The 3-Ingredient Sandwich That Makes You Feel Like You're Dining In Paris
When you picture Parisian food, you might imagine the height of culinary elegance, be it buttery escargot or perfectly risen macarons. But truly, the beauty of French cuisine is that the high-quality basics available there make even the simplest dishes extraordinary — all the way down to everyday sandwiches. And topping the list of French sandwiches to try is one that many Parisian kids remember having for an afterschool snack, and many Parisian young adults still make today when they're looking for an affordable lunch. The two sandwich toppings included? Ham and butter.
The jambon beurre (which literally translates to ham-butter), is so associated with Parisian culture that its alternative name is a Parisien. Made always on a boulangerie (bakery) baguette with soft butter spread on one side and cured pork layered on the other, the jambon beurre is a testament to the way that a city where fresh, less-processed ingredients are readily available and affordable makes some pretty perfect sandwiches. Before you know it, your midday lunch break will have you feeling like you're dining in Paris.
Ham-mering out the details
Now comes the unfortunate truth: Though easy to make in Paris, walking across the street from your apartment building to your local boulangerie and boucherie (butcher's shop) to pick up sandwich supplies, the jambon beurre is slightly harder to recreate in America. But if you keep a few key factors in mind while sourcing ingredients, you can get a little closer to the French sandwich of your dreams.
First, use a good butter brand, and bring it to room temperature before using so it spreads smoothly. Some of the most highly regarded grocery store butter brands available in the States are Kerrygold Irish butter, Plugra, and Président Butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter, but if it's unsalted, consider sprinkling a dash of quality sea salt on top to upgrade the flavor. As for your jambon, thinly shaved meat straight from a local or grocery store deli will work best — Boar's Head, located in many supermarkets across the United States, is often recommended, but if you can find real deal jambon de Paris from specialty producers like Three Little Pigs, even better. To put it all together, buy a fresh baguette at your local farmers market or, if you're feeling bold, make one from scratch. New year, new baking skills, new you. Simple, but effective — bread, ham, butter, and a little bit of je ne sais quoi that will transport you straight to the banks of the Seine.