shooter's sandwich

I stumbled on a British sandwich that apparently became quite popular a few years ago because someone in a column somewhere claimed it was the BEST sandwich in the universe -  or something to that effect.

I assumed that Shooter's sandwich meant in the sense of shooting a shot of liquor - that's where my mind went to - but when I asked my daughter her opinion, she thought of shooting a gun or hunting. Turns out she was right: Shooter's sandwich became a thing because someone can shoot a gun while aiming at animals to kill and eat at the same time. Great.

I am instead claiming the word "shooter" (in this instance) to mean shooting a camera - as in "he's one of the best shooters of wildlife in all of professional photography" (credit: Merriam-Webster site).

Originally, the sandwich was a sort of portable Wellington - steak, mushrooms, horseradish, mustard and bread. The sandwich is pressed overnight so that once cut into, nothing falls out.

This, of course, is way too involved a project when I'm hungry, and, thus, here is my version of this camera-ready sandwich. Okay, maybe you need two hands to hold it. A sacrifice worth an overnight stint under a pile of cast iron pans.

I used mushrooms and kale as the base of the sandwich, topped it with some crunchy cucumber slices and slathered with horseradish-Dijon sauce. Broil the bread instead of toast it - this way, the inside stays soft and the outside is crisp. Toasting it just makes it way too crisp.

Enjoy!

Shooter's Sandwich
Makes 2 sandwiches 

Horseradish-Dijon Sauce:
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons vegan mayo (optional - I skipped it)

Filling:
10 ounces mushrooms, cut thick (about 1/4 -inch)
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed and chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon neutral oil or vegetable broth (I used the oil so the mushrooms can caramelize)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari

Other:
4 slices bread, toasted (broiled) on one side
12 slices cucumbers

1. Sauce: Combine the mustard, horseradish and mayonnaise (if using) in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside. 
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook until the mushrooms give off moisture, about 6 minutes. Add the kale and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the oil, garlic, paprika and season with black pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are golden brown but do not burn the garlic. Add the tamari and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute. Remove from heat 
3. Assemble the sandwiches: bottom toast, sauce, mushroom mixture, cucumber slices and top toast. Serve immediately. 


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