Turkey Sandwich with Horseradish Dill Slaw
March 30, 2019 by Nicole Collins
We’re keeping things nice and simple today, guys and gals!
For a moment, I wasn’t sure about posting today’s recipe. I mean, it’s essentially just a turkey sandwich.
But, it’s a really delicious turkey sandwich, so we’re going with it!
This sandwich is my interpretation of a sandwich I had for lunch while at a leadership retreat a few weekends ago. It was a weekend long event, and all of the meals they served us were gluten free. Everything was also labeled, so there must have been a lot of dietary restrictions in the room prompting these serving measures.
I picked up a sandwich that had the most incredible sounding description: turkey, havarti, and horseradish dill slaw on brown bread with basil spread. And, it was one of the biggest let downs ever!
My biggest complaint was that I couldn’t taste even the faintest hint of horseradish. I LOVE horseradish, and wanted it to be front and center. But, I can also appreciate when it’s perfectly muted. However, it was invisible on this sandwich.
Also, the slaw was just dry and rough chopped and way too awkward and crunchy for a delicate sandwich. And the basil spread? What basil spread? My taste buds are pretty on point when it comes to picking out flavors, especially bold ones like basil. But, there was not a hint of basil in sight.
So, what I ended up with was a turkey, cheese, and cabbage sandwich on some brown bread with an unpleasant texture.
Bleh…
So, I decided to make my version of that sandwich at home…but the right way (in my opinion). And, that brings us to today.
Today, we’re making a Turkey Sandwich with Horseradish Dill Slaw.
So, here are the changes I made to my version of this sammie. First off, I nixed the (nonexistent) basil spread, because I didn’t think it added any value to the sandwich. There are already some strong flavors happening here with the rye bread, the horseradish, and the dill. So, that basil mayo fulfilled a new destiny on these Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
Next, I made my slaw using shredded lettuce instead of shredded cabbage. I know cabbage is traditional for slaw, but I didn’t like the texture of cabbage with this sandwich. So, I used shredded lettuce, mixed it with some mayo, prepared horseradish, and fresh dill; and used it as a replacement for the condiment on my sandwich. Because we’re using a produce with a much higher water content, it’s important that we make the slaw right before serving. This is not one of those things that we can make ahead, because it will get soggy if it sits too long. And, we want it to stay crispy!
For the bread, I used a really beautiful Jewish rye/ pumpernickel swirled bread. The caraway seeds in the rye combined with the richness of the pumpernickel adds a really unique flavor to our sandwich. And don’t even get me started on what happens when you toast the bread…HEAVEN! Toasted rye bread is one of my favorite things ever. But, if you can’t find this swirled bread (I get Pepperidge Farm brand), you could certainly just use Jewish rye or pumpernickel bread. Your choice.
Other than these few tweaks, I stuck with deli black forest turkey and havarti cheese for my meat and cheese in this sandwich. And, the end result was a perfectly creamy, crunchy, delicious lunch treat! Sometimes just a few small changes can take a standard lunch from “meh” to “oh yeah”, and this sandwich is a perfect example of that.
Alright guys! Thanks for allowing me to take it easy on ya today. I promise, I’ll reward you with something crazy delicious on Tuesday!
‘Til then, enjoy! And, let’s eat!
Turkey Sandwich with Horseradish Dill Slaw
Serves: 2 Print
Ingredients:
4 slices Jewish rye/pumpernickel swirl sandwich bread (toasted or not toasted)
8 slices deli black forest turkey
3 slices havarti cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 ½ tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
black pepper, to taste
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, horseradish, dill, and a pinch of black pepper. Stir to mix well. Add in shredded lettuce, and toss to coat.
Take one slice of bread, and top with 4 slices turkey, 1 ½ slices of cheese, and half of the lettuce slaw. Top with another slice of bread. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve!
Recipe notes:
*This sandwich is best served fresh. The lettuce slaw does not keep well in the fridge.
*If you can't find Jewish rye/pumpernickel swirl bread, just get one or the other.
