Want to up your lunch game? Here’s how to make a sandwich that will impress the family.
The humble sandwich was a staple in many of our lunch boxes in our youth, usually filled with something along the lines of ham and cheese. In recent years though, the sandwich has hit cult status. No longer the modest go-to lunch made by parents on-the-go, today you’ll find a gourmet sandwich could set you back $10 in a restaurant or café. And for good reason. Between the two slices of bread are delicious and pricy ingredients that have been carefully paired ensuring each bite is a mini taste explosion. While you may not be able to enjoy the convenience of a café-made lunch at the moment doesn’t mean you can’t relish in a tasty sandwich. We’ve asked our chefs to share their best sandwich recipes to help inspire your next lunch.
Daniel Fox’s Kimchi, bacon and mozzarella sourdough toasty
Fox is a self-confessed lover of Kimchi, which is a staple in Korean cuisine. For those unfamiliar with Kimchi, it’s a traditional side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, like cabbage or radish. Fox admits that he puts in on absolutely anything – scrambled eggs, steak, salad, you name it. So, what makes this sandwich so good? “The combination of smoky fatty bacon with spicy and sour Kimchi is perfect,” Fox says. “Partnered with some gooey cheese and overly buttered sourdough and you have a seriously tasty snack.” The secret to perfecting this sandwich us in the spreading of the butter. “You have to evenly spread the butter right to the edges of the bread, and you can never use too much,” Fox says. “You also need good quality fillings. Use thick cut smoked streaky bacon and quality mozzarella. Don’t forget to cook the bread until its golden, crispy and the cheese is fully melted.”
Ingredients
100g good quality Kim Chee (found at most Asian supermarkets)
4 rashers of thick cut smoked streaky bacon
100g mozzarella (grated)
Softened butter
2 slices of quality sourdough
Method
1. Cook the bacon in a pan until evenly browned and slightly crisped, set aside.
2. Butter the sourdough evenly and liberally.
3. Place a buttered piece of sourdough butter side down into the pan you cooked the bacon in.
4. Place half the cheese down on the bread in the pan, then place 2 rashers of bacon and then Kim Chee on top.
5. Place the next 2 pieces of bacon on top of the Kim Chee and top with the rest of the cheese.
6. Place the other slice of sourdough on top, butter side up and press the sandwich down.
7. Cook evenly on both sides until golden and crisp, cheese should be melted.
8. Serve straight away.
Steven Jones’ Napolean sandwich
Jones’ Napolean is a classic European-inspired sandwich. The flavour plays on sweet and sour elements complimenting each other like the cream brie cheese, cranberry compote and smoky bacon. Like Fox, Jones insists that you don’t go cheap on product. Ensure you’re buying quality ingredients. That’s what turns a lunch box sandwich into a chef-worthy sandwich that will be a hit with the family.
Ingredients
Half a French stick for each sandwich, slice down middle.
130g smoked bacon
40g cranberry compote
100g sliced brie (best to use triple brie, no need for butter)
Method
1. Grill the bacon till it’s crispy. The darker the better. Set aside.
2. Warm the French stick under a grill to make the outside crispier and to soften the inside. Remove once exterior is crispy.
3. Add bacon to one half of the French stick.
3. Spoon on the cranberry compote on top of the bacon.
4. Add brie on top of cranberry compote.
5. Place the half of the French stick with ingredients on it back in oven until the brie softens to a near liquid.
6. Allow to cool slightly but eat as soon as possible.
Alex Yu’s Isaac Toast
It’s a breakfast staple for South Koreans. In fact, it’s so popular that there’s a franchise that solely sells Isaac Toast. While we won’t be travelling internationally for a while, doesn’t mean you can’t bite into this delicious sandwich from home. Thanks to Alex Yu, it’s now possible.
Follow his easy-to-replicate recipe via the video below.
Ingredients (serves 2)
4 slices of bread (for toast)
3 eggs
45g cabbage thinly slice as possible
30g carrot julienned
Butter
Vegetable oil (or butter)
Tomato sauce / Ketchup(Heinz preferred )
4 sliced ham
2 slice of cheese
Pickled cucumber, sliced
1 tbsp sugar
1 and 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp honey
Method
- Combine sugar, mayo and honey in a small bowl and mix well.
- Slice cabbage as thin as possible, take half of cabbage into iced water and leave for 3-4 minutes to bring to texture to crispy and dry with paper towel.
- Julienne the carrot and in a mixing bowl, beat well the 3 eggs and combine the julienned carrot and the other half cabbage.
- Large pan and medium heat with butter or oil. Separate mixture into two on one pan and make squared shape as bread size. Cook both side until egg is fully cooked and remove from the heat put them a side and put sliced cheese on top.
- In a large pan, toast the all bread with butter on both side until golden brown and cook sliced ham after. Remove from the heat.
Assemble:
- Place 2 toasted bread on a cutting board.
- Spread mayonnaise mixture on one side of each bread. Drizzle ketchup on both slices of bread.
- Place pickled cucumber evenly on one slice of bread then start to layer with egg with cheese, ham and cabbage (the first half) and cover with remaining bread.
- Cut in the middle and enjoy.
