Chicken, Walnut and Watercress Sandwiches
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Buy a cooked chicken or use the poached chicken recipe to make these delicious sandwiches based on the flavours in a classic Waldorf Salad. Use only very fresh walnuts otherwise the filling may taste rancid. Generously buttered bread is the key to a good sandwich, as the butter not only helps the filling stick to the bread, but also helps maintain freshness.
INGREDIENTS
4 cups diced, cooked chicken
2-3 cups picked watercress
21 slices thin sandwich bread, (I used whole-grain)
butter at room temperature for spreading
Mayonnaise
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ cup walnuts, roasted and finely chopped
½ cup finely diced celery
finely grated zest 1 lemon
1 clove garlic clove
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chopped chives
METHOD
Combine all the ingredients except the chicken in a large bowl. Season well. Add the chicken and gently combine.
To assemble: Butter each slice of bread. Lay out 7 slices, buttered side up and divide the chicken filling between them. Don’t push it down flat as the sandwiches need to look full and inviting. Top with a second slice of bread, buttered side down and butter the top side.
Cover with a good layer of watercress and top with the remaining bread. Cut off the crusts using a very sharp bread knife or electric knife. Cut each sandwich into three fingers.
If making ahead of time, cover with a damp tea towel to ensure they don’t dry out. Makes 21 finger sandwiches
Cook’s tips:
One whole, cooked chicken will yield 4 cups of diced meat.
Look for roasted, free-range chickens in good supermarkets and food stores.
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