Lunch Box
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[Photograph: Suzanne Lehrer]

There are two main considerations in creating a make-ahead sandwich that you'll actually still want to eat upon arrival: bread choice and condiments. When selecting your bread, stick with baguettes or rolls over pre-sliced breads—toasted sliced bread will only become a hard, crumbly mess, and regular sandwich bread doesn't hold up too well under the stress of anything other than a PB&J. A sturdy baguette or ciabatta roll is ideal.

Next up is your filling. I wanted to create a condiment with the creaminess of mayo, but with real sandwich sustainability. This quick white bean spread is good for both, and packs a tangy punch with a touch of horseradish. Topped with a simply dressed hearty green like kale, this sub has freshness and crunch, but no watery wilting lettuce. Fatty salami rounds out the bitter and sweet flavors without the threat of drying out over time.

As with most sandwiches, this can be tailored to your liking; feel free to switch out salami for another cured meat, thinly sliced turkey, or ham. If you're using a baguette, try to slice as close to eating as possible to avoid encountering stale bread.

About the Author: Suzanne Lehrer is a writer and recipe developer in New York and a recipe editor for Cooking Channel. When not curating her budding hot sauce collection, she puts her French Culinary Institute education to good use in kitchens all around town. Follow her recipes and cooking adventures at TheSuzChef.com and on twitter @the_suzchef.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

About This Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
  • 4 ounces lacinato (flat) kale, thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces sliced salami or sopressata
  • 2 (6-inch) baguettes or ciabatta rolls

Procedures

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add beans, bay leaf, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Raise heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add stock and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Transfer immediately to bowl. Discard bay leaf and smash beans using fork or rubber spatula. Fold in horseradish and season to taste with more salt and desired. Spread should be thick and creamy, not thick like a paste. If too thick, thin with a little more hot chicken stock.

  2. Whisk together remaining olive oil, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Toss with kale, rubbing well into leaves. Slice bread and spread each side generously with white bean spread, top with the kale and salami. Serve immediately, or wrap and refrigerate until ready to eat (ideally no more than 4 hours for best flavor).