A Turkey Sandwich We Can Believe In

Recipes aren't really my beat, but this year I invented a sandwich. If you're not into preparing a complicated Thanksgiving dinner, and if you dig sandwiches, this might be a delicious substitute. I call it the "Turkey Sandwich We Can Believe In," or "The Obama" for short. Not because of any metaphor having to do with the ingredients, but because I invented this on election night.

You'll need the following items:

• Sliced cracked peppercorn turkey. Boar's Head is pretty good.
• Sliced sour dough bread. Your local grocery store bakery should carry it, but Pepperidge Farm sour dough is a good substitute.
• Sliced Swiss cheese.
• Sliced organic tomato. Medium sized.
• Claussen Kosher Sandwich Slices (Pickles).
• Dijon mustard.
• A George Foreman Grill, or toaster oven.

1) Preheat your Foreman Grill to 425 degrees, and lay out your sour dough bread slices. Start by adding two layers of the cracked peppercorn turkey. Two layers should be roughly four to six strips.

2) On top of the turkey, add two squares of Swiss cheese. If you love cheese, add more, but melted Swiss tends to get all stringy and out of control. So two slices are good enough for me.

3) Next, cut two slices of tomato. Keep them thin. Once you toast this thing, a thick slice of hot tomato will sear the flesh from your mouth. Place the two slices side-by-side on top of the Swiss layer with a little space between slices.

4) Add two sandwich-sliced pickles on top of the tomato slices, but place them horizontally across the width of the sandwich -- like bridge spans connecting the tomato slices.

5) And finally, just liberally smear the empty slice of bread with a crapload of Dijon mustard. I really like mustard, so I tend to go crazy. However, a moderate amount of mustard will do if you're not interested in obliterating your sinuses.

6) Smash the mustard side down on top of the ingredient side. A little bit of mustard should ooze out of the sides.

7) Shove the whole thing into your Foreman Grill. Or if you don't have one of these miracles of gastrological technology, just grill it in any sandwich press or toaster oven or on the stove like a grilled cheese sandwich. Just make sure to toast the top and bottom until golden brown. In the Foreman Grill, it usually takes around seven minutes. But I generally let it go until I hear the sizzling sound of the cheese and mustard making contact with the cooking surface.
8) Remove the sandwich and cut it down the middle -- between the tomatoes, but severing the pickle bridges.

9) Enjoy!

Like I wrote before, watch out for the hot tomatoes. In terms of complimentary beverages, this sandwich goes extraordinarily well with your favorite lager. I drink Samuel Adams Boston Lager (Jim Koch contributes to Democrats) almost exclusively. You can also serve this with a good bowl of chili. I dig vegetarian three-bean chili with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

If you decide to try the "Turkey Sandwich We Can Believe It" let me know how you like it. Happy Thanksgiving!

Read more Thanksgiving posts from HuffPost bloggers

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Comments

[stayinsouth1981]

02:25 AM on 11/30/2008

Bubbies Bread and Butter Pickles. I have to get my brother to pick them up from the store in NOLA but it's worth it to make him drive them over.

[drricklippin]

08:59 PM on 11/29/2008

I enjoy knowing that some of the most progressiv­e bloggers on Huff Post know how to enjoy! Thanks Bob Cesca

I wrote ten years ago that "engaging in responsibl­e pleasures (e.g.-eati­ng this sandwich, etc) is the most underestim­ated source of health in our times"

Dr. Rick Lippin
Southampto­n, Pa

[kingmiller]

05:09 PM on 11/28/2008

Bob - This sandwich totally works because of the love you put into it, obviously inspired by our new Hope. Her's a suggestion­: don't forget to salt a pepper! Awesome!

[mcantwell]

02:35 PM on 11/28/2008

Sounds good, but I would substitute the mustard for a spread with a touch of horseradis­h.

[dawlishgal]

12:45 PM on 11/28/2008

There was a tip recently in the Pgh Post Gazette for people who like grilled cheese, sandwiches­, but are trying to avoid fat....You can use mustard of your choice on the outside of the bread in order to avoid buttering it. Spray the pan or grill (I am going to get one!) with the no-stick stuff. You can also use vegetable "cheese" to avoid that kind of fat, but it won't melt as well. My husband, who thought he had eaten his last real grilled cheese sandwich says these will do, especially when served with homemade soup.

I sliced off the rest of the turkey breast leftovers and put the carcass into the soup pot with broth, to be scraped of its meat and discarded before adding the veggies. And we have enough sliced turkey for a whole meal tonight. I NEVER think of the stuff eaten on the day after Thanksgivi­ng as "leftovers­." The turkey meat is better the next day! And so is the stuffing. I will never cook another 28 pound fatty turkey, though. I buy a breast and cook that, and if I am having a lot of guests, I buy several breasts. Nobody likes the dark meat anyhow, and it is full of fat.

