SAUSAGE & SPINACH
Feel virtuous first thing in the morning eating a sandwich packed with delicious greens. It may even go some way to dissolving the ills of the night before.
SERVES 2
TAKES 20 minutes
6 good-quality sausages
2 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle
4 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ tsp chilli flakes
100g (3½oz) baby leaf spinach
2 medium eggs
4 slices crusty bread butter, for spreading salt and black pepper
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Rub the sausages with a little oil, then cook for 15 minutes, turning frequently, until golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan and keep warm in a low oven.
Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan. Increase the heat and fry the mushrooms for 5 minutes until golden. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and fry for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in the spinach and allow the heat of the pan to just wilt the leaves. Tip out onto a plate and keep warm.
Wipe out the pan using kitchen paper and return to the heat. Pour in the remaining oil, then crack the eggs into the pan and cook to your liking. To assemble the sandwiches, lightly toast the bread on both sides under a hot grill, spread with butter, then pile on the mushrooms, spinach, sausages and a fried egg. Season, sandwich with the remaining bread and serve immediately.
CHEESE
The drive-through experience I am sure we’ve all had – without having to leave the house!
SERVES 2
TAKES 20 minutes
6 good-quality sausages
1 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle
2 medium eggs
4 slices crusty white bread
75g (2½oz) mature Cheddar cheese, sliced
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Rub the sausages with a little oil, then cook for 15 minutes, turning frequently, until golden and cooked through. Push the sausages to one side and heat a drizzle more oil. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook to your liking.
Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread on both sides, lay the cheese slices on two of the slices of bread and flash under a hot grill until melted. Remove and pile on the sausages and a fried egg. Sandwich with the remaining slices of toast.
ENGLISH
Just like the saying goes, ‘eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper’, this sandwich is packed with everything you need to start your day the right way.
SERVES 2
TAKES 30 minutes
4 good-quality sausages
2 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle
4 rashers smoked streaky bacon
2 tomatoes, halved
2 medium eggs
2 English muffins
butter, for spreading
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium–high heat. Rub the sausages with a little oil, then cook for 15 minutes, turning frequently, until golden and cooked through. Five minutes before the end of cooking, add the bacon to the pan and cook until golden and starting to crisp.
Push the sausages and bacon to one side to keep warm and add a drizzle more oil. Add the tomatoes, cut-side down, and cook for 3 minutes. Remove everything from the pan and keep warm.
Pour in the remaining oil and fry the eggs to your liking. To assemble, split the muffins in half and lightly toast under a hot grill, then spread with butter. Split the sausages lengthways to stop them rolling out and lay them on the muffin bases. Top with bacon, tomato and a fried egg. Sandwich with the top halves of the muffins and serve.
PLOUGHMAN’S
Piccalilli is a British version of an Indian pickle. The crunchy vegetable pickle, lightly spiced in sweet and salty brine, has a punchy flavour that will cut through the richness of any meat or cheese.
SERVES 4
TAKES 20 minutes, plus 2 hours cooling
For the piccalilli
350ml (12fl oz) cider vinegar
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 small red chilli, finely sliced
1.5-cm (½-in) piece ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
5 tbsp granulated sugar
½ small cauliflower (about 150g/5½oz), broken into small florets
1½ tsp English mustard
1 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
10 small silverskin pickled onions
1 turnip, cut into 1-cm (3/8-in) cubes
½ carrot, cut into 1-cm (3/8-in) cubes
1/3 cucumber, halved lengthways, deseeded and roughly diced
8 slices crusty wholemeal bread butter, for spreading
200g (7oz) thick-cut ham
150g (5½oz) mature Cheddar cheese, sliced
celery sticks, cherry tomatoes and apples, to serve
Start by making the piccalilli. In a medium pan, add the cider vinegar, garlic, chilli, ginger, turmeric, salt and sugar. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets and cook for 2 minutes more. Mix the mustard and flour in a small heatproof bowl with 3 tablespoons of the hot brine from the pan. Stir to form a smooth paste, then add a further 5 tablespoons of cooking liquid and mix well.
Stir the mustard mixture into the brine pan, then cook on a high heat for 2 minutes, or until thickened and glossy. Remove from the heat, then stir in the pickled onions, turnip, carrot and cucumber, and allow to cool completely, about 2–3 hours (or overnight if possible). Ladle into a couple of sealable and sterilized glass jars, or store in a lidded plastic container in the fridge for up to two weeks. (Be warned – the turmeric may dye your chosen container yellow...)
