Hailee Catalano doesn’t come from an extended line of mayo-spreading, Cape Cod chip-packing, sand-and-salt-water lovers: She’s from Chicago, terrified of sharks, and decidedly out on swimming. But, regardless of her coastless roots, Hailee has the best mindset for somebody who has change into the web’s undisputed seaside sandwich authority.
“The one cause I like going to the seaside is to convey meals to the seaside,” she advised me.
Absolutely, lots of Hailee’s a whole bunch of hundreds of followers would forgo ocean time to make (and pack) a turkey and provolone sub like this, a footlong pesto, mortadella, and artichoke sandwich like this, or a spicy, crunchy hen caesar wrap this manner.
The factor is—we are able to. Like the whole lot else she makes, Hailee’s beach-destined creations marry accessibility and aspirational taste, embodying the very best model of a sandwich us culinary mortals might really pull off.
That is very true, since Hailee kindly shared with us the strategies and thought processes behind her beloved seaside sandwiches.
The Proper Bread
Hailee subscribes to the broadly held perception that bread is crucial a part of a sandwich. “Dangerous bread might damage the entire thing. When you have dangerous bread, [the sandwich] is simply not going to be—the whole lot will collapse,” she advised me.
To keep away from ruining her sandwich from the get, Hailee first ensures she’s selecting the suitable bread type for her desired fillings. “If it’s a sub, I just like the bread to have a skinny crust and be fluffy on the within—so it form of compacts. That approach it turns into one factor, relatively than bread and fillings after which extra bread.”
Then, she considers bread high quality, which Hailee insists you could find from suppliers of various measurement and scale. “In case you don’t know the place to get the proper bread, go someplace the place you’re keen on a sub and ask in the event that they’ll promote you the bread,” she says. For Hailee that interprets to repeatedly sourcing bread from the grocery retailer chain, Wegman’s, in addition to smaller, native purveyors like Frank’s in Asbury Park and Nick & Son’s in Spring Lake.
“Substantial Layers Of Thinly Sliced Gadgets”
For Hailee, probably the most scrumptious subs possess a standard denominator. “One of the best sandwiches have substantial layers of thinly sliced gadgets,” she says. To construct these layers with issues like fennel, cucumbers, or onions, Hailee employs a mandolin to create sliced veggies which might be each similar and paper skinny. “The thinner the higher,” she says, “particularly for onions.”
Wrap It Up
In contrast to the seaside sandwiches of my youth, Hailee’s creations are usually not swiftly stuffed into an-always-too-small Ziploc bag upon completion. As a substitute, they’re wrapped, ideally within the professional’s medium, “Butcher paper is the perfect—like what they’ve on the sub outlets. It’s simply so good and also you don’t must tape it or something.”
There are two issues Hailee by no means desires surrounding her seaside sandwich. One, is waxed paper. “It’s not good. It doesn’t keep collectively—I wouldn’t suggest it,” she advised me. The opposite? A cooler. “I’m going to eat the sandwich after I get there,” Hailee, “I’m simply going to be too excited.”
Proof Of Idea
In case you’d prefer to make use of Hailee’s strategies by following a recipe, look no additional than Nea’s new Seaside BLT. This remixed summer time traditional entrusts Hailee tenets—like selecting home made sourdough and wrapping in parchment paper—and the ultimate product is best for it. Discover the recipe right here.
What’s your favourite seaside sandwich? Tell us within the feedback beneath!
