Boston Cooking-School Cook Book/Chapter 34

by Fannie Farmer

Chapter XXXIV. SANDWICHES AND CANAPÈS.

IN preparing bread for sandwiches, cut slices as thinly as possible, and remove crusts. If butter is used, cream the butter, and spread bread before cutting from loaf. Spread half the slices with mixture to be used for filling, cover with remaining pieces, and cut in squares, oblongs, or triangles. If sandwiches are shaped with round or fancy cutters, bread should be shaped before spreading, that there may be no waste of butter. Sandwiches which are prepared several hours before serving-time may be kept fresh and moist by wrapping in a napkin wrung as dry as possible out of hot water, and keeping in a cool place. Paraffine paper is often used for the same purpose. Bread for sandwiches cuts better when a day old. Serve sandwiches piled on a plate covered with a doiley.

Rolled Bread

Cut fresh bread, while still warm, in as thin slices as possible, using a very sharp knife. Spread evenly with butter which has been creamed. Roll slices separately, and tie each with baby ribbon.

Bread and Butter Folds

Remove end slice from bread. Spread end of loaf sparingly and evenly with butter which has been creamed. Cut off as thin a slice as possible. Repeat until the number of slices required are prepared. Remove crusts, put together in pairs, and cut in squares, oblongs, or triangles. Use white, entire wheat, Graham, or brown bread. Three layer sandwiches are attractive when made of entire wheat bread between white slices.

Lettuce Sandwiches

Put fresh, crisp lettuce leaves, washed and thoroughly dried, between thin slices of buttered bread prepared as for Bread and Butter Folds, having a teaspoon of Mayonnaise on each leaf.

Egg Sandwiches

Chop finely the whites of “hard-boiled” eggs; force the yolks through a strainer or potato ricer. Mix yolks and whites, season with salt and pepper, and moisten with Mayonnaise or Cream Salad Dressing. Spread mixture between thin slices of buttered bread prepared as for Bread and Butter Folds.

Sardine Sandwiches

Remove skin and bones from sardines, and mash to a paste. Add to an equal quantity of yolks of “hard-boiled” eggs rubbed through a sieve. Season with salt, cayenne, and a few drops of lemon juice; moisten with olive oil or melted butter. Spread mixture between thin slices of buttered bread prepared as for Bread and Butter Folds.

Sliced Ham Sandwiches

Slice cold boiled ham as thinly as possible. Put between thin slices of buttered bread prepared as for Bread and Butter Folds.

Chopped Ham Sandwiches

Finely chop cold boiled ham, and moisten with Sauce Tartare. Spread between thin slices of buttered bread prepared as for Bread and Butter Folds.

Anchovy Sandwiches

Rub the yolks of “hard-boiled” eggs to a paste. Moisten with soft butter and season with Anchovy sauce. Spread mixture between thin slices of buttered bread prepared as for Bread and Butter Folds.

Chicken Sandwiches

Chop cold boiled chicken, and moisten with Mayonnaise or Cream Salad Dressing; or season with salt and pepper, and moisten with rich chicken stock. Prepare as other sandwiches.

Lobster Sandwiches

Remove lobster meat from shell, and chop. Season with salt, cayenne, made mustard, and lemon juice; or moisten with any salad dressing. Spread mixture on a crisp lettuce leaf, and prepare as other sandwiches.

Lobster Sandwiches à la Boulevard

Mix an equal quantity of finely chopped lobster meat and the yolks of “hard boiled” eggs forced through a sieve. Moisten with melted butter, and season with German mustard, beef extract diluted with a very small quantity of boiling water, and salt. Spread mixture between thin slices of buttered bread, remove crusts, and cut into fancy shapes. A small quantity of lobster meat is most successfully utilized in this way.

Oyster Sandwiches

Arrange fried oysters on crisp lettuce leaves, allowing two oysters for each leaf, and one leaf for each sandwich. Prepare as other sandwiches.

Nut and Cheese Sandwiches

Mix equal parts of grated Gruyère cheese and chopped English walnut meat; then season with salt and cayenne. Prepare as other sandwiches.

Cheese and Anchovy Sandwiches

Cream two tablespoons butter, and add one-fourth cup grated Young America Cheese and one teaspoon vinegar. Season with salt, paprika, mustard, and Anchovy sauce. Spread mixture between thin slices of bread.

Windsor Sandwiches

Cream one-third cup butter, and add one-half cup each of finely chopped cold boiled ham and cold boiled chicken. Season with salt and paprika. Spread mixture between thin slices of bread.

Club Sandwiches

Arrange on slices of bread thin slices of cooked bacon; cover with slices of cold roast chicken, and cover chicken with Mayonnaise Dressing. Cover with slices of bread.

Ginger Sandwiches

Cut preserved Canton ginger in very thin slices. Prepare as other sandwiches.

Fruit Sandwiches

Remove stems and finely chop figs; add a small quantity of water, cook in double boiler until a paste is formed, then add a few drops of lemon juice. Cool mixture, and spread on thin slices of buttered bread; sprinkle with finely chopped peanuts and cover with pieces of buttered bread.

Brown Bread Sandwiches

Brown Bread to be used for sandwiches is best steamed in one-pound baking-powder boxes. Spread and cut bread as for other sandwiches. Put between layers finely chopped peanuts seasoned with salt; or grated cheese mixed with chopped English walnut meat seasoned with salt.

