Not long ago, I stopped by a table at Spago to greet some regulars. They were finishing lunch, getting ready to return to San Diego, and one of them had a great idea.
She and her husband were neighbors of comedian Jerry Lewis, and she said, “Let’s call up Jerry and see if he wants takeout from Wolfgang.” A moment later, Jerry was on her cell phone. She handed it to me.
“I’ll make you anything,” I told him.
“All I want,” said Jerry, “is a simple ham and cheese sandwich.”
His friends were surprised. After all, I could have sent him one of my Chinois chicken salads, or a partially baked pizza crust ready to finish in the oven and top with dill creme fraiche and my smoked salmon.
But I knew exactly what Jerry meant. Nothing satisfies like a well-made sandwich, and I went all out. In the process, I followed some simple rules that you can use to make great sandwiches for school or work lunchboxes.
First, use good quality, freshly baked bread with flavor and texture.
Then there’s the filling. Always select the best-quality ingredients, be generous with them, and try intriguing combinations. For this sandwich, I started with Black Forest ham and cut it into paper-thin slices; the Italian cured ham known as prosciutto is another excellent option. Then, instead of the usual sliced Swiss, I used ripe French Brie, which has a rich, slightly nutty flavor that goes perfectly with the sweet, salty ham.
Next come the condiments, which contribute moisture and flavor just as a sauce does for a fine entree. Since Jerry’s sandwich had some distance to travel, during which the condiments would probably make the bread soggy, I packed Dijon mustard and mayonnaise in separate containers, ready for him to smear on just before eating. You should do the same for your lunchbox condiments, like the honey mustard I include in this recipe. Also separately pack any lettuce, tomato, pickles or other moist additions.
Finally, I wrapped the sandwich airtight in plastic wrap and packed it in a sturdy bag with some ice packets to make sure the perishable filling stayed fresh.
A few hours later, I got a call from Jerry Lewis, declaring it the best ham and cheese sandwich he had ever eaten. There’s nothing like biting into a crispy baguette and experiencing the sweetness, tartness and smokiness, all mixed together.
Follow my simple rules, and you’ll probably agree.
Ham and Brie baguette sandwiches with honey-mustard mayonnaise
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
This recipe uses a raw egg. Some cases of salmonella have been traced to raw eggs, although this is rare. To offset the possibility, you can purchase pasteurized whole eggs in many supermarkets. Or, you can start with 1 1/3 cups prepared mayonnaise, then stir in the mustard and honey. We calculated 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise per sandwich for the nutritional information. This is a highly caloric sandwich; you could reduce the calories by using reduced-fat mayo and cutting back on the cheese and ham.
Mayonnaise:
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Sandwiches:
1 baguette loaf
1/2 pound thinly sliced Black Forest ham
6 ounces ripe Brie cheese, cut into thin slices or wedges
4 leaves romaine lettuce, preferably pale yellow inner leaves
Thinly sliced tomato, dill pickle chips, thinly sliced red onion, optional
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. For the mayonnaise, place the vinegar, egg, mustard, salt and pepper to taste in a food processor. Turn machine on; slowly drizzle in the olive oil, until all of the oil has been added and a thick mayonnaise has formed. Add the honey; pulse to blend. (You should have about 1 1/2 cups; store any remainder in the refrigerator.)
2. For the sandwiches, cut the baguette crosswise into two equal pieces; halve each piece horizontally lengthwise, taking care not to cut all the way through, so that it opens like a book. Coat the inside surfaces generously with the mayonnaise. Layer the ham, cheese and lettuce inside each baguette half, adding sliced tomato, pickles and onion if you like. Close each sandwich.
Nutrition information per serving:
1,080 calories,% of calories from fat, g fat, g saturated fat, mg cholesterol, g carbohydrates, g protein, mg sodium, g fiber