When you’re ready to assemble your sandwich, lay four slices of crusty bread on a board, spread generously with butter, and then layer over the ham and cheese. Generously spoon some of your home-made piccalilli over the ham and cheese then pop the remaining slices of bread on top.
Serve with crunchy celery sticks, cherry tomatoes and an apple on the side. The perfect lunchtime snack for a walk in the British countryside.
PICNIC LOAF
You can make this mega sandwich up to two days in advance and chill until required. Perfect for a picnic or packed lunches. Use the scooped-out bread centre to make crispy croutons for salads or soup.
SERVES 4–6
TAKES 30 minutes, plus standing
1 x 400g (14oz) round crusty loaf
2 tbsp green pesto
2 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
75g (2½oz) sliced fennel salami
75g (2½oz) roasted peppers from a jar, drained
75g (2½oz) chargrilled artichokes in oil, drained
50g (1¾oz) sun-blushed tomatoes, drained
25g (scant 1oz) Parmesan cheese
large handful basil leaves
150g (5½oz) mozzarella cheese, drained
80g (2¾oz) Parma ham
large handful rocket (arugula)
freshly ground black pepper
Use a bread knife to cut off the top of the loaf about two-thirds of the way up. Scoop out most of the doughy middle and a layer of the lid, leaving a bread shell. Mix the pesto and mayo together and spread inside the base and lid of the loaf right up the sides.
Line the base of the loaf with the salami. Roughly chop the peppers, artichokes and tomatoes. Mix these together and spread half on top of the salami. Use a potato peeler to shave half the Parmesan cheese over the top, then scatter over a few torn basil leaves.
Pat the mozzarella dry on kitchen paper, then slice. Lay a single layer on top of the basil, followed by all the Parma ham and half the rocket – flatten down with the back of your hand as you go. Repeat with another layer of chopped vegetables, more Parmesan and mozzarella, and keep going until you have used up all the ingredients. Season each layer with a twist of black pepper.
Replace the lid of the loaf, gently press together and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for 2–3 hours. Cut into generous wedges to serve.
SUB
These saucy sandwiches can get quite messy, so you want to assemble them just before you serve. If you like your subs fully loaded you can add salad, fried onions or a handful of twice-fried hand-cut chips.
SERVES 4
TAKES 45 minutes
500g (1lb 2oz) minced (ground) beef
1 onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
handful parsley, finely chopped
3 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
25g (scant 1oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
1 large egg, lightly beaten
salt and black pepper
olive oil
680g (1lb 8oz) rustic passata
4 submarine rolls, or 1 large baguette
75g (2½oz) strong Cheddar cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
Tip the mince into a large bowl and add the onion, garlic, spices and most of the parsley, reserving a little for garnish. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg and plenty of seasoning. Massage together with your hands for 2 minutes – this will combine the ingredients and help the meatballs to stay together as they cook.
Use lightly oiled hands to divide the meat mixture into 16 walnut-sized balls. Lightly grease a baking dish with oil and sit the meatballs in the dish. Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and pour over the passata. Give everything a stir, then return to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is bubbling and thickened.
To serve, split the sub rolls in half and spoon in four saucy meatballs, reserving any excess sauce for serving. Top with the Cheddar, flash under a hot grill until the cheese is melted and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.
REUBEN
The classic New York deli sandwich loaded with pastrami, a sharp Russian dressing, melted Swiss cheese and tangy sauerkraut. Serve with some fries for a satisfying dinner.
SERVES 2
TAKES 20 minutes
For the Russian dressing
2½ tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
¼ tsp hot sauce (I used Tabasco)
¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tsp creamed horseradish
¼ tsp paprika
4 slices good white bread
160g (5¾oz) sliced pastrami
2 slices Swiss cheese
125g (4½oz) sauerkraut, drained
4 dill pickles, drained and thinly sliced lengthways
Start by making the Russian dressing. In a bowl, mix half the mayo with all the the ketchup, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, shallot, horseradish and paprika. Spread the remaining tablespoon of mayo across the four slices of bread, then flip and spread the other side of the bread with the Russian dressing. Layer up the pastrami, cheese, sauerkraut and pickles on two slices, then top with the remaining bread, mayo-side up.
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the sandwiches – the mayo will help the bread crisp up. Press down with a spatula and cook for 2 minutes, or until golden. Flip the sandwiches carefully with a spatula and fry for a further 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
BROCCOLI BUNS
The broccoli becomes melt-in-the-mouth tender and the bread soaks up all the delicious juices. These sandwiches are a meal in one glorious handful.
