Pickle Sandwiches Are The Sour And Savory Treat You Should Try For Lunch
Despite their air of casualness, constructing a sandwich takes some work. Once you've found your bread, next comes a meat, cheese, and veggie combo that complement each other, as well as the right sauces and toppings. Yet even if you find the most delectable deli meat and some perfectly aged cheese to go with it, the pickles are still the best part — so why not center a sandwich around them?
Making a favorite ingredient the focal point of a sandwich isn't uncommon; grilled cheeses are a beloved comfort dish and tomato sandwiches are surprisingly delightful. Now, it's time for pickles to become the center of attention. The vinegary bite and satisfying crunch always have us craving more. With a pickle sandwich, you can maximize that effect. They're simple to make — swipe some butter onto the bread and add sliced pickles. They're affordable too, and that's by design.
Pickle sandwiches may have originated from the Great Depression era, becoming a staple thanks to the low cost of its ingredients, although there aren't definitive sources to back the claim. Butter added a little fat to the bread, though other iterations call for peanut butter, cream cheese, or mayo. These days, the sandwich can be spruced up some more. Instead of regular butter, go with an herbaceous compound butter to bring an earthy flavor to the sandwich. Some pickle relish can deliver a sweet kick, or you can layer salt and vinegar potato chips in between the pickles for an extra sour crunch.
What kinds of pickles should you use in your sandwich?
In classic pickle sandwiches, bread and butter pickles were the gherkins of choice. They taste similar to the classic sour dill pickle but are slightly tempered thanks to the sugar and sweet onions in the brine. While butter may be your preferred spread, whipped ricotta is a fitting choice. The nutty, mild cheese is perfect for the sweet and sour sides of bread and butter pickles; you can stir some hot honey into the cheese before whipping in the food processor, or lean more savory with a bit of basil and cilantro.
When delving into other types of pickles you can design the sandwiches to complement their flavors and textures. With kosher pickles, for example, their garlicky taste goes well with saltier spreads. Whip some pesto and mayo together to smooth onto the sandwich bread before adding sliced kosher pickles on top. Finish off the sandwich with slices of cherry tomatoes for an air of bright, juicy flavor.
For a classic sandwich, dill pickles are the way to go. A tame balance of salt and vinegar, the quintessential pickles are always a hit in any sandwich. Bring a refreshing touch to dill pickles and take notes from the Polish by making a sandwich inspired by creamy mizeria salad. After chopping up the pickles, coat them in a mixture of sour cream, vinegar, minced dill, salt, pepper, and minced onions before spreading the concoction onto your bread.