Bread Makes Difference in Sandwich

Except in a few instances, such as a Monte Cristo, Reuben or club, sandwiches are usually named for their fillings. That’s the way it should be, of course. I guess we could order a rye sandwich on chopped liver instead of chopped liver on rye, but it got started the other way around and now we’re stuck with it.

Still, the bread makes a big difference in how a sandwich tastes. In fact, without the bread there wouldn’t even be a sandwich, would there? So when it comes to choosing the proper slices to sandwich turkey or peanut butter between, it’s important to pick the proper bread. In my opinion whole-wheat is the good for peanut butter and honey, rye for corned beef, white for a club sandwich and sourdough for turkey and avocado. The bread may be as ordinary as the filling is exotic, but one must round out the other.

Doubles as a Sauce

For another sandwich, pita bread replaces flour tortillas to wrap around turkey salad with a southwestern flavor. The pita is flat like a tortilla, but doesn’t require heating to prevent cracking and certainly is much easier to eat without a fork than corn bread, the only other flavor of bread that fits this filling in my opinion. And, after all, the reason behind eating something between two slices of bread is so you can pick it up.

TEX-MEX TURKEY PITAS

3 cups shredded cooked turkey or chicken

1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 (2 1/4-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

3 tablespoons vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 pita breads

Shredded lettuce

Red onion slices

Avocado slices

In bowl, combine turkey, red pepper, cilantro and olives. Set aside.

In separate bowl, beat vinegar with oil, chili powder, salt, cumin and pepper. Pour dressing over turkey mixture and toss to combine. Chill until ready to serve.

Tear pita breads in half and fill each with some turkey mixture. Add lettuce, onion and avocado. Makes 6 servings.