Les Sandwiches/Sandwiches - BBQ Bistro: Simple, Sophisticated French Recipes for Your Grill (2015)

BBQ Bistro: Simple, Sophisticated French Recipes for Your Grill (2015)

CHAPTER 5

LES SANDWICHES

SANDWICHES

Toasted Croissants with Grilled Tomatoes and Bacon

Truffled Brioche Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Grilled French Garden Sandwiches

Mini Lamb Burgers with Cilantro-Mint Butter

Ooh-la-la Burger with Brie and Avocado

Ham, Comté, and Apple sous la Brique

Croque Monsieur on the Grill Griddle

Grilled Chicken Banh Mi

Grilled Tuna Pan Bagnat

The French were latecomers to the idea of a sandwich, made popular by the British Earl of Sandwich in the late eighteenth century.

Maybe that’s because sandwiches are informal, “grab and go” casual eating. To the French, sandwiches are not a formal meal, but they are meant for a park bench, a sandy beach, or a wine bar. An open-face sandwich or tartine is considered a first course or appetizer.

Even the French idea of a barbecue is different than ours. Writes blogger Jamie Schler from her home in Nantes, in northwestern France: “Yes, the typical French barbecue is pretty much a replica of a sophisticated indoor dinner party, simply moved out onto the patio. Organized and orderly, just a handful of close friends, beautiful food and plenty of wine, the French concept of the outdoor barbecue or, for that matter, picnics, is just another meal, albeit al fresco.”

Vive la différence!

Once you’ve tasted our Ooh-la-la Burger with Brie and Avocado (page 90) topped with a small round of grilled Brie and Avocado Relish, you’ll be glad that bistro-style barbecue criss-crosses the proverbial pond so well. The classic Croque Monsieur on the Grill Griddle (page 93), Ham, Comté, and Apple sous la Brique (page 92), and Grilled Chicken Banh Mi (page 94) show that sandwiches with a French twist are very much at home on the North American patio.

TOASTED CROISSANTS WITH GRILLED TOMATOES AND BACON

OOH-LA-LA CROISSANTS ON THE GRILL REALLY GET TOASTED. THE CHARRY, CRISPY grill marks only add to their allure—and their flavor. Choose tomatoes that are ripe but still firm. We suggest grilling only one side of the tomato slices so that they do not get mushy and fall apart on the grill.

SERVES 4

4 croissants, halved

Olive oil for brushing

3 medium-size tomatoes, cut into ⅜-inch-thick (0.75 cm) slices

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (113 g) Boursin cheese

4 teaspoons olive paste or tapenade

8 strips bacon, cooked crisp

8 to 12 fresh basil leaves

1 bunch fresh chives, snipped, about 2 ounces (60 g)

Prepare a medium-hot indirect fire in your grill.

Brush the cut side of the croissants with olive oil. Place the croissants cut-side down over the fire. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes, until browned. Move to the indirect side to keep warm.

Brush both sides of the tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes directly over the fire. Grill on one side for 2 to 3 minutes, until tomato slices have good grill marks.

Spread one-fourth of the cheese on the bottom halves of croissants and one-fourth of the olive paste on the top halves. On bottom halves, layer with grilled tomato slices, bacon, basil, and snipped chives. Cover with croissant top halves and serve warm.

VARIATION:

Use other types of bread, such as ciabatta, challah, or sourdough, and cut them into ½-inch-thick (1 cm) slices.

TRUFFLED BRIOCHE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES

SUPERB GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES ARE IN A CLASS TO THEMSELVES. BRIOCHE bread—so buttery and delicious—is our favorite for this sandwich, but other breads like focaccia, ciabatta, and sourdough are very good substitutes.

SERVES 4

8 slices brioche, ¾ inch (1.5 cm) thick

4 tablespoons butter, melted

4 ounces (115 g) goat cheese, at room temperature

2 ounces (55 g) Neufchâtel cream cheese, at room temperature

1 bunch fresh chives, snipped, about 2 ounces (60 g)

2 ounces (56 g) fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

2 ounces (55 g) Camembert cheese, at room temperature

1 to 2 tablespoons white truffle oil

Prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill.

Lightly brush one side of each slice of brioche with melted butter. Lay the slices of bread, butter-side down, on a baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese and cream cheese and stir to blend. Spread the cheese mixture evenly on four of the brioche slices. Top with the chopped chives and spinach.