Noisette Sandwiches

Use one-half recipe for Milk and Water Bread made with entire wheat flour , and add two tablespoons molasses and one cup English walnut meats or pecan nut broken in small pieces. Let stand twenty-four hours, slice as thinly as possible, spread sparingly and evenly with butter, and put between slices orange marmalade. Remove crusts, cut in fancy shapes, and garnish with nut meats.

Colonial Sandwiches

Make one-half the recipe for Milk and Water Bread , using entire-wheat flour, and adding one and one-half tablespoons molasses, and after the first rising adding, while kneading, one-half cup, each, candied orange peel finely cut and pecan nut meats broken in pieces. Put into buttered one-pound baking-powder tins until one-third full; let rise and bake. Cool, and make into sandwiches.

German Sandwiches

Use Zweiback . Spread slices, thinly cut, with jelly or marmalade, and sprinkle with finely cut English walnut meats. Cover with thinly cut slices and remove crusts.

Russian Sandwiches

Spread zephyrettes with thin slices of Neufchâtel cheese, cover with finely chopped olives moistened with Mayonnaise Dressing. Place a zephyrette over each and press together.

Jelly Sandwiches

Spread zephyrettes with quince jelly and sprinkle with chopped English walnut meat. Place a zephyrette over each and press together.

Cheese Wafers

Sprinkle zephyrettes with grated cheese mixed with a few grains of cayenne. Put on a tin sheet and bake until the cheese melts.

Canapés

Canapés are made by cutting bread in slices one-fourth inch thick, and cutting slices in strips four inches long by one and one-half inches wide, or in circular pieces. Then bread is toasted, fried in deep fat, or buttered and browned in the oven, and covered with a seasoned mixture of eggs, cheese, fish, or meat, separately or in combination. Canapés are served hot or cold, and used in place of oysters at a dinner or luncheon. At a gentleman’s dinner they are served with a glass of Sherry before entering the dining-room.

Cheese Canapés I

Toast circular pieces of bread, sprinkle with a thick layer of grated cheese seasoned with salt and cayenne. Place on a tin sheet and bake until cheese is melted. Serve at once.

Cheese Canapés II

Spread circular pieces of toasted bread with French Mustard, then proceed as for Cheese Canapés I.

Sardine Canapés

Spread circular pieces of toasted bread with sardines (from which bones have been removed) rubbed to a paste, with a small quantity of creamed butter and seasoned with Worcestershire Sauce and a few grains cayenne. Place in the centre of each a stuffed olive, made by removing stone and filling cavity with sardine mixture. Around each arrange a border of the finely chopped whites of “hard-boiled” eggs.

Lobster Canapés

Finely chop lobster meat and add an equal quantity of yolks of “hard-boiled” eggs forced through a sieve. Moisten with melted butter and heavy cream, using equal parts, and season highly with salt, cayenne, German mustard and beef extract. Spread on sautéd circular slices of bread and garnish with rings cut from whites of “hard-boiled” eggs, yolks of “hard-boiled” eggs, and lobster coral forced through a sieve.

Canapés Martha

Beat yolk one egg, add one and one-half tablespoons cream, one-fourth teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon paprika, one-fourth teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce, and a few grains cayenne; then add one-fourth pound cheese cut in small pieces, and cook until smooth, stirring constantly. Spread on sautéd slices of bread, cut in fancy shapes, and cover with finely chopped lobster meat held together with a thick sauce made of Chicken Stock or cream, garnish with rings of whites of “hard-boiled” eggs, yolks of “hard-boiled” eggs, and lobster coral forced through a strainer, and rings of olives.

Anchovy Canapés

Spread circular pieces of toasted bread with Anchovy Butter. Chop separately yolks and whites of “hard-boiled” eggs. Cover canapés by quarters with egg, alternating yolks and whites. Divide yolks from whites with anchovies split in two lengthwise, and pipe around a border of Anchovy Butter, using a pastry bag and tube.

Cheese and Olive Canapés

Cut stale bread in one-fourth inch slices. Shape with a small oblong cutter with rounded corners. Cream butter, add an equal quantity of soft cheese, and work until smooth; then season with salt. Spread on bread and garnish with a one-fourth inch border of finely chopped olives and a piece of red or green pepper cut in fancy shape, in centre of each. To be served in place of sandwiches on a plate covered with a doiley.

Canapés Lorenzo

Toast slices of bread cut in shape of horseshoes. Cream two tablespoons butter, and add one teaspoon white of egg. Spread slices of bread, rounding with Crab Mixture, cover with creamed butter, sprinkle with cheese, and brown in the oven. Serve on a napkin, ends towards centre of dish, and garnish with parsley.

Crab Mixture. Finely chop crab meat, season with salt, cayenne, and a few drops of lemon juice, then moisten with Thick White Sauce. Lobster meat may be used in place of crab meat.

Algonquin Canapés

Fry one-half tablespoon finely chopped onion, three tablespoons butter, and one-third cup chopped mushroom caps five minutes. Add two tablespoons flour, and two-thirds cup cream. Cook until mixture thickens, then add one cup finnan haddie (soaked in lukewarm water to cover forty-five minutes, then separated into flakes), two tablespoons grated cheese, and yolks two eggs slightly beaten. Season with salt and cayenne and pile on circular pieces of toasted bread. Sprinkle with grated cheese, then with buttered, soft bread crumbs, and bake until crumbs are browned. Serve at once.