Thrilling fillings – classic sandwich recipes with a twist

A summer classic for good reason, the tomato sandwich is akin to tackling a perfectly ripe peach in terms of ambrosial food moments. The key here is in the tomato prep (see tip) as much as the umami butter, which is made with anchovies, lemon zest and basil for a further hit of summer fragrance. I sometimes add a pinch of blitzed seaweed, such as nori, to the butter, which works incredibly well with tomato.

Why it works Leaving the sliced tomatoes in the sunshine to warm up before adding to the sandwich brings a just-plucked-from-the-vine warmth and enhances the flavour. Unless you are delighted with the perfect ripeness of your tomato, sprinkle the slices very lightly with caster sugar.

Makes 2, with butter left over

tomato 1 large fancy, or 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
salt to taste
unsalted butter 100g, softened
banana shallot ½, finely diced
anchovy fillets 2, finely chopped
basil leaves a small handful, finely shredded
balsamic vinegar 2 tsp
worcestershire sauce ½ tsp
white bread 4 slices, very soft farmhouse style

Slice the tomatoes and put them on a plate. Season with salt. Leave the plate on a windowsill or in your sunniest spot for half an hour, to absorb some warmth.

Combine the butter, shallot, anchovy, basil, balsamic and worcestershire sauce in a bowl and mash together well with sea salt to taste.

Butter two pieces of bread very generously – this is key. Add the slices of tomato on top and pour over any juices collected on the plate. Eat immediately.

Store leftover butter wrapped in clingfilm in the fridge for up to a week.

A rich egg mayo, enhanced using the Japanese method of combining mashed yolks and chopped whites for the best texture, is layered with a punchy salad of chopped watercress, sliced shallots, salt, lemon juice and capers, inspired by the famous parsley salad served with roasted bone marrow at St John.

Why it works Egg mayo needs some acidity and bite to counteract the creaminess; think of it as an egg and cress, supercharged for 2025.

Makes 1

eggs 3, hard boiled
mayonnaise 2 tbsp
malt vinegar a few dashes
flaky sea salt
ground white pepper
banana shallot ½, peeled and very thinly sliced
fine capers 1 tsp
lemon juice 1 tsp
watercress 1 handful, chopped
white bread 2 slices, soft farmhouse-style

Separate the yolks and whites of the cooked eggs.

Finely chop the whites of two of the eggs. In a separate bowl, mash together the three yolks, the mayonnaise, vinegar, a pinch of salt and a pinch of white pepper.

Add the chopped whites to the mayo mixture and stir to combine. (You can chop and add the third white if you like, or just eat it. I like the richness of a more yolky ratio.)

In a bowl, combine the shallot, capers, lemon juice, a good pinch of salt and the watercress, and toss to combine. Layer this in the sandwich with the egg mayonnaise mixture.

This “ultimate prawn cocktail” sandwich uses fresh prawns. Maximise their prawny-ness by simmering their heads in oil to extract the flavour, then use the oil to make a mayonnaise. For a simplified version, use regular mayonnaise and freeze the prawn heads for stock. Tarragon and chives bring essential fragrance, and the crisps a nostalgic textural element.

Why it works Fresh prawns are worth getting every last drop of flavour from, and there’s plenty to be coaxed from the heads, resulting in an extra-prawny sandwich.

Makes 2

raw king prawns 10
vegetable oil 150ml
garlic 1 clove, smashed with something heavy or the side of a knife
egg yolks 2
dijon mustard 1 tsp
lemon zest of ½, plus a squeeze of juice
cold water 1 tbsp
olive oil 50ml
tarragon 1 tbsp, finely chopped
chives 1 tbsp, finely chopped
white bread 4 slices
iceberg lettuce ¼, shredded
prawn cocktail crisps 1 small packet

Remove the heads and shells from the prawns and de-vein the prawns.

Combine the heads with 100ml of the vegetable oil in a saucepan. Fry the prawn heads for 20-30 minutes, until you have a deep coral-coloured oil. Strain – you’ll have about 50ml.

Cook the prawn bodies and garlic clove in a steamer basket over a pan of boiling water for a few minutes or until the prawns are totally pink, then run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Reserve the garlic clove for making the mayonnaise.

To make the mayonnaise using an all-in-one method, combine the steamed garlic clove, the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice and zest and water in a tall container that’s only slightly wider than a stick blender. Add the prawn oil, remaining vegetable oil and olive oil. Place your immersion blender right on the bottom of the pot and blend. When you see mayo coming up the sides, gently draw the blender up. Don’t use a larger pot, because it won’t work.

(You can also make the mayonnaise in the traditional way, adding the oils gradually to the egg yolk.)

Season the mayonnaise well with salt and stir through the herbs. Add more lemon juice if you need it.

Roughly chop the cooled prawns and mix with a couple of tablespoons of the mayo, or to taste. Layer up in the sandwich with iceberg lettuce and prawn cocktails crisps.

The banh mi is a perfect sandwich; a lesson in the power of contrasts and seasonally adaptable. Here, five-spice-seasoned pork belly strips replace a larger piece of roasted meat, and fennel and kohlrabi stand in for the more usual carrot and daikon. The mayonnaise is inspired by nuoc cham, with fish sauce, chilli and garlic bringing bags of flavour.

Why it works The banh mi is a riot of contrasting flavours and textures, including creamy, rich paté, roasted pork, piquant pickles and fragrant herbs. It practically fizzes with exciting flavours. A true summer sandwich titan.

Makes 2, with pork belly left over

pork belly slices 500g
neutral oil
five spice 1 tbsp
short baguettes 2
pork paté of your choice
cucumber slices
Thai basil a handful
coriander a handful
mint leaves a handful

For the pickles
sea salt 2 tsp
caster sugar 50g
white wine vinegar 150ml
hot water 150ml
fennel bulb ½ small, sliced
kohlrabi ½ small, peeled and sliced

For the nuoc cham mayo
fish sauce ½ tbsp
mayonnaise 2 tbsp
honey or maple syrup ½ tsp
lime juice ½ tbsp
garlic ½ clove, grated to a paste
red chilli 1, finely chopped or 1 bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 140C fan/gas mark 3.

Make the pickles by combining the salt, sugar, vinegar and water and stirring until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Add the fennel and kohlrabi and set aside.

Pat the pork belly dry with kitchen paper – don’t skip this as it’s important for crispness. Rub the pork belly slices all over with oil, then coat with the five spice. Season with salt. Place on to a wire rack set over a baking tray.

Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, then baste with the fat and cook for a further 30 minutes (they should be tender but the fat not totally crisp).

Turn the oven up to 200C fan/gas mark 7 and cook for a further 10-20 minutes, or until the skin on the pork belly slices is crisp, watching carefully to ensure they don’t burn.

Combine all the ingredients for the mayonnaise and mix well.

To build thebanh mi, slice the pork belly into 2cm-wide pieces. Layer each baguette with mayonnaise on one side then paté on the other, then cucumber, pork belly, herbs and pickles.

Helen Graves is the author of BBQ Days, BBQ Nights (Hardie Grant, £22), and her Substack is Flavour Nuggets. Order a copy of her book at observershop.co.uk for £19.80. Delivery charges may apply