SERVES 4
TAKES 20 minutes
200g (7oz) Tenderstem broccoli
1 tbsp olive oil
8 good-quality sausages
1 onion, sliced
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp fennel seeds
a knob of butter
4 ciabatta rolls, or other crusty bread rolls
Cook the broccoli in a pan of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Drain, reserving about half a cup of the cooking liquid. Cool the broccoli under cold running water to stop it cooking any further. Drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium–high heat. Cook the sausages, turning them frequently for about 10 minutes, or until they are browned all over. Add the onion, chilli flakes and fennel seeds, and fry for 5 minutes until lightly golden and starting to soften. Tip in the cooked broccoli and heat through. Increase the heat, pour in about 3 tablespoons of the cooking water and the butter, and shake the pan to emulsify the juices. Remove from the heat.
To serve, split the bread rolls in half, divide the sausages and broccoli equally between the buns and spoon over the onion and any pan juices.
PIZZA SLIDERS
These pizza sliders can be made with large or small rolls. Perfect for a party, you can go mad with the fillings – ham and pineapple is a great nostalgic trip. Bring the hot rolls to the table and let your guests pull them apart.
MAKES 12 rolls
TAKES 30 minutes
50g (1¾oz) soft unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
1 fat garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp chilli flakes
12 mini bread rolls
150g (5½oz) mozzarella cheese, grated
½ x 400g (14oz) can chopped tomatoes with herbs
2 tbsp tomato purée
handful basil leaves, torn, plus extra for garnish
salt and black pepper
16 slices spicy pepperoni sausage
1 small red chilli, sliced
25g (scant 1oz) pitted black olives, roughly chopped
25g (scant 1oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
First make the garlic butter. Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat. Remove from the heat and mix in the garlic and chilli flakes, then set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Without separating the rolls, slice them in half so that you have one giant top and bottom.
Use the extra butter to lightly grease a baking dish large enough to fit all the rolls. Place the bottom halves of the rolls in the dish. Scatter over half the mozzarella and bake for 5 minutes to melt the cheese and firm up the base.
Sieve the tomatoes to remove any excess liquid. Mix the tomatoes with the purée and stir in the basil, season and spoon over the melted cheese. Top with the pepperoni, chilli and olives. Cover with the remaining mozzarella, then pop the giant bread roll lid on top.
Brush the tops of the rolls with the garlic butter and sprinkle over the Parmesan. Bake for 10–15 minutes until the rolls are golden and the cheese is oozing. If the buns are getting too much colour cover them with foil. Remove from the oven and scatter with basil leaves. Devour while hot.
PORK & SWISS CHEESE
Cubanos are piled full of cooked meats and Swiss cheese, sandwiched in crispy-on-the-outside, soft-in-the-middle bread flattened in a hot pan until crisp and melting. Serve with a little sweetened Cuban coffee for a real treat.
SERVES 2
TAKES 20 minutes
2 small baguettes or panini loaves
2 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard, plus extra to serve
125g (4½oz) sliced roast pork, or pork leftovers
4 slices Swiss cheese
125g (4½oz) honey-roast ham
light olive oil, for frying
mustard and pickles, to serve
Halve the baguettes lengthways. In a bowl, mix the mayo and mustard together and spread on the cut sides of the bread. Layer up the roast pork, cheese and ham, and sandwich together with the top halves of the bread.
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium–high heat. Put the sandwiches in, lightly grease the underside of a heavy-based pan and use it to weigh down the sandwiches so they are in complete contact with the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
Remove the top pan, carefully flip the sandwiches over and continue to cook with the heavy pan on top for 2 minutes.
Remove the sandwiches from the pan and slice. Serve with pickles and extra mustard, if liked.
PANKO PORK
This sandwich takes the delicious textures and taste of katsu curry and rolls it all up into one mouth-wateringly good sandwich. The pickles cut through the rich, crispy crumb of the pork and complement the creamy mayo.
