Dress up the Salad for Your Next Sandwich, Coward.
One of the easiest ways to make sure someone is food savvy is to ask them to make you a sandwich. A good sandwich is a balance of flavors and textures, and the best ones are made by people who are good at both. A sandwich is more than layers of meat and cheese between two slices of bread – it’s a holistic set of ingredients, flavors and mouthfeel.
Every component of a sandwich needs to be carefully considered: would this sandwich’s filling be best served with a piece of stale toast? Or would a soft roll be a better platform? Is the jerky seasoning enough for the whole dish, or do you need an extra pinch of salt and maybe a little pepper? Where are we with the level of acidity? These are all things you should consider when making a sandwich, but there is one ingredient that is often overlooked.
Of all the things you can put on a sandwich, lettuce is one of the least considered by many. While I think a lot about sandwich salad. I love chopping —although I’ve gotten into lettuce lately—and I can even fuck with slightly bitter spinach or very bitter radicchio if the sandwich calls for it. But one thing I won’t leave alone is an unseasoned, ill-conceived salad.
The primary role of lettuce in a sandwich is to provide texture and, to a lesser extent, nutrition, but that grippy, textured nature is what makes it such a good vehicle for more flavor . Think about it this way: would you eat a salad without dressing? No. You wouldn’t. (Unless you’re having real texture issues, in which case, my condolences.) Think of greens for sandwiches the same way you would greens for salad, and take the time to make some high-acid vinaigrette , or at least mix the leaves with fresh vegetables. lemon juice or maybe a little red wine vinegar.
Then season with a little salt, grate some fresh pepper and maybe – if you’re making an Italian appetizer – add a few pinches of oregano. I’ve even been known to season my salad sandwich with MSG if I’m going for an all-out savory vibe. Just don’t skip the salad completely. It deserves consideration.