Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Open Faced: Single-Slice Sandwiches from Around the World
    Open Faced: Single-Slice Sandwiches from Around the World
    Open Faced: Single-Slice Sandwiches from Around the World
    Ebook199 pages1 hour

    Open Faced: Single-Slice Sandwiches from Around the World

    By Karen Kaplan

    3.5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Toasted tradition gets a modern makeover in this cookbook from a former writer and editor at Bon Appétit.

    Open Faced crosses international borders to bring fresh, creative flavors to your toasted breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Discover butterbrote, montaditos, smørrebrød, and other open-faced sandwiches that capture the essence of Germany, Spain, Scandinavia, France, Italy, and more.

    Go beyond butter with inspired flavors like:

    •    Provençal Tuna and Vegetable Salad

    •    Cider and Honey-Scented Onion Marmalade, Cabrales Cheese, and Hazelnuts

    •    Curried Egg Salad with Mango Chutney, Raisins, and Cashews

    •    Meatballs with Beet and Apple Salad

    With easy yet elegant recipes and romantic photography, this cookbook makes a striking gift for anyone who finds comfort in a warm slice of bread.

    “The open-faced sandwich trend is here to stay. This cookbook, with its easy-to-follow recipes and interesting backstories, is a total crowd-pleaser.”—Robert Irvine, Food Network host 

     

    “You gotta check out this book. You get takes on recipes from around the world and some killer originals. This ain't your little kid’s grilled cheese cookbook.”—Guy Fieri, Food Network host 

     

    “I simply love Karen’s fresh approach to one of my favorite things in the world―the humble sandwich. It’s both simple and sophisticated, but most importantly, the recipes work.”—Curtis Stone, celebrity chef

     

    “A delightful new take on toast. Loaded with colorful, creative, and easy-to-make recipes, Open Faced is just what you want: comfort from a great piece of bread with toppings of flavor and adventure.”—Jeanne Kelley, author ofKitchen Garden Cookbook
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Integrated Media
    Release dateAug 1, 2017
    ISBN9781423647447
    Open Faced: Single-Slice Sandwiches from Around the World
    Author

    Karen Kaplan

    Chicago native Karen Kaplan continues to write about her life altering experiences that lead people into new ways of thinking about life, death, and healing.

    Read more from Karen Kaplan

    Related to Open Faced

    Related ebooks

    Courses & Dishes For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Dishes to delight

      Sep 26, 2021

      Dishes to delight
      5 min read

    • Article

      Cheese To Please

      Aug 10, 2022

      Cheese To Please
      2 min read

    • Article

      Share The Love

      Apr 21, 2022

      Share The Love
      5 min read

    • Article

      Pretzel Bread

      Aug 9, 2022

      Pretzel Bread
      4 min read

    • Article

      Happy Halloween

      Sep 23, 2021

      Happy Halloween
      8 min read

    • Article

      Flavours Of Falastin

      Jun 11, 2020

      Flavours Of Falastin
      7 min read

    • Article

      Tinned Fish

      Oct 28, 2021

      Tinned Fish
      1 min read

    • Article

      Salade Lyonnaise

      Apr 7, 2020

      Salade Lyonnaise
      6 min read

    • Article

      Winner Winner

      Jul 23, 2022

      Winner Winner
      3 min read

    • Article

      Bring On spring

      Feb 22, 2024

      Bring On spring
      10 min read

    • Article

      Thai

      May 25, 2022

      Thai
      11 min read

    • Article

      Kimchi Recipe

      Mar 2, 2020

      Kimchi Recipe
      1 min read

    • Article

      Inside The Pizza Oven

      Mar 19, 2020

      Inside The Pizza Oven
      1 min read

    • Article

      Don’t Tell Rosa

      Feb 26, 2023

      Don’t Tell Rosa
      9 min read

    • Article

      A Week Of Healthier Meals

      Apr 28, 2022

      A Week Of Healthier Meals
      4 min read

    • Article

      Risotto

      Apr 22, 2021

      Risotto
      3 min read

    • Article

      Festive In Five

      Nov 30, 2023

      Festive In Five
      10 min read

    • Article

      Sweet, Sunny Winter Citrus

      Nov 24, 2020

      Sweet, Sunny Winter Citrus
      6 min read

    • Article

      Not nonna’s Italian

      Jun 25, 2023

      Not nonna’s Italian
      4 min read

    • Article

      Tel Aviv!