SERVES 2
TAKES 45 minutes
For the panko-covered pork chops
1 large egg
4 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
salt and black pepper
5 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
2 boneless pork loin steaks, fat trimmed
light olive oil, for frying
For the pickle slaw
1 tbsp pickled ginger, shredded
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
4 radishes, cut into matchsticks
1 tbsp clear honey
½ small garlic clove
For the curry mayo
3 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
2 tsp hot curry powder
drizzle of clear honey
2 large soft white rolls
¼ Chinese leaf lettuce, shredded
Prepare the pork chops. Lightly beat the egg in a shallow bowl. Tip the flour onto a plate and season. Tip the breadcrumbs onto another plate. Lay the pork chops between two sheets of plastic wrap and bash with a rolling pin to flatten. Dip the pork in the flour, coat all over, then shake off any excess. Repeat with the egg wash and then the breadcrumbs.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Heat a glug of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the pork chops for 3–5 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a baking sheet and cook for a further 8 minutes in the oven.
Meanwhile, make the pickle. Add the pickled ginger to a bowl with 1 teaspoon of the pickling liquid, along with the carrot and radishes. Stir in the honey and garlic, and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
For the curry mayo, mix the mayonnaise, curry powder and honey together and season.
Halve the bread rolls and spread with the curry mayo. Lay the lettuce on the bottom halves. Remove the pork from the oven, thickly slice and lay it on top. Pile the pickle slaw on top of the crispy pork and sandwich with the top halves of the rolls.
HAM & EGG
Use the best ham you can find and duck eggs for this posh sandwich. The shoestring fries add crunch and turn this into a sarnie fit for a rather fancy, naughty-but-nice meal.
SERVES 2
TAKES 20 minutes
1 large Maris Piper potato
500ml (17fl oz) sunflower oil, for shallow frying
fine salt
2 duck eggs (or extra-large free range chicken eggs)
2 thick slices hand-carved ham
For the spiced mayo
2 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp smooth mango pickle
2 large white rolls
Peel the potato and use a julienne peeler to cut it into very thin matchsticks. Lay on a clean tea towel and pat dry to remove any excess water. Heat the oil in a high-sided saucepan over a medium–high heat. Test whether the oil is hot enough by adding a potato stick – it should bubble and cook within 4–5 minutes. Cook the matchsticks in batches until crisp and lightly golden – do not allow them to take on too much colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with salt.
Mix all of the spiced mayo ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
Take a couple of tablespoons of oil from the chip pan and heat in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium–high heat. Crack the eggs into the hot oil, being careful not to splash yourself, and cook to your liking.
Split the bread rolls in half, spread the cut sides with the spiced mayo and lay a slice of ham on the base of each roll. Slide a fried egg on top and a handful of shoestring fries. Top with the other half of the roll and serve immediately.
ROAST BEEF
It’s such a treat to roast a joint of meat for sandwiches. These really are the poshest of the posh and would be wonderful served on a summer’s day in the garden alongside a big green salad.
SERVES 6
TAKES 1 hour 30 minutes
1.3kg (3lb) boned joint of beef (I used topside)
1–2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp cracked black pepper
sea salt flakes
For the horseradish cream
5 tbsp grated horseradish (fresh or jarred is fine)
5 tbsp crème fraîche
crusty white bread, sliced
handful of watercress
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°C fan/gas 5.
Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper and allow it to come to room temperature. Heat the oil in a large, heavy casserole dish and brown the meat all over, turning with tongs every couple of minutes, until a nice crust forms on the meat – it will take about 10 minutes. Brush the outside of the meat with 1 tablespoon of the mustard, then sprinkle with the black pepper, pushing it into the mustard so that it sticks. Season with salt.
Place in the oven and roast for 35–40 minutes. Remove from the casserole dish and transfer to a chopping board. Cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the horseradish cream. Mix the horseradish with the crème fraîche and the remaining tablespoon of mustard.
Carve the beef into thin slices, spread the bread with horseradish cream, pile with beef and any resting juices, and top with a handful of watercress. Serve immediately.
BUNS
Bao buns are just like making normal bread rolls, except they are steamed rather than baked. Steaming gives them a unique shiny exterior and a toothsome spring.
MAKES 12 buns
TAKES 1 hour, plus rising and proving
500g (1lb 2oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder (soda)
7g sachet fast-action yeast
1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
1 tsp fine salt
2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
For the filling
1kg (2lb 4oz) pork belly slices, halved
240ml (8½fl oz) hoisin sauce
2 tbsp chilli sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
6 spring onions (scallions), shredded
1 cucumber, deseeded and cut into thin strips
handful salted peanuts, roughly chopped
Lightly grease two baking sheets with oil. Cut out 24 x 10cm (½ x 4in) squares of baking parchment.
Combine the flour, baking powder, yeast, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the flour, add the oil, then gradually add 250ml (8½fl oz) of warm water, stirring to form a soft, sticky dough. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, until you have a soft shiny dough. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover and leave for 1 hour in a warm spot until doubled in size.
Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly to remove excess air. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each into a ball, covering with a clean tea towel as you go to prevent drying. Use a rolling pin to roll each ball into an oval about 15cm (6in) long, then brush the surface of the dough with oil. Lay a piece of baking parchment over the bottom half of the oval. Fold the top half of the bun over the paper. Put the bun on a square of parchment, then transfer to a tray. Repeat with the remaining buns. Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for a further 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Put the pork belly slices in a baking dish and cover with the hoisin sauce, chilli sauce and soy. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour. When you are ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium–high. Lift the pork belly out of the marinade, shaking off any excess and reserving the sauce in the bowl. Lay on a flat baking sheet and grill for 20 minutes, turning frequently throughout cooking, until the fat is bubbling and the meat is charred in places. Remove, cover with foil and keep warm in the oven. Pour the reserved marinade into a small pan and heat gently.
Heat a large steamer over a large saucepan filled with 5cm (2in) boiling water. Lift the buns by the paper they sit on and steam in batches (depending on the size of your steamer) for 10–12 minutes, or until shiny and puffed up. Open the buns up, discard the central piece of paper and fill with pork belly, a spoonful of sauce, spring onions, cucumber slices and a sprinkling of peanuts.
PORK BELLY
Crispy pork belly needs no introduction. The soft, meltingly tender pork and crisp crackling sit so well in a sandwich with sliced roasted apple and a spoon of tart apple pickle. This will definitely keep you coming back for more.
SERVES 4–6
TAKES 3 hours 30 minutes
2kg (4lb 8oz) pork belly, skin scored (ask your butcher to do this)
2 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp fine salt
1 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle
3 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
5 sage leaves, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
juice 1 lemon
150ml (5fl oz) apple juice
2 eating apples, cored
For the apple pickle
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp clear honey
salt and black pepper
1 small eating apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
6 floury white rolls
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7.
Put the pork belly in a deep roasting dish. Crush the fennel seeds, chilli flakes and salt in a pestle and mortar until you have a fine powder. Rub the pork with the oil, then massage the spice powder into the skin and flesh. Put the rosemary, sage and garlic into the pestle and mortar with half the lemon juice, and bash until you have a coarse paste. Rub the paste all over the flesh side of the pork. Roast for 30 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C/325°F/ gas 3. Add the apple juice to the dish, cover with foil, then return to the oven for 2½ hours. Check halfway through cooking and top up with a splash of apple juice or water if the roasting dish is drying out. Thirty minutes before the end of cooking, cut the apples into wedges and toss with a little oil, then add to the pan, stir to coat in the meat juices, re-cover and continue cooking.
To make the apple pickle, put the onion in a bowl and squeeze over the juice of the remaining lemon half. Drizzle with the honey, season and set aside for 5 minutes. Stir through the apple sticks and leave to stand for 1 minute before serving.
Remove the pork from the oven and separate the crackling from the top of the belly joint using a sharp knife. If the crackling is not crisp, flash it under a hot grill until bubbled up and crisp – keep watching all the time as it burns very easily!
Slice the pork and split the bread rolls. Pile the pork onto the rolls with a couple of apple wedges and a spoonful of the apple pickle. Skim any fat off the pan juices and transfer to a jug for pouring over or dunking the sandwiches into. Cut the crackling into strips and serve alongside the sandwiches.
LAMB KOFTA PITTA
These fragrant lamb patties work brilliantly as part of a modern mezze meal. The sweet and sour salad cuts through the richness of the lamb, making these pittas totally moreish.
SERVES 4
TAKES 30 minutes
500g (1lb 2oz) minced (ground) lamb
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp paprika
bunch mint, finely chopped
bunch coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil, for greasing
For the salad
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli
1 large carrot, grated
juice ½ lemon
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
salt and black pepper
4 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
2 tbsp harissa
8 mini pittas
Put the lamb into a large bowl, add the spices, most of the mint and most of the coriander, reserving about 1 tablespoon of each for the salad. Massage together with your hands for 2 minutes; this will combine the ingredients and help the patties stay together as they cook.
Divide the lamb mixture into eight equal portions. Using damp hands, shape the meat into rugby ball-shaped patties. Grease a baking sheet with a little oil and lay the patties on top. Set aside.
To make the salad, mix the onion, chilli and carrot with the lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Gently stir in the reserved herbs and some seasoning. In a small bowl, mix the mayo with the harissa and set aside.
