Name: The Best Ham Sandwich
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: two fresh (6-inch) French Baguettes; 3 ounces (85g) creamy soft goats cheese; 2 - 3 TBS spicy cranberry and pepper jam; a couple handfuls of fresh baby arugula, washed and dried; 1/2 pound (8 ounces/227g) shaved Deli Ham

I get regular emails from a blog called Barefeet in the Kitchen. I have been a fan of Mary's Yonkin's recipes for years. I have all of her cookbooks and in fact they were the first ones I replaced after moving back to Canada and having had to leave all my books behind.

The other day she sent a recipe for a delicious sounding Ham Sandwich into my email box. She called it the best ham sandwich you'll ever eat! That's a tall order I thought, but I was intrigued! It did sound and look very good, with layers of rocket, ham and sweet cranberry and pepper jam on a goat's cheese slathered fresh and crispy baguette.

I love LOVE all of those ingredients! Its true. The combination sounded like something I would enjoy. Creamy goat's cheese, salty ham. What a brilliant combination. Of course, if you don't like goat's cheese or find its flavor to be too strong you can use a whipped cream cheese in its place.

I am a huge fan of Grandpa Ham by Sikorski. It is wood smoked and delicious and tastes just like the old-fashioned ham that my grandfather used to smoke himself.

We have a cranberry bog just down the road from us where they harvest the best cranberries each year and a local place turns them into jams and sauces. I knew their cranberry pepper jam would be perfect for this sandwich.

And rocket/arugula . . . one of my favorite greens. I love its peppery bite.

What could go wrong with this sandwich? Nothing! This was one very tasty sandwich. Yes, I did downsize it to make only two sandwiches. It can easily be doubled or tripled and cut into smaller bite sized sandwiches to use as appetizers. Just a suggestion.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THE BEST HAM SANDWICH

Just a few simple ingredients. Most are not all that out of the ordinary, except for maybe the goats cheese.

two fresh (6-inch) French Baguettes
3 ounces (85g) creamy soft goats cheese
2 - 3 TBS spicy cranberry and pepper jam
a couple handfuls of fresh baby arugula, washed and dried
1/2 pound (8 ounces/227g) shaved Deli Ham

You could use one 12-inch baguette in the place of two smaller ones. In either case I always lop off the ends to make my sandwiches easier to eat. Choose nice fresh ones, preferably baked on the day.

If you are not a fan of goats cheese you can use whipped cream cheese in its place. I think you could also use a Boursin cheese. Just don't go too wild with the flavor as you don't want it to jar with the other flavors in the sandwich. Keep it simple.

I used a good deli baked ham, shaved into thin slices. Crumple them up when you put them onto the sandwich. This adds interest!

I used a cranberry and pepper jam that is made here locally. It was delicious!

Don't overdo the baby arugula/rocket. You want it to make a statement, but you don't want it to take over the sandwich. Make sure you pat it really dry after washing it. You don't want a soggy sandwich!

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HAM SANDWICH

It's a doddle really.

Slice your baguettes in half horizontally creating two flat halves for each sandwich. Divide the goat's cheese between each slice, spreading it out evenly. (Both sides of each baguette should be covered.)

Layer the baby arugula (rocket) on the bottom halves of the baguettes, on top of the goat's cheese. You want to make sure you use ample rocket, but don't go too far over the top. You also don't want the rocket to take over the sandwich.

Layer the ham over top of the arugula, dividing it equally between the two baguettes. I like to crumple it up a bit to add extra texture and interest.

Spoon the cranberry pepper jam over top of the goat's cheese on the top halves of the sandwiches. Don't too overzealous with this. A little goes a long way!

Place jam side down on top of the ham, pressing everything together lightly. Cut in half on the diagonal to serve. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you are not fond of goat's cheese, feel free to use whipped cream cheese in its place.

The Cranberry Pepper jam has the nicest flavor and goes very well with the other flavors in this sandwich.

MY HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING A BETTER SANDWICH

If you follow my hints and tips you will never be faced with a boring, dry or tasteless sandwich again! I promise!

1. Use the best and the freshest ingredients. Use a fresh, quality bread. Fresh fillings, meat, spreads, veggies.

2. Spread any butter or creamed cheese right to the edges of the bread. This helps to keep the bread fresh and, aside from adding flavor, forms a barrier between the filling and the bread which helps to keep the sandwich from getting soggy.

3. Season your veggies. Add just a pinch of salt before you put them into your sandwich. You don't need a lot, and it will make all the difference in the world.

4. If all you have to use is stale bread, don't give up. You can revive it by toasting your bread in a toaster or by making a grilled sandwich in a skillet.

5. Balance out the flavors and textures of your sandwich. Create a perfect balance of crunchy, creamy, fresh, fatty, sweet, etc. Make sure they all play well together, however.

I am always a little bit dubious when someone dares to call something "the best." Taste is subjective and what is someone else's best might not be my own. This was really delicious however and I will admit to being suitably impressed.

The tang of the goat's cheese was nice against the saltiness of the ham and the sweetness of the cranberry and pepper jam. The rocket added a nice touch of peppery earthy freshness and of course, the crisp, yet chewy bread added in another delicious factor.

In short, this was one pretty tasty sandwich!

I am like my late Aunt Freda. I love LOVE LOVE sandwiches. The world would be an empty place without them. Here are a few other quick and delicious favorites of mine that I think you might also enjoy!

CROISSANT TURKEY CLUB SANDWICH - Everything you love about a typical club sandwich, except tucked into a buttery flaky croissant. With sliced tomato, bacon, plenty of turkey, shredded lettuce and a good quality mayonnaise. You could also add a slice of cheese if you wish.

THE CLASSIC TOMATO SANDWICH - Everyone has their own idea about what constitutes a great tomato sandwich. It's such a simple thing and yet can be very divisive with everyone weighing in with their own opinions. In my books a tomato sandwich doesn't get much better than this. My way of doing it is quite delicious. You could add rashers of crisp smoky bacon to it, but then it becomes a BLT. Not quite the same thing I don't think!

Yield: 2 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

The Best Ham Sandwich

Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

Creamy goats cheese; peppery arugula (rocket), smoky ham and a sweet and spicy jam tucked into a fresh baguette. It doesn't get much better than this!

Ingredients

two fresh (6-inch) French Baguettes
3 ounces (85g) creamy soft goats cheese
2 - 3 TBS spicy cranberry and pepper jam
a couple handfuls of fresh baby arugula, washed and dried
1/2 pound (8 ounces/227g) shaved Deli Ham