There is this whole concept about experiencing a movie, and getting immersed into that world as briefly as it may be. What better way than to be eating the same foods as the characters on the screen. This is what this series is about. I want to make these dishes with my own take on it while trying to stay true to the nature of the dish.
In this movie, there is a sandwich that became an icon: the world's greatest sandwich. I find it quite strange because the scene with this sandwich is less than half a minute long, and half of that time is dedicated for a beer pouring flare. And John (Adam Sandler) doesn't even get to take a bite of it. Yet, this scene is one of the most memorable scenes in the movie.
The recipe for this sandwich was made by Thomas Keller. It is basically a modified BLT - bacon, lettuce, tomato - with a fried egg over-easy and melted cheese on the bread.
His order is very specific. From top to bottom: mayonnaise, tomato, bacon, egg, lettuce, cheese. On the DVD extras they say he insisted the cheese had to be melted.
When I first made it as the original recipe is set, it was like eating a number of sandwiches put into one. And the combination works beautifully. Can you call it 'The Greatest'? I don't know, it is all subjective, but it is pretty damn good.
My take on the recipe:
For my own take on this sandwich I wanted to make it into a garlic bread. This meant that I would have to melt the cheese separately because otherwise I would run the risk of burning the bread. I would have preferred to use a torch to melt the cheese, but I dont have one.
I added basil into the recipe to add extra fragrance. Besides, with the tomatoes and the garlic bread, you are getting a bruschetta in the sandwich.
The big change that I made though is the egg. Now, I do like an egg over-easy on a sandwich, and it is one of the trademarks of this recipe, but it is a bit messy, and if you were to take this sandwich as your lunch, the risk of having egg yolk all over you is too high. Besides, by making it into an omelette, I could add butter into the mix.
Another detail I added, and this didn't come through on the video was that I added bacon grease into the mayo, as well as a splash of sherry vinegar.
As far as the bread, I used a country style bread, just kept it simple. Though for the sake of the video I ended butchering a big loaf of bread to get the right portions. I just couldn't find the right size.
I used swiss cheese, but I think any other melty cheese or even a blend would do the job just as well. That is up to you.
TIPS:
- Whenever you make this sandwich, just make sure every ingredient fits into the mold of the bread so you can have an cohesive dish.
- Everything that goes into the pan should be cooked at low heat.
- Sprinkle some salt into the tomatoes for about 15 minutes so that they lose some of their excess moisture.
- If you choose to make the garlic bread, the temp is at 175Cs (350F) for 10 minutes.
- As soon as the omelette is cooked, rub a little bit of butter on it; this does make a difference.
- Probably the most important part is the bacon, like I said, low and slowly. Remember, the bacon will go from greasy soft, to crispy, and then burnt to shit in no time; so pay attention.
Is this sandwich worth it? absolutely. It is like eating a BLT, a grilled cheese sandwich, toast with eggs, and a bruschetta all rolled into one. It just works. Just think of the incredible combination of butter, olive oil, and bacon fat.
On a final note: I wasn't able to get the no-look beer pouring trick right, that's why I didn't post it. I was wasting too much beer.
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