Category Archives: Spices

Middle Eastern Kafta Patties

At our favorite shawarma shop on Strøget in Copenhagen, known as Shawarma #1 (presumably because the address is at #1, but also because it was the first shawarma shop in Copenhagen anno 1980), one of our favorite sandwiches is the kafta burger. When ordered, you must wait patiently while the patties grill for 10-15 minutes and frequently ask yourself “did they forget me?” In 20 years, they have never forgotten me, and the wait is always worthwhile.

Living in San Diego, we wanted a way to re-create our own version of the kafta burger. So, we created this recipe, which is a mix of several other recipes found online. We wanted our own unique blend of spices; More spicy, more parsley, and of course with fennel.

Kafta Burger Patties After Grilling
Kafta Burger Patties After Grilling

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‘The Hallelujah’ Cod Roe Sandwich with Parmesan Crisp

Open faced sandwiches can be beautifully stacked creations, but when squeezed into a lunch-bag, carried by 10-year olds biking to school in a backpack and thrown in a community refrigerator, open-faced sandwiches may not be the first choice of lunch.

Not so for my mom. She was a firm believer in open-faced sandwiches and made them as if I was eating at home, except, she wrapped them tight in cellophane wrap before stacking them in my lunch box.

As you might image, the end result was not always… appetizing. Cod roe sandwiches with remoulade and fried onions turned into cud roe salad with wet soggy onions. A once tantalizing potato sandwich with mayonnaise and green onions turned into something wet and soggy, almost like paste.

This sandwich, a cod roe creation, is my own personal rebellion against my childhoods school sandwiches. I reject the cellophane wrap method, and embrace exuberance.

"Halleluja" Cod Roe Sandwich with Parmesan Crisps
"Hallelujah" Cod Roe Sandwich with Parmesan Crisps

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Ham and Mozzarella Cheese Sandwich with Sweet Basil Leaves, Steamed Asparagus, Tomato, Dukkah and Mustard

Growing up, I believe I had ham and cheese sandwiches maybe three times. My mom had found a recipe in a cookbook, and one day she announced she was going to make me a Hawaiian sandwich (The recipe included a piece of slices pineapple from a can, thus Hawaii). It was great, but once you open a can of pineapples you are committed to doing something with the remaining 9 slices, so my mom quickly stopped making the sandwich. A couple of weeks ago I had a dream about it (the dream also involved Jay Leno having purchased a personal Nuclear Missile painted bright red with warning signs, which was bolted down in his back yard with chains. Don’t ask, it was a dream). As you can imagine, it got stuck in my subconsciousness. I know, dreaming of sandwiches probably means we’re spending too much time writing this blog. Anyway, here is my variation of a Ham and Cheese Sandwich, without the pineapple.

Ham and Mozzarella Cheese Sandwich with Sweet Basil Leaves, Steamed Asparagus, Tomato, Dukkah and Mustard
Ham and Mozzarella Cheese Sandwich with Sweet Basil Leaves, Steamed Asparagus, Tomato, Dukkah and Mustard

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Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Cheese Sandwich with Squash, Onion and Fennel Seeds

We love grilling on the BBQ, and we love sandwiches (obviously), so this sandwich was bound to come about sooner or later. Neither of us has done a lot of grilling growing up, so we’re discovering the joy of barbecuing together. We frequently use chicken, and have learned (after a few… mishaps) to get it moist and tender. Grilling chicken usually involves a marinade or a rub, since chicken by itself can be a bit bland. This particular recipe calls for teriyaki sauce, which is great for marinades.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Cheese Sandwich with Squash, Onion and Fennel Seeds
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Cheese Sandwich with Squash, Onion and Fennel Seeds

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Cod Roe Sandwich with Mayonnaise, Lime, Red Bell Pepper, Sun Dried Tomato, Vodka Tomato Mustard, Onion and Dukkah

Well, we bought one can of cod roe on our last visit to Denmark. That means you, dear reader, have to read about 3 different cod roe sandwich recipes as we munch our way through it. Luckily, it tastes pretty good. This second installment is cod roe with mayonnaise, sun dried tomatoes red bell peppers, and absolutely drenched in lime. Add a bit of onion for the unavoidable ‘crunch’ of course. Very nice. If you can find cod roe at a fishmonger, get it fresh instead of in a can. Cod roe by the way is a very common sandwich in Denmark, and probably comparable to the ‘spam’ phenomenon in the US. I imagine Americans may find a cod roe sandwich a bit weird, much as I as a Dane find anything with spam a bit weird. Let us know in your comments what you think.

