American sandwiches with Sherry

BEST SHERRY TO PAIR WITH SANDWICHES

As always, the diversity of styles coming out of the region will prove very helpful when pairing the most varied collection of sandwiches. Focus on the major ingredients between the two loaves and follow your gut! Possibly, lighter components will pair better with lighter wines like finos and manzanillas, bold and savory with olorosos, and don’t forget sweeter sherries like creams for your sweet mid-afternoon snacks.

THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER SANDWICH RECIPE & WINE PAIRING – BEST SHERRY WITH THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER SANDWICH

Thanksgiving leftover sandwich origins and history

We featured this same recipe around this time last year. This sandwich is probably as old as the Thanksgiving tradition! At the end of the day, who doesn’t have leftovers after such a feast? The Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich has taken many forms in the hands of different magazines, chefs, and family traditions – so the possibilities are endless! 

Thanksgiving leftover sandwich recipe and ingredients

• Sourdough sandwich bread, sliced
• Turkey breast
• Dijon mustard
• Mayonnaise
• Stuffing
• Cranberry sauce
• Gravy
• Mashed potatoes
• Salt and pepper
• Romaine lettuce

Spread the condiments on the first slice of bread, and then start building! 

Palo Cortado Península: best sherry for the Thanksgiving leftover sandwich

Again, based on the final ingredients you may pull out of your fridge on the following day, you might end up with a particular sandwich profile or another. Go easy on the cranberry sauce or you may want to consider pairing a sweet sherry! For nicely ‘balanced’ Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches, I think a wine like Palo Cortado Península would be fantastic.

BLT RECIPE & WINE PAIRING – BEST SHERRY WITH BLT SANDWICH

BLT origins and history

The BLT became popular after World War II because of the rapid expansion of supermarkets, which allowed ingredients to be available year-round. Referencing the sandwich by its initials rather than naming the ingredients in full did not become common until the 1970s.

BLT recipe and ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon
• 2 leaves of lettuce
• 2 slices of tomato
• 2 slices of bread, toasted
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Cook the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Arrange the cooked bacon, lettuce, and tomato on one slice of bread. Spread one side of the remaining bread with the mayonnaise.

Amontillado Escuadrilla best sherry for the BLT

As we have said many times, pork screams for sherry. It is difficult to make this sandwich not taste good even with a broader lineup of (dry) sherries. Although, I am going to suggest Amontillado Escuadrilla this time. Enjoy!

CRISPY RED SHRIMP SANDWICH RECIPE & WINE PAIRING (BOCADILLO DE GAMBAS FRITAS) 

RECIPE BY LA BODEGA BY CÚRATE, Asheville, NC

Crispy red shrimp sandwich origins and history

In Felix’s words: “Madrid meets New Orleans, a fusion between Madrid’s famous bocadillo de calamares (fried calamari sandwich with mayonnaise) and a shrimp Po’Boy”.

Crispy red shrimp sandwich recipe and ingredients

• ¼ lb Royal Red shrimp
• ½ cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 7-inch baguette, cut in half lengthwise and brushed with oil
• 2 tablespoons pickled piparra peppers, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon wedge
• 2 tablespoons allioli
• Salt
• ½ cup arugula

Remove shrimp from milk and egg mixture. Cover in flour dredge and allow to sit for one minute. Meanwhile, toast your bread in a hot pan or under a broiler. Once the bread is toasted, fry the shrimp in the 375 F oil. This should take about 3 minutes. The outside should be crispy with a very light tan color. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Spread allioli on each side of the baguette. Sprinkle chopped pickled peppers on one side and arugula on the other. Arrange the shrimp evenly. Press the sides of the sandwich together and cut in half.

Lustau fino del puerto: best sherry for the Crispy red shrimp sandwich

I have not had the opportunity to taste Cúrate’s bocadillo de gambas fritas yet, but I bet it will taste magnificent with a glass of Lustau’s Fino del Puerto. Anyone?

IBERIAN PORK HAMBURGER RECIPE & WINE PAIRING

RECIPE BY LA BODEGA BY CÚRATE, Asheville, NC

Iberian pork hamburger origins and history

How do you make something taste better? You add Iberian pork to it, it is that simple. If you like hamburgers, can you imagine adding the taste of the best ibérico ham to it? This sandwich offers tons of rich, flavorful goodness. You will just need a matching glass of sherry to be in heaven.

Iberian pork hamburger recipe and ingredients

• 3.8 oz beef (about 75 % lean)
• .95 oz Cinco Jotas pork shoulder steak
• Sliced ibérico lardo
• Confit piquillos– 1 pepper/burger
• Sauteed mushrooms with fino sherry
• Caramelized onions
• Allioli
• 1 soft burger bun

Brush the cut side of your bun with olive oil and prepare a broiler. Heat a heavy pan, such as a cast-iron skillet, over medium-high heat. Remove the burger from the refrigerator and season each side with a pinch of kosher salt and a crack or two of freshly ground black pepper. Sear on each side for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, toast your bun under the broiler and lightly warm your onion, mushroom, and piquillo pepper in the same pan you used for the burger. Top the burger with the slice of lardo. Top with the peppers, onions, and mushrooms and warm for one minute under the broiler. Spread a teaspoon of allioli on each side of the bun. Assemble the burger.

Oloroso Don Nuño: best sherry for the Iberian pork hamburger

This is amazing with oloroso Don Nuño. The interaction between the ibérico flavor and the wine is a given, plus the caramelized onions and the lardo are all the extra strength that the best olorosos require. This is an easy one.