      Mar 20, 2020

      Tel Aviv!
      6 min read

    • Article

      Eat More Plants

      Dec 23, 2021

      Eat More Plants
      6 min read

    • Article

      Life Of Pies

      Apr 25, 2021

      Life Of Pies
      11 min read

    • Article

      Nagi’s Dinners

      Sep 16, 2023

      Nagi’s Dinners
      6 min read

    • Article

      Flavour Fiesta

      Sep 17, 2022

      Flavour Fiesta
      9 min read

    • Article

      Ingredient Notes

      Apr 4, 2023

      Ingredient Notes
      5 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Open Faced

    3.5/5

    3 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Open Faced - Karen Kaplan

      Introduction

      I love open-faced sandwiches. They are one of my favorite forms of sustenance—so seductively elemental and essential. While I appreciate Michelin-starred haute cuisine, bistro and trattoria classics, modern gastronomy, food truck fusion, foraged whatever—the list could go on—I absolutely adore a good piece of bread topped with something tasty. The tartines of France, the bruschette and crostini of Italy, the montaditos and pa amb of Spain, the smørrebrød of Denmark, the butterbrote of Germany, the molletes of Mexico, and the toasts of America, Britain, and beyond—these are dishes that have always called to me and will always have places of honor in my culinary memory box and nostalgia file.

      Today, open-faced sandwiches in all of their chef-driven, cutting-edge interpretations are the ne plus ultra of casual-chic comfort food. They are having a moment, and that moment is not going to be over any time soon, if ever. But let’s get real: Open-faced sandwiches have long been part of the culinary landscapes of many countries across the globe. They speak plainly yet eloquently of their provenance—painting a picture, telling a story, and giving a history lesson in several delicious bites. They are so fundamental and popular in some countries that they constitute their own culinary category. And it is certainly easy to understand why.

      Whether the sandwich is a slab of country bread grilled over an open fire, rubbed with garlic and ripe tomato, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with coarse salt; or a diminutive square of pliable light rye spread with dill and lemon butter and draped with smoked salmon; or a piece of pumpernickel piled high with chopped liver, dotted with sautéed onions and hard-cooked eggs, it is sure to be eaten with gusto and appreciation. That is because very few among us can resist the undeniable pleasure and deep satisfaction that is derived from consuming an open-faced sandwich, no matter how simple or sophisticated it may be. No doubt that accounts for the longstanding adoration of these items in the countries of their origin and for their newfound prevalence in restaurants, cafés, and home kitchens.

      The open-faced sandwich has been with us since the late Middle Ages, when a thick slab of coarse bread, called a tranche in French, or a trencher in English, was used as a plate. When the meal was over, the diner would either eat the food-soaked slice if his hunger had not been satiated, or he would give it away. It is not surprising, then, that the trencher was considered the precursor to the open-faced sandwich, not to mention tableware. While the function of the open-faced sandwich has obviously changed since the Middle Ages, the form has not. It is still, at heart, a utilitarian dish—one that uses bread as a vehicle to transport other ingredients from the plate to the mouth, either with or without cutlery.

      But whether eaten out of hand or sliced into dainty bits, this user-friendly treat is a godsend because it is a cinch to prepare, requiring a minimum of effort and a modicum of cooking. It can be put together with the most basic of ingredients from the refrigerator, pantry, or garden, and delivers maximum payoff in terms of flavor and enjoyment. It can be dressed up or dressed down, classic or creative, and can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, supper, or a snack. Its versatility is truly amazing, and its lusciousness cannot be denied—not to mention it is the apogee of dinner party appetizers. All that’s needed to start is some good bread.

