Start Simple: Sandwiches (part 2)

So.. you've worked out what to use as the basis, but what to put on the top?
Let's start with some savoury bites..it needn't be complicated cookery just tasty. Simple savoury fillings include:

Cheese (Preferably grated if using a hard cheese. Hard cheeses such as red leicester or cheddar make for mouthwatering melts. Soft cheeses are subtle and lend themselves well to summer fare). Add chutneys, pickles or mustard for a bite of excitement. Adding sliced meats such as ham make it a bit more - but choose good ham, either breaded or not, but low on the fat strata (the chew factor). Hot or cold, on crumpets, in croissants, in classic bread or on crackers. Smoked salmon and cream cheese or cucumber with soft cheese either would be welcome at wimbledon. Add tomato if wished or a touch of salad cream & lettuce for something a little lighter. Mozzarella & ham in croissants or baguettes or paninis make for something warming and quick and effective.

Meat (Preferably with a low fat strata for the chew factor and fullsomeness). So many to choose from - be it processed or not. Try roast beef and red onion/onion with mustard. Ham, lettuce and tomato. Bacon, lettuce & tomato (with salad cream or mayo). Try turkey and the trimmings. Pork and stuffing with apple sauce (highly recommended). Chicken and stuffing and salad cream. Chicken mayonaisse with salad on thick bread is TDF, add sweetcorn for something quirky. Even humble corned beef with a little mustard makes for a simple comfort snack. For a fullsome breakfast sandwich worthy of a buff builder - try chopped sausage (get a good one!!! Pork and an alternate flavouring are interesting) lengthways, tomato ketchup, fried egg and bacon on thick sliced bread. Salami, pepperoni, tomato..interesting combo.

Fish. You may know the tuna sandwich. It may or may not inspire sandwich confidence but add some salad, some mayonaisse and you might just go hmmm. Try it with cheese, melted on a muffin with a hint of mustard even. Or you may just be a prawn person..check it out with salad in a baguette and thousand island dressing - tastetastic.

Even the egg sandwich can be overhawled. Chop it in a salad sandwich, add it with mayo, bung it with bacon, top with chicken - and you won't know which came first.

Try adding your favourite sides to sandwiches and see what happens. Cooked chopped mushrooms with a hint of garlic on toast doesn't taste too bad.

Be exotic and put houmus and salad and aubergine in a pitta bread for something a little different. Challenge yourself with cooked peppers and roast beef, fajita style in a wrap. Or maybe you might want a chicken cajun style and with onion and smokey bbq flavouring?

For a interesting option what about mock crab (cooked mashed boiled egg and chopped tomato) even try real crabmeat if you want!

Then there's the Pate's - many with alternate flavourings to simple chicken.

The ultimate chip butty might make someone's day - lightly deep fried chips (either made from potatoes or bought from the shop!) thoroughly drained then between thick sliced bread covered with the sauce of choice.

Iceberg lettuce and gem lettuce make for the the best salad filler - crisp, cool and fresh. Wet lettuce is no good.

Adding toasted seasame seeds to wraps and pittas make for a crunchy accoutrement.

I think though, for my sandwich choice, I'd have a Pork and apple sauce submarine roll. Easy to do - either using sliced pork slices or select pork cuts, homemade apple sauce (peel, core and slice the apples - bramley or cooking - put in a pan with a shot or two of cold water, and castor sugar, boil and reduce, leave to cool and ta-da!), mayonaisse and lettuce. Lightly butter the sides of 3/4 halved submarine roll, add the mayonaisse drizzled along the remaining fold, put two or three slices of gem lettuce - fresh - in, add the pork and a dollop or two of apple sauce. Yummy.

And don't forget - sandwiches need not have lids, like mini pizza bases covered with tomato puree and the topping of your choice then toasted under the grill. Delicisio.

A savoury sandwich not what you want? How about a sweet one? See Start Simple: Sandwiches (part 3)