I have three kids with very different tastes, so when I make something that all three devour and ask me to make again, I know that I have a winning recipe. This is one, a dinner sandwich with salmon marinated in a not too spicy chipotle sauce,quickly baked until tender and moist, and topped with wilted greens and crisp onion dressed in a flavorful agave syrup, lime, and Dijon vinaigrette.
There’s also bacon (no wonder my kids like it so much!), crisp and smoky, and creamy, ripe avocado slices that balance out all the strong flavors. The sandwich makes a filling meal, but if you have room for a side, try Sami’s Smashed Potatoes.
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon agave syrup, maple syrup, or honey
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup slivered or thinly sliced red onion
- 3 tablespoons sauce from canned chipotles in adobo
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 (8-ounce) salmon fillets
- 12 bacon slices
- 3 cups baby greens
- 12 slices multigrain or whole wheat sandwich bread
- 2 ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted, flesh scooped out and sliced
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. To make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, 3 tablespoons of the oil, the mustard, agave syrup, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the onion, toss together, and let sit for at least 5 minutes. (You can do this a couple of days ahead, cover, and refrigerate.)
3. To make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the adobo sauce, garlic, cumin, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
4. Brush a baking dish with oil. Place the salmon skin side down in the dish and pour the marinade over it, spreading it evenly over the fish. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until the salmon is cooked through yet still very moist. Remove from the oven and cut each fillet into 2 equal pieces.
5. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until crisp and browned. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. When cool enough to handle, break each slice in half.
6. When ready to make the sandwiches, whisk or stir the vinaigrette until well mixed and emulsified. Add the baby greens and toss well. Taste for salt and add more if desired.
7. Toast the bread. Place a piece of salmon on 6 of the slices, breaking the fish up a little, and top with 2 pieces of bacon, some dressed baby greens, and 2 or 3 avocado slices. Top with the other slices of bread and serve.
Open-Faced Mexican Gravlax Sandwiches :
I serve these open-faced sandwiches as a light dinner or for brunch, usually with a potato salad or cilantro potatoes on the side and a fruit salad to start or end the meal. You could also make the sandwiches on smaller pieces of bread for appetizer bites.
All you need to make the gravlax is very fresh salmon fillet, some seasonings, a couple of baking dishes, and 2 days for the salmon to cure. No cooking required!
I’ve put a Mexican spin on this Scandinavian dish, substituting intense silver tequila for the traditional aquavit and a mix of cilantro, cumin, ground chipotle chile, sea salt, and dark brown sugar for the traditional cure of sugar, salt, and dill.
The tangy, slightly salty puree of Mexican crema and avocado, seasoned with lime, is the perfect sauce.
For the gravlax
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons kosher or sea salt
- 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar or grated piloncillo
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cups fresh cilantro leaves and upper part of stems, finely chopped
- Grated zest of 1 lime
- 1 (1-pound) skin-on fresh salmon fillet, any pin bones removed
- 2 tablespoons silver tequila
- For the avocado crema
- 1 cup Mexican crema, crème fraîche, or sour cream
- 1 ripe Hass avocado, halved, pitted, flesh scooped out and finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon grated lime zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the sandwiches
- 8 slices black bread, rye, pumpernickel, or other dark bread of your choice, toasted
- 4 to 6 scallions (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
- 2 pounds lean ground pork
- 1 pound uncooked Mexican chorizo, casings removed, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
- 1 tablespoon sauce from canned chipotles in adobo or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
- Kosher or sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted, flesh scooped out and cut into chunks
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh chives
- Canola or safflower oil for the grill or skillet
- 8 slices asadero, Monterey Jack, Muenster, or Chihuahua cheese (optional)
- 8 large brioche or hamburger buns, split
1. To make the gravlax: Combine the chipotle powder, cumin, salt, brown sugar or piloncillo, pepper, cilantro, and lime zest in a small bowl. Lay the salmon skin side up in a large glass or ceramic baking dish. Using a sharp knife, make 10 to 12 slashes, about 1 inch long, in the skin, just deep enough to reach the flesh. Rub one third of the salt mixture over the skin and into the slashes. Flip the fish over, spoon the tequila over the fish, and rub in the rest of the salt mixture. Place a large sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the fish. Place a slightly smaller baking dish on top of the fish and weight it down with heavy cans; use as many as will fit in the top baking dish.
2. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 2 days, basting it with the juices in the baking dish each night and re-covering and weighting again.
3. To make the crema: Combine the cream, avocado, lime zest and juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. To serve: Thinly slice the salmon, cutting it on the diagonal (take care not to cut through the skin). Arrange the slices on a cold platter. Serve with the avocado crema, toasts, and scallions, if you like, and have diners assemble their own open-faced sandwich. Or assemble the sandwiches yourself and serve.
It was my friend Tamara’s birthday party. Her husband, Sean, an American who speaks and acts like a Mexico City native (as a native myself, I would know), had made different types of hamburgers for the dinner for the forty-plus guests. When he saw me walk in, he gave me a plate of chipotle-pork sliders topped with a layer of melted cheese and said, “You are going to like these.” I didn’t even try the other sliders. All I wanted were these.
Later that weekend I made them, adding onion, oregano, and plenty of chorizo to the meat mix. I served them on brioche buns (you could also use hamburger rolls) with a thick avocado spread embellished with chives.
Although pork, chorizo, and chipotle are heavenly together, spicy Italian sausage will do, or, if you don’t eat pork, you can mix ground turkey with turkey chorizo. If you want the burgers really spicy, chop up a couple of chipotle chiles in adobo and add them to the mix.
1. In a large bowl, mix the pork with the chorizo, onion, adobo sauce, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper until well combined. Moisten your hands and form the meat into 8 patties, about ¾ inch thick. Place them on a baking sheet or platter.
2. Prepare a medium-hot fire in an outdoor grill, or heat a grill pan or large heavy skillet over medium heat.
3. In a medium bowl, mash the avocados with a fork until smooth. Stir in the mayonnaise, lime juice, chives, and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend well and set aside.
4. Once the grill, grill pan, or skillet is hot, brush lightly with oil (the chorizo in the burgers will quickly release its seasoned fat). Place the patties on the grill or pan and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the patties and, if adding cheese, place a slice on each patty. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes for medium, or 5 to 6 minutes for medium-well.
juice, chives, and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend well and set aside.
4. Once the grill, grill pan, or skillet is hot, brush lightly with oil (the chorizo in the burgers will quickly release its seasoned fat). Place the patties on the grill or pan and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the patties and, if adding cheese, place a slice on each patty. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes for medium, or 5 to 6 minutes for medium-well.
5. Meanwhile, a couple of minutes before the burgers are ready, place the split buns on the cooler part of the grill (or in a 325-degree oven or toaster oven) and let them warm up for just a minute, until they barely begin to toast.
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