      In this book I will bring the open-faced sandwiches from several countries into the home kitchen. Some of my recipes are traditional, some are reinterpretations of classics, and some are original creations based on the flavors, ingredients, and/or specialties associated with the country at hand. Each recipe reflects the taste and spirit of its place of origin, yet is perfectly translated for the way we cook and eat in America today. This is the food I love, and I hope you will love it as much as I do. As I always say, everything tastes better on bread!

      Photo of variety of sandwiches.

      About the Recipes

      There are many variables in cooking, so I encourage you to look upon my recipes as flexible rather than rigid entities, and bring your common sense and personal palate into the kitchen. I want you to feel inspired, not straightjacketed.

      Lots of things affect the result of a recipe: the size and thickness of a pot, pan, or skillet; the accuracy of the oven temperature; the intensity of the heat of a grill, burner, or cooktop; the way you cut something; and even your own individual taste buds. So when I tell you to cook an onion over medium heat until it is softened, and that it will take about 10 minutes to do so, please keep in mind that your skillet and your stove are probably different from mine, or those of the tester, so the time is approximate. If your onion is softened at 8 minutes, you are done; if your onion needs more than 10 minutes, well, cook it more. If I tell you to season something generously with salt and pepper, and you don’t like a lot of salt and pepper, then season it lightly with salt and pepper. If I tell you to add hot sauce, and you hate hot sauce, don’t add it. At the end of the day, it's up to you. And remember to taste as you go. If I call for the juice of 1 lemon, but you want more, add more!

      In addition, since everything in this book is served on bread, and bread slices vary in size, you may end up having more topping than bread or more bread than topping. If that happens, not to worry: just make an extra sandwich or pile more topping on each bread slice. If you want to use a different bread from the one I call for, that’s cool; if you want to use gluten-free bread, that’s dandy, too; and if you don't want to use bread at all, that’s just fine—crackers or just a plate will work well for many of these recipes. If I call for the bread to be toasted but you don’t want it toasted, don’t toast it, and vice versa.

      At this point it goes without saying, but I will say it anyway: the better the ingredients that go into a recipe, the better the outcome. So always try to use the best ingredients you can find and afford. But don’t make yourself crazy. Sometimes whatever you have on hand is completely acceptable. I don’t call for too many exotic ingredients in this book, but whenever I do, I offer substitutes, so none of these recipes should be out of reach to anyone. And if you need to cut a recipe in half, or double or triple it, that’s fine too.

      Photo of meat and cheese.

      Instant Open-Faced Sandwiches

      This is a cookbook filled with recipes for open-faced sandwiches. So it may seem counterintuitive and/or a bit masochistic to tell you that you do not need a recipe to make an easy open-faced sandwich with international flair, but that is indeed the truth. I know that you don’t always have time to cook from a recipe; I certainly don’t. Sometimes you just want to slap something together with what you have on hand, and that’s fine. So here are some open-faced sandwich tips for the days when you just don’t have time to make a recipe—even one of my fabulous recipes.

      Bread and Cured Meat

      A slice of good bread or toast slathered with butter or drizzled with olive oil and topped with salami, prosciutto, speck, jamón, Bayonne ham, saucisson, or whatever cured meat your heart desires is an unbeatable combination. If mustard is your thing, go for it. Serve with some olives and wine, and you have a meal of the gods.

      Bread and Cheese (except for mozzarella, burrata, and ricotta)

      A slice of good bread or toast is at its simple and sexy best when topped or spread with yummy cheese. Your yummy cheese may not be my yummy cheese, but that’s not the point: the point is that the cheese be of fine quality, no matter what kind it is. Could there be a better meal on the run?

      If you are a fan of fruit with your cheese, you can’t go wrong with thin slices of apples, pears, figs, persimmons, or even grapes or cherries arranged over or under the cheese. Dried fruit works well, too,

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1