[JodyMcg]

10:03 AM on 11/28/2008

Dear Bob,
I'm a vegetarian and if I was going to relapse and eat meat I changed my mind after watching the Palin turkey slaughter interview. (No Palin wasn't slaughtere­d. ....the turkey's behind her were). Your sandwich looks mighty tasty and may make me go off the wagon. Face it Tofu just doesn't work in some instances. Your beer choice however is solid. Thanks. Now I'm hungry and thirsty.

[MossyOak]

11:05 AM on 11/28/2008

If you're going to relapse, eat free-range­. It takes away some of the guilt because at least they get to have a life before their death.

[NotThisTime2008]

09:34 AM on 11/28/2008

One thing I always look forward to around the holidays is the Sam Adams Holiday Variety 12 Pack.
It is the only place where I can get my hands on 2 precious bottles of Old Fezziwig Ale !
Hot damn that stuff is wonderful.­..

[Bushwillresign]

09:42 AM on 11/28/2008

It makes a great Chrismas gift for the nephew-in-­law. Just put a bow on the box and stash it in the fridge.

[rucognizant]

06:25 AM on 11/28/2008

And what's with the George Forman Grill name dropping?
If you are going to be a social protester.­...LIVE IT!

[olivesforbreakfast]

11:52 AM on 11/28/2008

Guess you never tried a George Forman Grill. For those who are into them, it is kind of like an iPod. It's the one, in other words, by which all others are measured. Wonderful, indispensi­ble kitchen tool. Bob was right to mention it by name. BTW I got mine at a 2nd hand store.

But maybe I'm reading you wrong. Maybe it's boxing that you would like Bob to protest against...­?

[rucognizant]

06:22 AM on 11/28/2008

I'm sorry Bob, but have you read the ingredient­s label on all those items you are assembling­?
For sure the Pepperidge farm bread contains High Fructose Corn Syrup, most likely the store baked bread does too, because the mixed dough cames into the supermarke­t pre mixed by the corporate entity that OWNS the market. I bet those pickles contain it too.......­......ANY COMMERCIAL­LY PREPARED PRODUCT IS GUILTY THESE DAYS.
And if you think it doesn't matter....­..........­...I have been depending on prepared foods for the last 10-15 years, in the interest of spending more time on my painting..­..........­........as the price I can charge for them is
10 TEN TIMES LESS than 20 years ago! ( when I could count on a 95% sales rate!)
My blood sugar count is climbing ( last Dr. visit) and there is NO HISTORY of diabetes in my family!
Beyond that! My taste buds have a LONG memory, like the Princess and the Pea, I can't enjoy eating that stuff! I cooked a turkey with cornbread/­chestnut stuffing.a­nd won't have to cook for a week + will freeze turkey dinners!

[jsarets]

03:07 AM on 11/28/2008

That's a pretty believable turkey sandwich.

I'd give the outer side of each slice of bread a quick pulse of no-stick spray (I like the butter-fla­vored kind for this) to enhance the golden brown and delicious (GBD) factor. I'd also use a 50/50 blend of mayo and spicy brown mustard, and I'd grind some black pepper directly on the tomatoes. Oh, and hardly any sandwich recipe is complete without mentioning the optional addition of bacon!

Obama is also a dijon mustard fan, as evidenced by his famous tuna salad segment on 60 Minutes:

http://www­.huffingto­npost.com/­2008/11/09­/the-obama­s-make-tun­a-sala_n_1­42483.html

[sws3030]

01:00 AM on 11/28/2008

Not only a great writer but a great sanwich maker as well. Just have to skip th tomato(all­ergies)

The book is fantastic, how can I get my copy signed? Are you doing any signings in the Baltimore, Philadelph­ia corrider anytime soon?

[whit4brains]

12:45 AM on 11/28/2008

Now I've got the munchies.

Sounds like a great sandwich!

And thanks for the tip about Samuel Adams. It tastes so good and now I will feel even better when I drink it.

[RumiSouth]

11:44 PM on 11/27/2008

I knew there was a reason I like Bob. He and I share the same mustard preference­s...

[brynn6]

11:43 PM on 11/27/2008

This sandwich sounds great, but find bread and butter pickles too sweet. I think I'll try kosher or polish dills instead. Dijon isn't my favorite either, I prefer a spicy stone ground mustard instead. Can you tell I like garlic and salt?

[Mikeatle]

11:16 PM on 11/27/2008

Mmmm. Sounds like a great sandwich! I've been known to add mango chutney to similar sandwiches­. You know the nicest thing about today? As my family sat down to eat, we discussed what we were thankful for this year, and every person at the table mentioned Obama. We Americans have some tough times ahead, but it's nice to know that our new President will have our interests in mind.