Chive and Tarragon Smoked Salmon Sandwich
No more boring lunches with this creamy Chive and Tarragon Smoked Salmon Sandwich on a multigrain and seeded bread with fresh veggies.
Lunch and sandwiches go hand in hand.
Despite being a recipe developer, making recipes here for Alaska Select, on my own website, and for a few others, I don't always eat as glamours as it may look.
Sure, I eat everything that comes out of my test kitchen, but there are plenty of days that I am sitting behind a monitor pounding on a keyboard. Breakfast and lunch whiz by.
Jazz Up Your Lunch Box Sandwich
When that rumble in my stomach gets a little to loud to ignore, I wander into the kitchen and grab something quick to eat. Sometimes, I have those glamours leftovers to nosh on; sometimes I have a PB & J.
Now, I'm not knocking the classic PB & J, but occasionally, it's nice to jazz up what's between those two slices of bread.
Smoked Salmon Sandwich
Enter this Chive and Tarragon Smoked Salmon Sandwich. This sandwich was inspired by an email in my inbox. One of my daily newsletter subscriptions was at the top of my box and it was about sandwiches. It was a vegetarian sandwich with lots of vegetables. The thick layer of red bell peppers caught my eye.
I only looked at it briefly before hitting delete, but it sparked an idea that I quickly wrote down. If I could be in love with an idea, I was. If I could be in love with a sandwich, I am.
I've been doing this for a long time and I dare say this might be the best sandwich I have EVER made. The rich smokey salmon against the herbed cream cheese was a winning combination and the vegetables gave it that fresh crunch we all love.
The bread for this Chive and Tarragon Smoked Salmon Sandwich was the most perplexing part. No simple wheat would do. White would be blasphemy. I needed something hearty.
I settled on a multigrain sourdough with a blend of toasted sunflower, flax, sesame, poppy, and pumpkin seeds from a local bakery. I know that's playing unfair since it is a local-to-me bakery, but I know there are similar types of breads at other quality bakeries. It was the perfect choice.
Creamy Chive and Tarragon Spread
Oh this spread. When working on it, I created three different versions. One with just chive. One with just tarragon. And one with both.
The version with just chive was delicious, but missed a zing. The just tarragon version had the zing, but missed the depth. But together was the right balance between depth, zing, earthiness, and freshness.
For those unfamiliar with tarragon, it's a herb that sneaks up on you. subtle...Subtle...hey there's some tarragon...WAMMO, Tarragon is present and accounted for. It also gets stronger over time.
If you're going to keep the spread around for multiple sandwiches for the week, use the lower listed amount of 1/2 tsp of freshly chopped tarragon because by weeks' end, it will have intensified significantly. However, if you're making the batch and serving on the same day, use the full teaspoon.
Chive and Tarragon Smoked Salmon Sandwich
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 packet Smoked Sockeye Salmon (4-6 oz)
- 8 slices multigrain/seed bread
- 1 medium cucumber; sliced
- 2 oz leafy lettuce (10-12 leaves); cleaned
- 1/2 oz clover and broccoli sprouts blend
Creamy Chive and Tarragon Spread
- 3 oz cream cheese; softened
- 2 tbsp fresh chive; chopped
- 1/2-1 tsp fresh tarragon; chopped* (see section above)
- 1/8 tsp granulated garlic
- pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
- Prep the cucumbers, lettuce, and sprouts; set aside.
Creamy Chive and Tarragon Spread
- Place cream cheese in a bowl, cover, and allow to soften at room temperature.
- Chop the chives and tarragon and add to the cream cheese bowl.
- Mix in the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper; stir until combined.
- Cover and allow flavors to meld for at least 30 minutes.
Smoked Salmon Sandwich Assembly
- Generously slather the Creamy Chive and Tarragon Spread on the top bread slice.
- Layer the sprouts, lettuce, and cucumber on the bottom.
- Divide the package of smoked sockeye salmon among the four sandwiches, keeping the flakey layers as large and whole as possible-it will still flake into small pieces.
- Place the top bread, slice in half.
- Serve and enjoy.
You have my promise, this Chive and Tarragon Smoked Salmon Sandwich will revitalize your brown bag lunch.
