BBQ Sandwich, outside, in January?

One of my favorite places in DC is a restaurant/bar/coffee shop called Open City.  Famous for their delicious all day breakfast menu (which features items such as a chorizo scramble and multigrain pancakes), this is a go-to spot for me when I need to relax- alone, with my laptop, or with a close friend.

A major draw of this place is the outdoor seating, a patio overlooking Rock Creek Park and tucked away from the bustle of Connecticut Avenue.  When it's really nice out, there's this indoor-outdoor living feeling, as they open the huge windows to provide fresh air for even the patrons seated inside.

During my recent visit there, on an uncharacteristically warm January afternoon, HG and I sat in the bright sunshine for some sandwiches, beer, and a catchup session.

In my 5+ years living here, I have eaten a lot of the sandwiches on their menu, but I decided to try something new.  I narrowed down my selection to either the tuna melt or the BBQ Pork, but the waiter made my selection easy when he said "BBQ, all day long."

This was a deliciously messy sandwich.  I needed extra napkins, but it was SO worth it.  The meat was so tender and juicy, and I loved the contrast between the subtle housemade barbeque sauce and the vinegar-y cabbage-apple slaw served on the sandwich, which added flavor without overwhelming the meat.  I appreciated that the sesame potato bun was strong enough to stand up to the meat, sauce, and slaw without falling apart.  The sandwiches at Open City now come a la carte, and I ordered brussels sprouts on the side. They were perfect.

Okay, I'm ready for summer.

When life gives you lemons, make a salmonwich!

I went home to Florida recently for the holidays and I picked some bright, beautiful lemons growing on a tree in my parents' yard.  I decided that WB and I needed to make something with these lemons that we could write about.  And since we love sandwiches, somehow we needed to incorporate these homegrown citrus delights into something that could go between two pieces of bread.  I brought them back to DC, and, per WB's suggestion, we used them to make salmon patty sandwiches!

WB did the research on salmon patties and discovered this recipe.  We were not disappointed with the results!  We doubled the below recipe, which was a great idea, because these salmon patties make delicious leftovers. 

Ingredients

• 2 strips bacon
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• the zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 (14-ounce) can wild salmon (check for bones)
• 1 russet potato
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs (we used Panko)
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1.  First things first- zest the lemon and set it aside.

2.  Bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan.  Reserve the fat for later.

3.  Meanwhile, bake a potato, peel it, and mash it with a fork into a bowl.

4.  Heat 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat over low heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent.

5.  Cool your onions!

6.  Mix the bacon, onion, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl.

7.  Add the salmon (flaked with a fork) and potato.

8.  Form the mixture into 12 (ish) small patties.

9.  In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and a few dashes of freshly ground pepper.

10. Coat the patties in the bread crumb topping.

11.  Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, and cook the salmon cakes in batches until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add more oil, as necessary.

12.  Place the patties on paper towels.  Squeeze some of the fresh lemon over them.

13.  We sliced a baguette and toasted the bread slightly, and then we drizzled it with olive oil.  

14.  Pile the bread high with tomatoes and fresh avocados. In the future, we recommend using a soft roll for these sandwiches, because the patties are pretty fragile.  

This was an amazing way to start off the New (Sandwich) Year!!!