Sandwiches in one form or another are being eaten worldwide with vastly different fillings.
A sandwich is a food typically consisting of vegetables, sliced cheese or meat, placed on or between slices of bread, or more generally any dish wherein bread serves as a container or wrapper for the sandwich filling.
That’s a pretty fair description although I’d have to add fish to the list of fillings – you can’t beat tuna and mayo or even a tuna melt.
It seems that every country and even local areas have their favourite sandwich and the good thing is that just about all of them have a sandwich filling that can be used with your Stuffastick®.
I say nearly all because there are exceptions. Like the Francesinha from Portugal, which could get a bit messy even using Stuffastick® with a stuffed baguette. Filled with ham, cured pork sausage and steak with a toasted cheese topping, it’s served on a plate and covered with liberal amounts of a spicy tomato and beer sauce.
These are some of my favourite sandwich fillings from around the world.
Sabich – Israel
Traditionally served in a flatbread such as laffa or pita, Sabich is a popular Israeli fast food that rivals the more well-known Falafel.
Sabich fillings can vary but the major ingredients include:
- aubergine, fried until soft
- hard-boiled egg
- shredded cabbage
- pickles
- Israeli salad (diced tomato, cucumber, parsley and lemon juice)
- pickled mango sauce
- tahini sauce
- hummus
Often served as a breakfast, Sabich is a perfect snack for any time of the day and just as nice in a stuffed baguette.
Italian Beef – Chicago, USA
Sold throughout Chicago by restaurants and street vendors the Italian Beef is thought to have originated in the 1930s uses cheaper cuts of beef coated with Italian herbs and spices and wet roasted. The beef is thinly sliced and served with Giardiniera (pickled vegetable relish) and sauteed green sweet peppers.
Varieties of this sandwich filling include serving the bread dry or wetted with the beef jus or gravy.
Sloppy Joe – Iowa, USA
A Sloppy Joe is a sandwich made with minced beef or pork with onions and seasoning. Usually served on a toasted roll it is a perfect filling for a Stuffastick® filled baguette.
Supposedly originating in 1930’s Sioux City, Iowa, USA taking its name from a local chef called Joe.
A traditional Sloppy Joe filling consists of
- minced beef or pork
- chopped white onion
- garlic
- tomato puree or tomato paste
- water
- seasonings to taste
Its basically mince in a thick gravy or sauce with the seasoning of your own choice – one of my favourites.
Varieties of the original include
- the Greek – feta, oregano
- the Asian – pulled pork, ginger, garlic
- the Vegan – green lentils, black-eyed peas, garlic, red and / or green bell peppers
Banh Mi – Vietnam
A Banh Mi (literally translating to “bread”) is a Vietnamese street food consisting of a baguette filled with grilled meat – usually pork – pickled vegetables and flavoured mayo.
Baguettes were introduced to Vietnam by French colonists in the 1800s and varieties of the Banh Mi soon followed. Originally filled with pork, hams or pate Banh Mi now include varieties with all meats, fish and vegetables.
The fillings of a Banh Mi rival a Sloppy Joe for its number of varieties but they surely win with a Bánh mì kẹp kem which is filled with ice cream and crushed peanuts. Judging by the number of images shown from a quick Google search it must be a favourite.
Shawarma – Middle East
Shawarma is a popular street food throughout the Middle East. Derived from Turkish kebabs a Shawarma is traditionally served wrapped in flatbread but is perfect for a stuffed baguette.
Originally made with lamb or mutton Shawarma are now also made with beef and chicken. The meat is cooked in spices including cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon and cloves then thinly sliced into strips. Garnished with a raw slaw or pickled vegetables and toppings can include greek yoghurt, hummus, tahini, or garlic sauce.
Probably a bit too much preparation for the office lunch but delicious if you have the time.
Coronation Chicken – United Kingdom
Invented in 1953 for Queen Elizabeth II’s banquet, Coronation Chicken is a combination of cold cooked chicken with a creamy curry flavoured mayonnaise dressing. Usually used as a sandwich filling it can also be eaten with salad and is found in supermarkets and sandwich shops throughout the UK.
The original recipe was released to the public to allow them to give it a try. Unfortunately due to wartime rationing still being in place, only the lucky few got to actually try it.
Coronation chicken surely has more recipes than Sloppy Joes and Banh Mi have varieties but I’m sure whichever you choose will be tastier than the sad-looking bright yellow fillings I see in supermarkets today.
Conclusion
Until I started researching and writing this article I had no idea of the wealth and variety of good food that is being consumed in sandwiches around the world. You only have to look at supermarket shelves to see that the sandwich has moved on from it humble beginnings so I hope this inspires you to give something new a try.
Why not let us know your favourites.