Thinly slice the Camembert and evenly distribute on top of the chives and spinach. Drizzle the truffle oil on each of the four naked slices of brioche and place those slices on top of the cheese.

Grill over the fire for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until the bread is browned with good grill marks and the cheese has melted. Slice in half and serve with Grilled Onion Soup (page 124).

GRILLED FRENCH GARDEN SANDWICHES

HERE’S A GOOD-FOR-YOU SANDWICH THAT EVERYONE WILL LOVE. YOU CAN USE store-bought roasted peppers in a jar or roast your own. To roast peppers, preheat the broiler or your grill to high. Broil or grill whole peppers until blackened, blistered, and tender. Place peppers in a brown paper bag and close the top. Set aside for about 5 minutes, until cool. Slice the peppers open to remove the core and seeds. Rub excess char off the skins. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. A batard is similar to a larger baguette, or you could use a loaf of Italian bread.

SERVES 4 TO 6

1 batard, halved lengthwise

Olive oil for brushing

½ cup (125 g) Four-Herb Pistou (page 27)

9 ounces (255 g) soft goat cheese

4 plum (Roma) tomatoes, sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup (110 g) roasted red bell pepper strips (see note above)

½ cup (75 g) chopped drained canned or marinated artichoke hearts

¼ cup (40 g) pitted and sliced green olives

2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Prepare a medium-hot indirect fire in your grill.

Hollow out about one-third of the top half of the bread. Lightly brush the inside of both halves with olive oil. Spread pesto on the top half and goat cheese on the bottom half. On the bottom half, layer with tomato slices and season with salt and pepper. Layer with roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, green olives, and walnuts. Cover with the top half. Brush the sandwich all over with olive oil and wrap in foil.

Grill the sandwich over the fire for about 5 minutes per side, turning once, until heated through. Move to the indirect side, close the lid and grill for 10 minutes.

Cut sandwich into four or six slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

MINI LAMB BURGERS WITH CILANTRO-MINT BUTTER

FOR A BOLD BURGER, YOU CAN’T BEAT THIS ONE, WITH ITS PUNGENT SPICES AND aromatic topping suggestive of the former French colonies in northern Africa—Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.

SERVES 4

Cilantro-Mint Butter

½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1½ tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1½ tablespoons finely chopped mint

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound (450 g) lean ground lamb

3 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 Kaiser rolls, hamburger buns, or pita breads

Lettuce, for garnish

Sliced tomato, cucumber, and onion, for garnish

For the Cilantro-Mint Butter, stir together the butter, cilantro, mint, and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill.

In a large bowl, using your hands, combine lamb, breadcrumbs, green onion, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon. Form into four ½-inch-thick (1 cm) patties.

Grill the Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns cut-side down for 1 to 2 minutes until you get good grill marks. Spread with some of the butter and set aside.

Grill the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, or until meat thermometer inserted in the center of a burger registers 160°F (75°C) for well done or to your liking.

Place each burger on a roll, top with additional butter, and garnish with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and onion.

OOH-LA-LA BURGER WITH BRIE AND AVOCADO

THIS DECADENT VERSION OF A TRADITIONAL CHEESEBURGER HAS STYLE AND PANACHE, as well as great flavor. Grilling a whole baby Brie is a lot easier than you think. You just have to pay attention and take it off the grill the minute you see the cheese starting to ooze out of the rind. Then this soft gooey decadent cheese is divided and placed on top of the burger.

SERVES 4

Avocado Relish

1 large ripe avocado, pitted and diced

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ cup (5 g) finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Olive oil for brushing

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Fine kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound (450 g) ground chuck, formed into four 1-inch-thick (2.5 cm) patties

4 seeded hamburger buns, Kaiser rolls, or ciabattini

Olive oil for brushing

1 large red onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick (1 cm) slices

One 6-to-8-ounce wheel (170 to 227 g) baby Brie

Fine kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large beefsteak tomato, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) slices

For the Avocado Relish, combine the avocado, garlic, parsley, olive oil, and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.

Prepare a hot fire in your grill.

Place the patties on a plate on a baking sheet. Brush the cut side of the buns with olive oil. Brush the red onion slices and the Brie with olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Place on the baking sheet to take out to the grill.

