200 mls mayonnaise
2 teaspoons garlic granules/garlic powder (fresh garlic can make the mayo turn sour quickly)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chilli powder...try to get the chipotle powder if you can
1 teaspoon sriracha or tabasco sauce....more if you like it hotter
juice of half a lime
a little extra sea salt if needed
how to:
- make your chipotle mayo....just whisk all the ingredients together and store in a suitable glass jar or plastic sauce bottle.......then refrigerate for at least 24 hours so the flavors develop
- have the chicken and bacon cooked and chilled beforehand....the smoked chicken will be already cooked if you can get it.
- heat the oven to 140oC
- slice the chicken and lay on a tray with the bacon and heat in the oven for 5 minutes along with your ciabatta roll......feel free to toast your roll if that's what you fancy.
- once heated nicely, fold open your ciabatta roll, drizzle the bottom with chipotle mayo....how much you put on is your choice....I like loads.
- shred your crisp lettuce and place on top.....add some pickle..about 2 slices
- add a layer of the warm chicken then zip with the chipotle mayo again
- add the bacon and another zip of mayo
- fold your delectable sandwich closed and insert into mouth.......enjoy!
To add an extra layer of healthiness try adding some slices of avocado....goes so well with smoked chicken and the spicy mayo...yum!
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