Smoked Salmon Sandwich

For those who watched Donald Duck cartoons when we were young, the story went like this: he would go for a picnic, unveil a disproportionately tall sandwich, flatten it up with a single squash of the hand before enjoying it. He would then be ?terrorised? by Chip ?n? Dale, the two chipmunks, for just being at the wrong place and the wrong time. This time round, we are trying to replicate his tall sandwich, and learnt a few points to share with all.

Smoked Salmon-Avocado Sandwich

Ingredients (serves 4)
1) 8 slices whole-meal bread
2) Butter
3) 150 g smoked salmon
4) 4 medium tomatoes, sliced
5) 1 avocado, sliced
6) 1 lemon
7) Salsa
8) Salt and black pepper

Steps

1) Spread butter onto bread slices, i.e. 1 slice for each sandwich.
2) Toast bread in oven for about 3 min. We put on grill for 4.5 min and dark-browned 2 pieces of bread ? unpalatable. So watch the bread.
3) On toasted bread, place tomato and avocado slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. We came up with 2 variations ? one with salmon and the other without. Omit salt for the ones with salmon, as smoked salmon is salty enough.
4) Layer salmon slices. Squeeze some lemon juice over.
5) Spread salsa on top. We added yoghurt with salsa for some creaminess. It worked!
6) Piece on the other slice of bread. Enjoy!

We use whole-meal (multigrain) bread as much as possible. They not only contain more vitamins and fibre, but taste better the more you chew into it. Whole-meal bread tend not to become mushy like white bread, i.e. holds its shape better in sandwiches.

We have to admit the yoghurt is actually an improvisation ? we were out of mayonnaise! It has actually become a tasty and healthier choice on our menu! Crème fraiche and low-fat mayonnaise are other possible alternatives.

When putting ingredients on sandwich, we are often guilty of piling up more than what our poor bread can hold. A good rule of thumb is to place ingredients such that they are about a slice of bread thick. I did try the ?Donald Duck squash?, but it never turned out good. If the tomato slices are already slipping off the top, it is time to top up the bread and start off with a new bottom piece.