Your Cooking Companion's Guide to Great International Sandwiches

By Daniel Slobodien

Take a world tour from your home kitchen. Come and explore the best sandwiches found from all corners of the world: Latin America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Mediterranean, North Africa, and even Down Under (Australia). I constantly got hungry reading this, and you are sure to get hungry reading it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Daniel Slobodien
• Release date: Nov 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463329795

Daniel Slobodien

Chef Dan Slobodien has worked in the restaurant and food industry for over 40 years, never losing his passion for producing the finest foods possible – always from scratch.Having owned two restaurants in the past, exploring American regional cuisines and global favorites – always with Chef Dan’s signature twist.Throughout his career, Chef Dan has always had a keen interest in teaching his craft. Chef Dan conducted cooking classes for people of all ages, especially for children and young adults.Newly retired from the restaurant world, Chef Dan keeps busy writing - aimed toward teaching everyone the lifeskill of cooking and good eating (they go hand-in-hand). Toward that end, please visit his blog, YourCookingCompanion.com.

Book preview

Your Cooking Companion’s Guide To

International Sandwiches

Travel the Globe from Your Home Kitchen!

Written by Chef Dan Slobodien

Smashwords Edition 2019

ISBN 9780463329795

Thank you for downloading this eBook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

© 2019 Chef Dan Enterprises, LLC/ Daniel Slobodien

All rights reserved. No Part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission of the author/publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome to Great International Sandwiches

Some Tips for Successful Sandwich Construction

Latin American Sandwiches

Common Components

Homemade Tortillas

Ground Beef Filling

Chicken Fillings

Pork Fillings

Beef Fillings

Shrimp Fillings

Fish Fillings

Salsas, toppings & Condiments

Popular Latin American Sandwiches

Chorizo & Potato Taco

Baja Fish Taco

Argentine Beef

Empanada

Arepa

Pupusa

Pambazo

Cemita

Cubano

Torta

Asian Sandwiches

Bulgogi Beef Tacos

Chicken Bánh Mì

Shrimp Bánh Mì

Katsu Sando

Malaysian Roti John

Teriyaki Salmon Burger

Pork Belly Baos

European Sandwiches

Bosna Wurst

Italian Sausage & Pepper

Porchetta

Caprese Panini

Eggplant Parmesan

Grilled Portabello

Sausage & Broccoli Rabe

White Pizza Grilled Cheese

Italian Tuna Melt

Croque Monsieur

Croque Madame

Jambon Beurre

French Dip

Some More Popular French Sandwiches

Zapiekanka

Frankfurters

Currywurst

Wiener Schnitzel Sandwich

Oktoberfest Bratwurst Sliders

Döner Kebabs

Chip Butty

Welsh Rarebit

la Mitraillette

Franceshinha

Scandinavian Gravlax Club

Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, & North African Sandwiches

Falafels

Lamb Gyros

Souvlaki

Greek Sloppy Joes

Shawarma Sandwiches

Döner Kebabs

Kefta Wrap

Merguez Sausage & Potato Wrap

Australian Sandwich

Vegemite Sandwich

Welcome to Great International Sandwiches!

In previous eBooks of the "Your Cooking Companion" series, we examined favorite breakfast sandwiches and also great sandwiches from the different regions of America. Now, let's take a trip abroad to explore the absolute best sandwiches from around the globe.

There is perhaps no food more versatile than the humble sandwich. Someone once remarked that I could make a sandwich out of anything. Guilty as charged! I love sandwiches - I can't help myself. Chef David Chang, whose iconic Pork Belly Buns are featured in this eBook, sums it up well: Steamed bread + tasty meat = good eating. Now, not every sandwich has bread that's been steamed - some are plain, some are toasted ...but you get the idea.

That might sound like a silly thing to say about something that can be described as something delicious jammed between two hunks of starch. Sandwiches have come a long way and are very often greater than the sum of its parts. The sandwich's dominant presence in virtually every culture on the planet and across the centuries speaks to its universality. Sandwiches can be pretty much anything (except a hot dog). They can be a simple, on-the-go street food affordable to the masses. They can be luxurious and complex creations by world-class chefs. They can be sweet or savory, hot or cold, big and small. And sometimes, they can offer a glimpse into traditions and customs of the regions from which they’ve sprung. Sandwiches bridge gaps between cultures and classes.

You will find many recipes that so quick and simple. You will also find recipes that are complex and challenging. The common thing is that they are all satisfying and comforting.

Enough talk - Let's go to kitchen!

Back to Table of Contents

Some Tips for Successful Sandwich Construction:

Use good ingredients. For instance, the meat that is cut fresh at the deli counter is always better than the prepackaged stuff

Use a good quality bread (unless you really like Wonder Bread™). For most sandwiches, you can’t beat a nice, thick & crisp crust. Consider using a flavored bread: Studded with olives, rosemary, roasted garlic, etc.

Use the right bread for the filling. The general rule of thumb is the moister the filling, the drier and denser the bread needs to be – otherwise, you wind up with a soggy mess. For very moist fillings, consider making it a wrap, or using a flour tortilla. Both will corral moist fillings very nicely.

Have a good ratio of bread to filling. In other words, don’t overstuff the sandwich, so that the bread can’t hold it all – and don’t make it so skimpy that the bread is all you taste

Use a spread to add flavor and moisture. The traditional spreads are mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup – but feel free to try BBQ sauce, salad dressings, salsas, pesto, etc. Be sure to take the spread all the way out to the edge of your bread – it helps to keep the filling stay inside

Unless you plan to eat the sandwich right away, be careful about adding moist ingredients like lettuce and tomato. It is better to keep them on the side until you’re ready to eat.

Use a sharp serrated knife to cut your sandwich. Use a nice, gentle sawing motion – let the knife do the work – so that you don’t press down on the sandwich and squeeze out all the filling

Back to Table of Contents

Latin American Sandwiches

In the spirit of encouraging creativity and experimentation, this chapter is starting off a bit differently. In years past, people thought a taco simply consisted of a filling of ground beef, shredded lettuce, and a topping of grated cheddar cheese. Not anymore! With the emergence and popularity of food trucks, especially the taco trucks, all the rules have been broken. In addition to the food trucks, there are taquerias that offer tacos with creative twists that have been phenomenally successful. Now, anything goes! As tacos have become more exotic, their popularity has soared.

To get your creative juices flowing, the common and most popular components found throughout Latin America will be presented. Having the recipes for these building blocks, along with a bit of encouragement, you will have all the ingredients to create your own masterpieces. I believe Latin American cuisines lend themselves to improvisation - which is what makes them so great.

We'll start with making homemade tortillas - both corn and flour. Of course, you don't have to make these yourself, but I encourage you to try. You'll find that they are not difficult. Because they are so simple and have few ingredients, they are easy and fun to make. You need to pay attention to some little details, but after a little practice, you'll be making homemade tortillas that are far superior than store-bought. And, you'll be proud of yourself!

After that, we'll examine common protein fillings of beef, chicken, and pork, lamb, shrimp, and fish.

Finally, we'll look at popular salsas, toppings, and condiments to make your creations the best they can be.

Once you have these major components, let your imagination take over. Having a taco party is fun and a guaranteed success - especially when you put out the ingredients and invite your guests to make their own.

To wrap up this chapter we'll take a look at some popular Latin American sandwiches.

Making Homemade Tortillas

It helps to have some special equipment, especially a tortilla press – but it’s not absolutely essential. You can always use a rolling pin with good results – but a tortilla press isn’t expensive. Also, a non- stick griddle is helpful, but you can make them in a skillet just as well. The authentic cooking vessel is known as a Comal, but I like my griddle better, which