“The Best Sandwich I’ve Had in Years”

Not my sandwich, but I wanted to give you a picture

Not that long ago, I found myself in the lucky and enviable (according to some) position of being on the proverbial ground floor for the opening of a new restaurant. It was almost surreal, sitting in front of a computer; or in my living room with cookbooks scattered EVERYWHERE; researching recipes, knowing I was putting my stamp on a restaurant menu. Then talking to myself in the restaurant kitchen while I tested, and in some cases re-tested, those recipes. Then waiting like an expectant child with a macaroni painting, as I brought the dishes to the owner for his approval; and more importantly, my own personal validation.

While the restaurant has been open less than a month, I can say that my biggest breakthrough came during my downtime. It was a day in which there were no tastings planned and the workmen had left early, so there was no one to babysit. Sitting in the restaurant office, the prospect of getting another mediocre sandwich from the places in the neighborhood was downright depressing. And then this little voice in my head said: "hey jackass, you're a cook. You've got a kitchen at your disposal and the leftover produce from yesterday's tasting sitting in the lowboy; why don't you do something with it, instead of complaining about not having anything good to eat?!?" And with that, I was upstairs trying to decide how to best quiet my grumbling stomach and appease my mouthy brain.

I took stock of what I had and compared it with what I was in the mood for: I wanted bacon, I wanted the bite of red onion and I was pretty sure I wanted fish.
I had some bonito that I had taken out for a grilled fish dish…that got left off the final list of the 19 things we were given 18 hours notice to buy, prep and cook.
Anyway, I sliced some semi-thick pieces of fish and got some bacon cooking in a pan. I thinly sliced some jalapenos and red onion, then tossed the jalapenos in the rendered bacon fat. I spread some cilantro-lime vinaigrette on a baguette, then layered the fish, the bacon, red onion, jalapenos and some watercress on top. I cut the sandwich in half and brought it back downstairs to feast.

Much to my surprise, the owner of the restaurant was back from running errands and asked if he could have half the sandwich…which he promptly inhaled, and then asked me to make another one.
When he was finished with his second sandwich he wheeled his chair away from his desk, turned to me and said, “that was the best sandwich I’ve had in years.”

What follows is my grilled fish and bacon sandwich, or what I what I have dubbed, "the Elliott Sandwich."

The Elliott Sandwich

6 oz Bonito Steaks sliced into ¼ inch pieces
4 slices Bacon
1 Jalapeno, sliced thin and seeded
½ Red Onion, sliced thin
4 Sprigs, Watercress
Cilanto-Lime Vinaigrette
½ French Baguette, halved
½ oz Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette to follow.


Slice bonito, oil each side then season with salt and pepper. Cook bacon in a sauté pan until crispy, reserving the fat and allowing bacon to rest on paper towels.
Place the sliced jalapenos in the rendered bacon fat and cook until slightly browned.
Place fish on an oiled grill and cook for approximately two minutes on each side, then reserve.
Lightly toast the baguette, then spread the cilantro-lime vinaigrette on each side. Place the grilled fish on the bread, then the bacon and arrange the remaining ingredients on top, covering with the remaining piece of bread.
Slice in half and serve.

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

1 bunch, Cilantro
Juice of 4 Limes
Zest of 2 Limes
3 Egg Yolks
24 oz. Canola Oil
Salt & Pepper, to taste


Cut ends off cilantro and wash thoroughly, as cilantro is usually very dirty. Cut cilantro, leaves and stems, into smaller bunches and combine in a Vitaprep Mixer or blender with lime juice and egg yolks, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Turn on mixer and fully blend cilantro with lime juice and egg yolks, then increase speed as you slowly add the oil. When mixture thickens, adjust flavouring and thin with water, if necessary.

Yield: 1 Qt

Photo credit: Janet is Hungry