Sandwiches That Go Crunch

Salads accompanied by crusty bread have always been a favorite of mine. Lately, however, I’ve been putting salad right on the bread to make the most wonderful sandwiches.

This came about because I wanted to use fewer of the high-fat ingredients typically found in the best sandwiches, without sacrificing essential flavor and moistness. A salad also gives a sandwich a refreshing crunch.

The following sandwiches use salad as their base. There’s a smoked salmon bagel sandwich with chopped salad cream cheese (capers, onions, lettuce and cucumber), a roast beef (or brisket) sandwich with tangy red cabbage slaw and horseradish and a chopped Greek salad sandwich with roasted red peppers.

A large peasant-style lightly soured loaf is ideal for these sandwiches--a softer bread will fall apart. Cut the bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices. When the sandwiches are assembled, cut them in quarters and secure each piece with a long toothpick for easy handling.

SMOKED SALMON BAGEL SANDWICH WITH CHOPPED SALAD CREAM CHEESE

Use lightly smoked, low-salt salmon for this sandwich. If you’re unsure about the product, ask for a taste before you buy it.

CHOPPED SALAD CREAM CHEESE

1/4 cup light cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup minced sweet onion

1/3 cup drained capers

1/3 cup finely diced Romaine lettuce (inner leaves)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Pinch salt

Freshly ground black pepper

SANDWICH

2 plain bagels, split, lightly toasted and warm

1/4 pound very thinly sliced smoked salmon

2 thin slices tomato

CHOPPED SALAD CREAM CHEESE

Combine cream cheese with onion, capers, lettuce, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste in mixing bowl. Can be made few hours ahead and refrigerated. Stir before using.

SANDWICH

Divide Chopped Salad Cream Cheese between 2 bagel halves. Spread evenly. Layer salmon, dividing evenly. Top each with tomato. Close bagel; lightly press together with hands. Cut in half.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

Each sandwich contains about:

172 calories; 2,090 mg sodium; 28 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 54 grams carbohydrates; 24 grams protein; 2.40 grams fiber.

ROAST BEEF SANDWICH WITH TANGY RED CABBAGE SLAW AND HORSERADISH

This sandwich combination is inspired by the “brisket-on-a-biscuit” I made last year at the James Beard Awards Reception in New York. Thinly sliced roast beef from the deli counter works as well as brisket. You may have some extra slaw, which can last for a few days.

RED CABBAGE SLAW

1/2 small red cabbage, cored

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Red pepper flakes

SANDWICH

4 teaspoons white horseradish

8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices bread

10 ounces roast beef (or brisket), trimmed of fat, thinly sliced

RED CABBAGE SLAW

Thinly slice cabbage into about 1-inch lengths (so it’s manageable in a sandwich); you will have about 2-1/2 cups. Combine cabbage with green onions in large bowl.

Combine oil, vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, salt and red pepper flakes to taste in small dish. Toss with cabbage. Allow slaw to chill at least 3 hours or overnight. Before using, stir and adjust seasoning.

SANDWICH

Spread 1 teaspoon horseradish on each of 4 slices of bread. Layer meat, divided evenly, over horseradish. Use about 1/3 cup coleslaw to spread over meat layer; lightly compact with spatula. Top with bread. Lightly press together with hands. Cut sandwiches into quarters; secure each quarter with long toothpick.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Each sandwich, using all of the slaw, contains about:

581 calories; 846 mg sodium; 62 mg cholesterol; 34 grams fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 23 grams protein; 0.60 gram fiber.

CHOPPED GREEK SALAD SANDWICH WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Here, a chopped Greek salad works wonders with a vegetable sandwich. The black olive spread, sold in many delis and supermarkets, and roasted red peppers heighten the flavors of the salad.

GREEK SALAD

2/3 cup finely diced sweet onion

2/3 cup finely diced seeded, peeled cucumber

2/3 cup finely diced seeded, peeled tomato

2 teaspoons fresh dill, chilled

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons light mayonnaise

Pinch salt

Freshly ground pepper

SANDWICH

1 tablespoon prepared black olive spread

6 (1/2-inch-thick) slices fresh bread

Large Boston lettuce leaves

1 red bell pepper, roasted, cut into strips

GREEK SALAD

Combine onion, cucumber, tomato, dill, feta cheese, mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste in bowl. Can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated. Stir before using.

SANDWICH

Spread 1 teaspoon black olive spread on each of 3 slices of bread. Top with Greek Salad, evenly divided among sandwiches. Spread salad over bread and lightly compact with spatula. Top with lettuce leaves, then with red pepper strips, evenly divided. Top with remaining bread. Lightly press together with hands. Cut sandwiches into quarters; secure each quarter with long toothpick.

Makes 3 sandwiches.

Each sandwich contains about:

371 calories; 834 mg sodium; 19 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 1.55 grams fiber.