Grill the cut side of the buns for 1 to 2 minutes to lightly brown. Grill the onions, turning once, for 8 minutes. Grill the burgers, turning once, for 7 minutes for medium. Place the Brie in an aluminum pan and set beside the burgers and grill for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the cheese is just beginning to ooze out of the rind.

Place each burger on the bottom half of a bun and top with the grilled onions and a slice of tomato. Cut the Brie into four wedges and place a wedge on top of each burger. Place the top portion of the bun on each burger and serve immediately with the Avocado Relish on the side for diners to add to their burgers as they wish.

FRENCH-STYLE SANDWICHES ON THE GRILL

Enjoying a French-style sandwich on the grill is easy. Cut a baguette in half lengthwise, and tear out a little of the inner crumb so you’ll have more room for fillings. Layer the baguette with fillings of your choice, then put the top back on. Brush the whole baguette with olive oil. Wrap the baguette with foil. Grill over medium heat with the grill lid closed, turning as necessary, until warmed through, about 20 minutes. Cut into crusty slices and serve with a napkin.

We’ve taken our inspiration for sandwich fillings from the various regions of France:

THE ALPES—Spread the inside of the baguette with unsalted butter, then layer on slices of the French Comté or Gruyére, plus finely chopped pickled plums, cornichons, or other preserved condiment to give a little sharpness.

THE AUVERGNE—Spread the inside of the baguette with unsalted butter, then layer on slices of Cantal, a medium-bodied cheese similar to Cheddar, and grilled leeks, shallots, or onion slices.

THE AVEYRON—Spread the inside of the baguette with unsalted butter, then spread with Roquefort and top with dollops of fig confiture or jam.

NORMANDY—Spread the inside of the baguette with unsalted butter, then layer on slices of Camembert with slices of a tart apple like Granny Smith.

PROVENCE—Brush the inside of the baguette with Pistou (page 27) or Aioli (page 29), then slather on fresh goat cheese. Top with sliced and pitted cured olives, roasted red peppers, and sliced fresh tomatoes.

HAM, COMTÉ, AND APPLE SOUS LA BRIQUE

SOUS LA BRIQUE MEANS “UNDER A BRICK.” YOU PRESS THE SANDWICHES DOWN (LIKE paninis) as they grill. To do this, simply cover two bricks with foil, use a heavy cast-iron skillet as a weight, or simply press down hard on the panini with a heavy-duty grill spatula. Comté is from the Franche-Comté region in the Jura Mountains and is similar to Gruyère, which you can also use. Jambon de Bayonne is a French cured ham similar to Italian prosciutto and Spanish serrano ham. The key to the sandwich is thin flavorful ham. Thinly sliced cured Virginia ham or other artisan cured ham would be sublime.

SERVES 4

8 slices country-style French bread, ½ inch (1 cm) thick

Olive oil for brushing

8 ounces (250 g) Comté, rind removed and sliced

1 apple, cored and thinly sliced

8 thin slices ham

Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill. Have a heavy cast-iron skillet, two foil-wrapped bricks, or a heavy-duty grill spatula by the grill.

Brush all sides of each slice of bread with olive oil. On the bottom portion of each sandwich, place the cheese, then the apple slices, and then the ham. Top with the remaining slice of bread. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet to take out to the grill.

Place two sandwiches on the grill at a time and weight or press down with the bricks. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until you have good grill marks and the cheese has melted. Then grill the other two sandwiches.

Slice each sandwich in half and serve hot.

CROQUE MONSIEUR ON THE GRILL GRIDDLE

ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SANDWICHES AT A FRENCH CAFÉ IS THIS CRUNCHY ham and cheese sandwich. Pain de mie or brioche would be excellent French bread to use. The classic sandwich recipe uses crustless bread, but since the sandwich is supposed to be crunchy, keep the crust if you like. We use a grill griddle on the grill for this recipe because the cheese will ooze out of the sandwich and a griddle allows for easier clean up.