Heat the grill to high. Cook the patties for 8 minutes, turning frequently, until golden and cooked through. To serve, split the pittas and heat under the hot grill. When warmed, spread with the harissa mayo, sit a kofta inside and top with salad.
MUFFULETTA
This is the quintessential, New Orleans layered sandwich. Use the best ingredients you can find and allow the sandwich to stand before serving to let the tangy olive spread soak into the bread.
SERVES 6
TAKES 20 minutes, plus standing
For the olive spread
100g (3½oz) pimento-stuffed green olives
100g (3½oz) Kalamata olives
2 tbsp capers
3 hot pickled peppers, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried
salt and black pepper
350g (12oz) focaccia
180g (6oz) mortadella
8 slices Emmenthal, sliced
90g (3¼oz) Italian salami
100g (3½oz) Gruyère, sliced
Start by making the olive spread. Put the stuffed green olives, Kalamata olives, capers and pickled peppers on a chopping board and run over the lot with a sharp knife backwards and forwards until everything is very finely chopped. Scrape into a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of the pickling liquid from the peppers. Stir in the garlic, oil and chopped oregano. Season and set aside.
Cut the focaccia in half lengthways and lay cut side-up on a board. Spread generously with olive spread. Layer the bottom half of the bread with half the mortadella, followed by Emmenthal and salami layers, the Gruyère and finally the remaining mortadella. Sandwich with the top half of the focaccia. Wrap the whole thing tightly in plastic wrap, sit on a board and weigh down with a baking sheet. Chill for at least 30 minutes and slice before serving. Goes especially well with a cold beer.
CHEESE BURGER
Just because the burger is a classic doesn’t mean it has to be classy. Go mad and fill your burger with whatever tickles your fancy, from a fried egg to crispy bacon. The only rule is there must be a patty between those buns.
SERVES 4
TAKES 30 minutes
500g (1lb 2oz) 20% fat minced (ground) beef
½ tsp fine salt
black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 strong Cheddar cheese slices
4 sesame burger buns
For the burger sauce
4 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
2 tsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ small garlic clove, crushed
½ tsp paprika
3 sweet dill pickles, finely chopped
½ iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
Start by making the burger sauce. In a bowl, mix together the mayo, ketchup, mustard, garlic, paprika and pickles (plus a bit of the pickling liquid). Season and chill until ready to use.
To make the burgers, put the beef and salt into a bowl with a generous grinding of black pepper. Mix with your hands for 5 minutes to break down the fibres in the meat – this will help your burgers stay together. Divide into four equal pieces, shape into patties and rub each with a little oil. Season the outside of each patty with more fine sea salt.
Heat a large, heavy, non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Cook the burgers for 8 minutes, flipping every 2 minutes. At the halfway point, add a drizzle more oil and fry the onion, stirring to coat in the oil, until starting to colour and just soften slightly. Push the onion to one side and lay a cheese slice on top of each burger, allowing the heat of the meat and the pan to melt the cheese.
Split the buns and lightly toast the cut sides under a hot grill. Spread the bottoms with burger sauce and add some lettuce and tomato slices. Top with a juicy burger and a spoonful of fried onion. Sandwich with the burger bun tops and serve.
BANH MI
The lightly pickled vegetables are the perfect foil for the rich rare steak, and the crisp baguette is the perfect vessel for this traditional Vietnamese–French-inspired sandwich.
SERVES 2
TAKES 40 minutes
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 sirloin steak (about 200g/7oz), fat removed
2 small white baguettes
2 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
1½ tsp Sriracha chilli sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil
For the pickles
2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
½ tbsp fish sauce
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/3 cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds removed, cut into matchsticks
4 radishes, cut into matchsticks
small handful coriander (cilantro)
Mix the soy and garlic in a wide shallow bowl, then add the steak. Marinate for 20 minutes, turning halfway to ensure both sides are fully coated.
Split the baguettes lengthways, leaving them slightly attached at one edge. Pull out most of the fluffy middle. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo and Sriracha, then set aside.
Meanwhile, make the pickles. In a large bowl, mix the sugar, vinegar and fish sauce until the sugar has dissolved. Add the carrot, cucumber and radishes to the dressing, toss to coat and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade, pat dry with kitchen paper, then rub all over with the oil. Place the steak in the pan and cook for 1½ minutes each side. Transfer to a board and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Spread the baguettes with Sriracha mayo, thinly slice the steak and divide between the baguettes. Drain the pickles in a colander, then pile on top with some coriander. Eat immediately.