Cod Roe Sandwich with Mayonnaise, Lime, Red Bell Pepper, Sun Dried Tomato, Vodka Tomato Mustard, Onion and Dukkah
Cod Roe Sandwich with Mayonnaise, Lime, Red Bell Pepper, Sun Dried Tomato, Vodka Tomato Mustard, Onion and Dukkah
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Maria’s Liver Pâté

It can sometimes be very hard to find a great liver paté in your local grocery stores. Thankfully, creating one from scratch is easier than you might think, and the result is amazing. This recipe was handed down to me from my step mother Maria, who wooed everyone she knew with this magic creation. It is simply the best liver pâté I have ever had anywhere, and that says a lot. It is also very easy to make, given you can find the raw ingredients, which are not that common anymore, but which any decent butcher should be able to divine.

Homemade Liver Pate
Homemade Liver Pate

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Bagel Sandwich with Mashed Potatoes, Mayonnaise and Chili-Lime Shrimp

These shrimp are very versatile on sandwiches. They are chili-lime shrimp from Costco, pre-cooked, and they are very moist and succulent. To really try and savor their taste, we created this sandwich which combines them with mashed potatoes, lime, and a toasted bagel. The bagel gives the inevitable ‘crunch’, while the shrimps can triumph over the subtle taste from the mashed potatoes. A few sprouts just makes it look good. Of course, Anders can’t leave well enough alone, and sprinkled the whole thing with sweet curry. So much for subtlety.

Mashed potato bagel sandwich with chili-lemon shrimp
Mashed Potato Bagel Sandwich with Chili-Lime Shrimp

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Tuna Salad on a Roll with Chili-lime Shrimp, Grape Tomatoes, Lettuce, Mustard and Green Onions

This sandwich blog is getting to me. For almost a week I’ve been anticipating a convenient time to make my famous (20 years ago in college at least) tuna salad. Each time I was about to make it, some other sandwich had to take priority (since we’re on a budget, we can’t just keep making new stuff without first eating all of the old). So, today I finally got to make it and what a blast. I got to use it on 3 different style sandwiches in just one day, and I still can’t get enough of it.

This one is a tuna salad sandwich with chili-lime shrimp and fresh lettuce and cucumber. Topped with a few cuts of green onion and 2 grape tomatoes cut in half. A bit of stone ground mustard adds the zing to the zong to the ramalamadingdong.

Tuna Salad on a Roll with Chili-lime shrimp, grape tomatoes, lettuce, mustard and green onions
Tuna Salad on a Roll with Chili-lime Shrimp, Grape Tomatoes, Lettuce, Mustard and Green Onions

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Tuna Salad Sandwich on Toasted Bagel with Cucumber, Tomato, Green Onion and Sprinkled with Sweet Curry

Our tuna salad sandwich saga continues with this fresh summer construction. A toasted bagel (one of those with everything on it), combined with fresh crunchy cucumber slices, tasty grape tomatoes, and green onions, sprinkled with a tsp of sweet curry. When you eat this, the smell of the curry adds to the experience before you even take a bite.

As you can see on the pictures, two sprouts from another sandwich somehow found themselves on this one. When we noticed, the pictures were taken, and the sandwich eaten, so please disregard the misplaced sprouts. They are harmless.

Tuna Salad Toasted Bagel Sandwich with Cucumber, Tomato, Green Onion and Sprinkled with Sweet Curry
Tuna Salad Toasted Bagel Sandwich with Cucumber, Tomato, Green Onion and Sprinkled with Sweet Curry

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Homemade Tuna Salad with Capers

It’s easy to buy pre-made tuna salads in a store, but it’s so much more fun and creative to do it yourself. The whole process takes about 5 minutes, and you get exactly the taste you want. Spice it up, or keep it mellow. This is our recipe for tuna salad, but every time we make it we change a thing or two. You will find this version on some of our upcoming sandwiches, such as the Tuna Salad Appetizer. Bon Appétit.

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