The Century Cook Book Part 72

=SANDWICHES AND CANAPeS=

Sandwiches are usually the chief reliance for cold lunches, and are always acceptable if well made and attractively served. Where they are to be kept some time, as in traveling, they should be wrapped in oiled or paraffin paper, for this will keep them perfectly fresh.

Sandwiches may be made of white, Graham, or brown bread, or of fresh rolls, and may be filled with any kind of meat, with fish, with salads, with eggs, with jams, or with chopped nuts.

[Sidenote: Shapes.]

They may be cut into any shapes, the square and triangular ones being the usual forms, but a pleasant variety may be given by stamping them with a biscuit-cutter into circles, or by rolling them, and these forms are recommended for sandwiches made of jams or jellies, as it gives them a more distinctive character.

[Sidenote: How to prepare the meat.]

The meat used in sandwiches should be chopped to a fine mince, seasoned with salt and pepper, mustard, if desired, and moistened with a little water, stock, cream or milk, or with a salad dressing, using enough to make the mince spread well.

Fish can be pounded to a paste, then seasoned. Potted meats can also be used. Slices of anything that has a fibrous texture make the sandwich difficult to eat, and as knives and forks are not usually at hand when sandwiches are served, it is desirable to make the primitive way of eating as little objectionable as possible.

[Sidenote: b.u.t.ter.]

The b.u.t.ter for sandwiches should be of the best, and should be soft enough to spread easily without tearing the bread.

The b.u.t.ter may sometimes be worked into the meat paste. What are called "sandwich b.u.t.ters" are frequently used. They are made by rubbing the b.u.t.ter to a cream, combined with anchovy paste, with mustard, with chopped parsley and tarragon, with pate de foie gras, etc.

These b.u.t.ters are used to spread the bread for meat sandwiches, using with the b.u.t.ter any flavoring that will go well with the meat.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BREAD-AND-b.u.t.tER SANDWICHES.

Made of White, Graham, and Boston Brown Bread. (See page 364.)]

[Sidenote: Rolls.]

When rolls are used for sandwiches, they should be very fresh, should be small, and have a tender crust. The finger rolls are good for the purpose, also Parker House rolls, when made in suitable shape. Graham bread makes excellent sandwiches.

[Sidenote: How to prepare the bread.]

Bread for sandwiches should be of fine grain and a day old. A five-cent loaf cuts to good advantage. The crust should be cut off, and the loaf trimmed to good shape before the slices are cut. The crusts and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs can be dried for crumbs, so they are not wasted, and no b.u.t.ter is lost in spreading bread which will afterward be trimmed off. When the bread is ready, the b.u.t.ter should be spread on the loaf, and then a slice cut off evenly one eighth of an inch thick. The next slice will have to be cut off before being spread, in order to have it fit exactly the preceding piece. After the first slice is covered with the filling, lay the second slice on it. In many cases the second slice of bread does not need spreading with b.u.t.ter.

Cut the sandwich to the desired shape. One cut across the loaf will make two square, or four triangular, sandwiches.

[Sidenote: Meat sandwiches.]

Poultry, game, ham, beef, and tongue can be prepared as directed above, or they may be mixed with a French or a Mayonnaise dressing. Chicken pounded to a paste, then well mixed with a paste made of the yolks of hard-boiled eggs mashed, a little milk or cream, and a little b.u.t.ter, then seasoned with salt, pepper, and a few drops of onion-juice, makes a delicious chicken sandwich.

[Sidenote: Fish sandwiches.]

Anchovies, sardines, or any fresh boiled fish may be used for sandwiches. It is better pounded to a paste. Moisten sardines with a little lemon-juice.

Fresh fish should be well seasoned with salt and pepper, and moistened with a white or any other sauce, or with Mayonnaise.

A little chopped pickle may be added. Shad roe, mashed with a fork to separate the eggs, and seasoned in the same way, makes excellent sandwiches.

NOTE.--Sandwiches of any kind which are left over are good toasted, and can be served at luncheon.--M. R.

=EGG SANDWICHES=

No. 1. Cut hard-boiled eggs into slices; sprinkle with salt and pepper plentifully, and spread the bread with b.u.t.ter mixed with chopped parsley.

No. 2. Lay the sliced eggs between crisp lettuce leaves, and spread the bread with b.u.t.ter, then with Mayonnaise.

No. 3. Chop the hard-boiled eggs fine. Mix with Mayonnaise and spread on the b.u.t.tered bread, or mix them with well-seasoned white sauce.

=SALAD SANDWICHES=

No. 1. Lay a crisp lettuce leaf sprinkled with salt between b.u.t.tered thin slices of bread; or spread the bread with Mayonnaise, then with lettuce or with water-cress.

No. 2. Chop chicken and celery together fine; mix it with French or with Mayonnaise dressing.

No. 3. Chop lobster meat; mix it with any dressing; cut lettuce into ribbons; cover the bread with the lettuce; then a layer of lobster; then with lettuce again.

No. 4. Mix chopped olives with Mayonnaise; serve with afternoon tea.

=SPANISH SANDWICHES=

Spread b.u.t.tered Graham bread with mustard; then with a layer of cottage cheese; and then with a layer of chopped olives mixed with Mayonnaise.

=CHEESE SANDWICHES=

No. 1. Cut American cheese in slices one-eighth of an inch thick, or about the same thickness as the bread.

Sprinkle it with salt, and have the bread well b.u.t.tered.

No. 2. Cut Gruyere cheese in thin slices. Lay it on the bread, sprinkle it with salt and pepper; then add French mustard.

No. 3. Grate any cheese. Rub it to a paste with b.u.t.ter, and spread the bread; dust with salt and pepper. Cut into strips and serve with salad.

No. 4. Mock Crab. Rub to a smooth paste one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter, two tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, a saltspoonful each of salt, paprica, and dry mustard, a little anchovy paste, and a teaspoonful of vinegar.

Spread between thin slices of dry toast.

=RAW BEEF SANDWICHES=

Sc.r.a.pe the raw beef; spread it between thin slices of plain bread.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the sandwiches on a toaster, and hold them over the coals until well heated. Serve them hot.

=SWEET SANDWICHES=

No. 1. For aesthetic Sandwiches, see chapter "Five O'clock Tea," page 33.

No. 2. Spread thin slices of bread with any jam, or with fruit jelly, or with any preserved fruit, or with chopped canned fruit. Cut them into circles, or roll them as directed above.