# Sandwich recipes

The sandwich is, without question, the most versatile food possible.

- With a large-enough bread and something that can pair with bread inside it, absolutely anything edible can become a sandwich.
- It also doesn't need any utensils once it has been prepared, making it a very portable meal.

The definition of "sandwich" varies, but *many* popular comfort foods are variations on the sandwich (e.g., hamburgers, hot dogs, sushi).

- In fact, it could be argued that almost every non-candy item that isn't on a stick is technically a sandwich.

## The sandwich template

There is a general set of rules that apply to every sandwich.

### A. Bread

It can be pretty much any bread that can hold things in it:

- White
- Wheat
- Rye
- Pita
- Tortilla
- Baguette

You can also singe the bread (i.e., toast, bake, heated over an open flame).

- One addition is to apply butter or lard when heating.

### B. Protein

There are two main pathways either as meat or with nut butter.

The meat pathway has the most variety:

- Chicken
- Fish that doesn't have too strong a flavor (e.g., salmon)
- Bologna
- Lobster
- Imitation crab
- Turkey
- Pork
- Bacon
- Ham slices
- Corned beef
- Breaded fish (e.g., filets, chicken tenders, nuggets)
- Shrimp
- Salami
- Ground beef (including sloppy joe mix by adding in sautèed onions)

Beans with enough seasoning can work very well as a protein.

Every condition for meat can apply (boiled, baked, deep-fried, etc.).

- While you can add herbs and seasonings to the meat, stay mindful of what it will do to everything else you add.

Further, peanut butter works well, but *not* with most other things.

### C. Dairy

Typically, you can add cheese to a meat, but you don't have to.

- Cheddar and provolone have a plain-enough flavor that they work with anything.
- Swiss is sour enough to accent the meat.
- Pepper Jack and pimento cheese add spice to the meat.

You can also simply add cheese *without* protein, but make sure to add more flavor elsewhere to compensate.

- Grilled cheese is highly popular because the toasting and chemical changes in cheese from heating add a lot of flavor.

Eggs are also a great alternative to meat.

### D. Garnish

There are many popular options available for garnish, and they can dramatically change the flavor of the sandwich.

- Pickles
- Lettuce
- Stuffing
- Pickled kimchi
- Tomato slices
- Onion slices (red, yellow, white, or green), though you should use them sparingly to avoid overwhelming the flavor
- Sauerkraut, though its sourness means you must be careful what else you put with it
- Peppers (e.g., Bell peppers, Jalapeños, banana peppers)
- Bananas or pineapples, which pair well peanut butter, but also with anything salty and not sour (e.g., meat)
- Green apples, which are sour enough to not overwhelm the protein.
- Broccoli and carrots (typically roasted)
- Vegetable mix (sautèed or pickled)

### E. Spread

The spread is a type of seasoning that typically adds more fat, but also more flavor.

- Mayonnaise
- Miracle Whip
- Aioli sauce
- Jelly, which works well with peanut butter but can work on many other things.
- Marshmallow fluff

Typically, squeeze bottle spread has less fat and more sugar.

- Ketchup
- Mustard (including brown mustard)
- Horseradish sauce
- Pickle relish

Adding any type of vinegar (white, apple cider, balsamic) will dramatically draw out some flavors.

## Miscellaneous recipes

Make a giant pita sandwich:

1. Cut out the inside of a bread bowl and add any ingredients you want.
2. Put the top back on and flatten it with a weight.
3. Cut it into slices.

Make a sandwich roll:

1. Flatten bread with a roller, add slices of cheese, and roll up tightly.
2. Set it on medium heat with butter in a pan.
3. Press and turn the roll to brown it and keep it together.

Make a spaghetti sandwich:

1. Set cooked spaghetti on slices of bread.
2. Add garlic and any seasonings.
3. Bake in a sandwich maker or oven.