SERVES 4

Mornay Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour

1½ cups (375 ml) whole milk, hot

¼ cup (30 g) Gruyère cheese, grated

¼ cup (30 g) Parmesan cheese, grated

¼ teaspoon hot sauce

Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

8 slices bread ½ inch (1 cm) thick (like brioche, pain de mie, or sourdough)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Dijon mustard

½ cup (60 g) ham, thinly sliced

½ cup (60 g) Gruyère or Emmental cheese, grated

Snipped chives, for garnish

Shavings of Gruyère, for garnish

For the Mornay Sauce, melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan that can also be placed over the grill. Stir in the flour for about 2 minutes to make a paste (roux). Slowly add the hot milk, whisking constantly until the sauce is thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheeses, hot sauce, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill and set a grill griddle on top of the fire.

Place the eight pieces of bread on a baking sheet and lightly brush one side with the melted butter and turn the bread butter-side down. Lightly brush mustard on four of the bread slices, and then evenly layer the ham and then the cheese. Top each with a buttered piece of bread. Take the sandwiches and Mornay sauce out to the grill. Set the saucepan over the heat and stir until hot but do not let boil. Place the sandwiches over the fire and grill for about 4 minutes until toasty and golden brown. Turn the sandwiches and grill for another 4 minutes until toasty. Serve the sandwiches with Mornay sauce spooned over the top with a sprinkling of snipped chives and shavings of Gruyère.

GRILLED CHICKEN BANH MI

TRUE FUSION FOOD FROM THE FRENCH OCCUPATION OF INDOCHINA, THE COMBINATION of soft-crumbed French bread, grilled chicken, a sweet/sour crunchy relish (known as Do chua), and aromatic cilantro make this an ideal hot-weather dish. This is also a great way to use leftover grilled chicken.

SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE

Carrot and Daikon Relish

½ cup (125 ml) rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1 medium (2-ounce/60-g) carrot, peeled and julienned

1 small (1-ounce/30-g) daikon radish, peeled and julienned

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Vegetable oil for brushing

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 baguettes (10 inches/25 cm), sliced almost in half lengthwise

Unsalted butter, at room temperature, or mayonnaise for spreading

1 fresh jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced lengthwise, very thinly, into strips

8 fresh cilantro sprigs

For the Carrot and Daikon Relish, stir the vinegar, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Then, stir in the vegetables. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill.

Brush the chicken with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until the chicken has good grill marks or until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken breast registers 160°F (75°C). Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.

Spread the cut sides of each baguette with butter. Cut each chicken breast into slices and arrange on one half of the baguette. Top with ½ cup of the relish, a fourth of the jalapeño slices, and two cilantro sprigs. Close the baguette and gently press down so that the juices begin to permeate the bread. Serve immediately.

GRILLED TUNA PAN BAGNAT

PAN BAGNAT OR “BATHED BREAD” IS THE FRENCH MEDITERRANEAN’S VERSION OF a fast-food sandwich. Basically, they’re crusty hard rolls, a round boule, or large baguettes slathered with vinaigrette, piled high with summer vegetables and black olives, maybe a little goat cheese or tuna, then pressed together so that all the juices permeate the sandwich. Grill ahead for this dish—enjoy grilled tuna earlier in the week and grill extra for this sandwich.

MAKES 4 SANDWICHES

Four 5-ounce (150-g) yellowfin tuna steaks

Olive oil for brushing

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 crusty rolls, ciabattini, or 1 baguette, sliced lengthwise

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 large 7-ounce (205-g) red onion, sliced into rings

1 large 9-ounce (280-g) cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into thin rounds

1 cup (180 g) chopped, pitted oil-cured olives

1 tomato, thinly sliced

2 handfuls of baby greens, such as arugula or spinach

Prepare a hot fire in your grill.

Brush the tuna with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Grill the tuna steaks for 2½ to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare (3 to 4 minutes for medium).

Cut the rolls in half with a serrated knife. In a bowl, whisk the wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil together. Drench the cut sides of each roll with the vinaigrette. Arrange the tuna on the bottom cut side of each roll, and then layer on the vegetables, ending with the baby greens. Top with the other half of the roll and press down with the heel of your hand. Serve right away or wrap in waxed paper and serve at room temperature.

VARIATION:

Grilled Chicken Pan Bagnat is also superbe. Grill the chicken paillards according to the grilling directions in Grilled Chicken Banh Mi (page 94). To change it up a bit, omit the cucumber and substitute ¼ cup (45 ml) capers for the olives. Assemble the sandwiches and enjoy.