Turkey Sandwich with Hoisin Mayonnaise

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

I found this recipe in Real Simple Magazine and immediately knew I had to make it. The recipe appealed to me on several levels. Of course a sandwich is easier to prepare than many of the recipes I choose so this was a definite plus. The real benefit however, is that I have loved Hoisin Sauce since I was a teenager when my mom introduced me to Mu Shu Pork. She loved Mu Shu so every time we went out for Chinese food, we ordered the dish. If you haven't eaten Mu Shu, I highly recommend it. The meat is shredded, prepared in Hoisin, which is a plum sauce, and then served with thin pancake-like wrappers. Delicious!

For this recipe, I purchased freshly carved turkey from Metropolitan Market. The recipe calls for sliced roasted turkey but my instincts told me that freshly carved turkey would elevate the final result. I served the sandwiches on ciabatta buns, freshly baked by one of our local favorites, Macrina Bakery. Before I offer further comment, I will share the recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 cucumber

1 small carrot

1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce

2 sandwich rolls

8 ounces sliced roasted turkey

1/4 cup mint leaves

1 scallion

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Using a vegetable peeler, cut 1/2 cucumber and 1 small carrot into long, think strips. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise and 1 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce. Dividing evenly, spread 2 split sandwich rolls with mayonnaise mixture and fill with 4 ounces sliced roasted turkey, 1/4 cup mint leaves, 1 thinly sliced scallion, cucumber and carrot. Season with 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Serves 2.

This sandwich is so good! The flavors are restrained enough not to overwhelm but tasty enough to hit the palate perfectly. The only change I made was to use Canola mayonnaise instead of regular reduced fat mayo, which I don't think affected the flavor. I highly recommend using freshly carved turkey and high quality fresh sandwich rolls. These two ingredients definitely made the sandwiches special. The only change I would make is to add 2 tablespoons of Hoisin to the mayonnaise instead of 1 tablespoon. Other than this, the sandwich was just about perfect. I will add this recipe to my sandwich repertoire for sure.