Squashed ham sandwich

Serves 2

This is a sandwich, but not as most people know it………

What could be more homely and simple than a mustard-enhanced ham sandwich?  But because most of us travel to picnics by car, this one also requires the diner to sit on the sandwich to help everything blend together, the butter melting seductively into the bread and the mustard an ham blissfully uniting.  It is not simply a gimmick – although the kids love it when you ask then to sit on their lunch – it also tastes wonderful.

The idea for this sat- upon sandwich is from American food writer M.F.K Fisher’s ‘Railroad Sandwich’ (from her words, ‘a serene onlooker), preferably one of ample girth, to do the sitting.  Timing is not crucial but, depending on girth and corpulence, I advise a minimum of 20 minutes.

Ingredients

1 short, wide French loaf (about 30cm/12 in long

55-75g/2-2 ¾ oz butter

Edinburgh Preserves Honey & Whisky Mustard

About 115g/4 oz quality cooked ham, sliced

Method

Slice the loaf horizontally into 2 halves.  Remove some of the soft bread inside to make more room for the filling.  Spread both cut sides generously with the butter, then smear mustard on to one side.

Place the ham slices along one half, then top with the other half, pressing down firmly together.  Never consider adding extras such as tomatoes or lettuce, unless you want a perfectly squashed sandwich with judiciously measured filling to end up a slimy disaster.

Wrap the loaf in foil, then in a plastic bag and finally in a tea towel.  Ask the chosen sandwich -squasher to sit on the  loaf (gently but firmly) for about 20-30 minutes.

Before eating, carefully unwrap the sandwich, cut in two and devour.