Salmon Sandwiches Part One
Serious Sandwich 10
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We start this newsletter in 1980’s Gloucestershire. There is only one salmon sandwich and it’s made with tinned fish and its crunchy nuggs of bone, all mashed, mayoed and spread thinly inside neat triangles, possibly with cucumber.
The smoked salmon sandwich had yet to enter the chat (the chat itself did not exist) and it would feel out of place here as a breakfast-centric sandwich deserving of its own space and discussion. What we’re talking about today is an unlikely contender for sandwich filling of the year: cooked salmon. When was the last time you even considered it? This is what makes our newsletter for paid subs so interesting this week. Lucy Dearlove considers the history of the tinned salmon filling and its relationship to funeral buffets. Yes. Not subscribed? Upgrade now.
We want to acknowledge the unchallenging light brown bread that works so well with fish, but we also want to give thanks to the chunky heft of bougie focaccia that we’re leaning into for our confit salmon and caper sandwich this week.
We’re going to cover the scale (groan) from tinned salmon to fancy salmon. If using the former though, make sure to check your can for the words Alaskan pink salmon, sockeye or red salmon. If it’s Atlantic, don’t buy it - it’ll be farmed, and farmed salmon is cruel and environmentally devastating. That’s not an exaggeration!
Tinned Salmon and Seaweed Butter
Serves 1 This sandwich should be made right before eating, otherwise the cucumber will become floppy, its water seeping into the bread. Whether you peel the cucumber or not is up to you - we never bother.
2 slices white or brown bread
1 tin of salmon (see above notes re: choosing!)
3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise
Small squeeze lemon juice
Softened butter, for spreading
6 thin slices cucumber
1 tablespoon blitzed seaweed such as nori
It’s easiest to blitz the nori in a spice grinder, but you could also crumble it with your fingertips. Combine it with the softened butter and mix well.
Combine the salmon, mayonnaise and lemon juice with some salt and pepper and mix well.
Spread one side of the sandwich with seaweed butter and load the other with the salmon mixture. Top with sliced cucumber and serve immediately.
Confit Salmon (or Beetroot) with Herb and Anchovy Mayo
Serves 2 Focaccia sandwiches have had a moment in the past few years, certainly in London (see Dusty Knuckle, Max’s, 40 Maltby St and so on) and this is in the same vein. The salmon doesn’t need to be confited, but it sure does help - the flakes are super silky.
2 large pieces focaccia, split
Sliced cucumber
Caper berries
Salmon
2 salmon fillets (*or beetroot - see instructions below)
3 tablespoons sea salt
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
2 tablespoons golden caster sugar
Olive oil, to cover the salmon
2 sprigs rosemary
3 cloves garlic, peeled
Mixed herb garlic and anchovy mayo
Small handful Chives, finely chopped
Small handful Mint leaves
Small handful Basil leaves
8 tablespoons Mayo
Small squeeze lemon juice
2 tablespoons Yoghurt
3 confit garlic cloves, mashed
3 Anchovies
Combine the salt, sugar and lemon zest and mix well. Rub this mixture all over the salmon fillets. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Rinse the mixture off the salmon, then pat dry. Preheat the oven to 80C. *If using beetroot, simply follow the steps below but with large, peeled chunks of beetroot, which will take around an hour to cook.
Place the salmon in a heavy-based saucepan with the garlic and rosemary. Cover with olive oil. Cook for 8 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it sit for a further 5 minutes.
Remove the garlic cloves and salmon.
Make the mayonnaise by mixing together all the ingredients and seasoning.
Layer up the mayo, flakes of confited salmon, cucumber and caper berries inside the sandwich.
Salmon Fishcake, Gribiche, Salt and Vinegar Crisps
Serves 2 This is our riff on the ‘salmon burgers’ often found on bar menus. Serve with a glass of middling Chardonnay for an authentic experience.
2 lengths baguette
Salt and vinegar crisps
Butter
Trout or salmon roe (optional)
Fishcakes
400g salmon fillets, skin removed
3 spring onions, sliced
Zest 1 lemon
1 chilli, deseeded
1 teaspoon fish sauce
½ teaspoon white pepper
Gribiche
1 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
½ teaspoon Dijon
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
½ heaped tablespoon capers, chopped
A few pitted green olives, chopped
Small handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
Small handful chives, chopped
Small handful tarragon, leaves picked and chopped
Olive oil to loosen
Whizz the fish cake ingredients in a blender with a pinch of salt. Divide into balls and flatten into 6 discs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, to firm them up.
Combine all the ingredients for the gribiche with a pinch of salt and set aside.
To cook the fishcakes, heat a splash of vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the fishcakes for a couple of minutes on each side, until cooked.
Layer up the sandwiches with butter, crisps, fish cakes, gribiche, and roe, if using.