Roll Cuisine Corner
When a Sandwich Was Just a Sandwich
by Pierre-Luc Moeys, Owner/Chef Oriole 9

Though the concept of meat between two pieces of bread dates back to pre-Roman times, the ubiquitous “sandwich” is unquestionably named after the Fourth Count of Sandwich, John Montagu (1718-1792), a British diplomat, minister and financial supporter of Captain Cook’s second and third major voyages, which resulted in his having the Sandwich Islands named after him. Serving in a variety of posts including Secretary of State and First Lord of the Admiralty, he could not avoid being held partly responsible for the “loss” of the American colonies. (Years later, the Sandwich Islands would be re-named “Hawaii.” More bad news.)

Legend has it that he was quite the card playing man. In those times gambling wasn’t so much a recreation as it was almost a professional necessity. One particular game went late, as the story goes, and leaving the table was not an option. Two slices of toasted bread were called for, with a piece of beef in the middle, so he could continue play while eating, without making a big mess. Apparently, other gamblers and personages must have noticed the convenience and demanded similar treatment as the new dish quickly became a big trend, immortalizing the good count who, with billions of his namesake eventually served in the United States, can certainly be said to have finally conquered America.

(One critic once said of Montagu that “seldom has any man held so many offices and accomplished so little.” Nobody seems to remember the critic’s name, though.)

Still, the sandwich, or as it was originally spelled, Sandwich, is a singularly great idea that is almost unlimited in its possibilities, from a humble (but delicious) cheese foldover, to something a bit. . . different.

SAUTEED THAI SANDWICH WITH CRAB, AVOCADO, WASABI CREAM, CUCUMBER AND SPINACH, WITH PINEAPPLE SALAD

A loaf of bread, cut in ¾ inch slices (get some good fresh locally baked bread)
½ lb. white crabmeat (cooked, of course)
2 avocados
1 tbsp. wasabi powder
½ pint of plain yogurt
1 cucumber
½ lb. fresh (not frozen) spinach
Some sesame seeds (toast them separately in a frying pan until brown)
1 tsp. green Thai curry paste (red can be substituted)
1 can coconut milk (8 oz.)
3 eggs
1 bunch of cilantro
1 red onion
1 pineapple (make sure it has a nice ripe smell)
1 cup of peanut oil
1 lime
1 small tub of pea shoots
Salt/pepper to taste
Small toothpicks

FIRST THINGS FIRST...

Make a batter of the coconut milk, eggs, and toasted sesame seeds. Add Thai green curry paste to taste (carefully!). Set aside.

THEN, THE CRAB SALAD

Chop up half the bunch of cilantro and the whole red onion, and mix this in with the crabmeat. Dice the avocado and carefully blend with the crab mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix together the yogurt and wasabi powder to make wasabi cream. Set aside.

ON TO THE PINEAPPLE SALAD

Peel and cut the pineapple into thin strips, and mix this with the pea shoots and remainder of the cilantro, un-chopped and de-stemmed. Squeeze the lime over the mixture and put aside.

TIME FOR THE SANDWICH

Take one slice of bread, spread on some wasabi cream and layer some spinach and thinly sliced cucumber on top, adding some crab mix over it. Then, another layer of thinly sliced cucumber and spinach, and top off with another bread slice. Stick a toothpick or two through to hold in place. (Make another one for later, or a friend.)

Then roll the sandwich through the batter made earlier and sauté in a preheated pan (medium heat) with peanut oil until golden brown on all sides, and the sandwich is thoroughly heated. This should take about 10 to12 minutes.

Take the sandwich out of the pan and arrange on a plate, dress some of the pineapple salad on top and you can eat like royalty, while going “all in” on those pocket aces…

ANOTHER GREAT REASON TO ENJOY THAT PINEAPPLE

Not only is pineapple a delicious tropical fruit, but it’s also is a member of the bromeliad family, high in the antioxidant Vitamin C and the enzyme bromelain which helps the body’s healing process. It is also known to both enhance the effectiveness of medical antibiotics and also to contain antibiotic potential itself, which has been observed in treating abscesses, pneumonia, kidney infection and bronchitis. The enzyme bromelain digests proteins, and while doing so gives some effective anti-inflammatory benefits. With the pineapple salad paired with the crab, not only do you get a great flavor combination, but some nice chemical benefits. Or, you can just have that cheese foldover…