You can never, ever, go wrong with this anatomy for a sandwich: crust, spread, something crunchy, something moist, and something savory. This simple formula has made some seriously classic sandwiches. Whenever I come across a sandwich in my path that I don’t particularly like, it’s always missing one of these elements. Open any fridge in any household and, dorm room kiddie fridges aside, you can almost always find the ingredients to make something delectable for lunch that fits between two slices of bread.

Crust: Do I even need to go here?…
Spread: mayo, mustard, relish, tapenade, peanut butter, pickle, ketchup, miso
Crunchy: lettuce, pickles, veggies, chips, fries, onion, bacon, chocolate, apples
Moist: cheese, jelly, pulled meats, chicken, cream cheese, marshmallow, fruit, cooked greens, raisins, tomato
Savory: meats, harder cheeses, cured meats, smoked fish, miso

My most recent take on a sandwich included Japanese miso, Mexican avocados, Portuguese sardines, Japanese cucumber, Italian Parmigiano Reggiano, and Indian pickle. The lot of leftover ingredients never tasted so good together.

2 pieces of whole wheat bread, toasted
A few spreads of miso tahini

Sardines in oil
1/2 sweet red onion or shallot, small dice
1/2 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper.

1/2 avocado, sliced, sprinkled with lemon juice and coarse sea salt
1/2 burpless cucumber, sliced thinly into rounds -or- 1″ chunk cucumber, halved, seeded, and sliced
1/2 ripe ripe juicy yummy tomato, sliced
A few stems of sorrel or other spicy lettuce, washed and chiffonade
A few shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano
A good spicy pickle (I used Indian mango pickle)

Take a few sardines and chop them coarsely. Combine the sardines and onions in a small bowl. Grind in some pepper and sprinkle with some lemon juice.

Spread the miso tahini paste onto both slices of bread. On slice 1 – layer on the avocado, followed by slice of cucumber, followed by the Reggiano, followed by the spicy pickle. On slice 2 – Put down a good bed of tomato, followed by your sardines, then a topping or sorrel or other lettuce. Put together and enjoy!

Miso tahini spread
This is a staple that we use on sandwiches, with freshly cut veggies, and sometimes just on your finger and straight into your mouth. The original is from Sandor Ellix Katz’s Wild Fermentation

2 tablespoons good miso
2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mix and save and savor and eat and love. Keeps for a week in the fridge.

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