CHICAGO CLUB SANDWICH

Ingredients

• 2 slices white bread (Standard sandwich-sized slices)
• 1 slice rye bread (Standard sandwich-sized slice)
• 1 to taste butter (Softened at room temperature for easy spreading)
• 1 to taste cold cooked chicken (Sliced; leftover roast or poached chicken works well)
• 2 slices bacon (To be cooked until well crisped)
• 1 leaf lettuce leaf (A large, fresh leaf works best)
• 1 to taste mayonnaise dressing (A small amount, just enough to lightly coat the lettuce leaf)
• 1 to taste chopped green pepper (Finely chopped; a small pinch is sufficient)

Instructions

1. 1Place 2 slices of bacon in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side, turning once, until the bacon is well crisped and golden. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain and cool slightly. The bacon must be fully crispy — soft bacon will make the sandwich soggy.
2. 2While the bacon drains, place all three slices of bread — both white slices and the one rye slice — in a toaster or under a grill. Toast lightly until just golden and slightly crisp on the surface. You want a light toast, not dark — the bread should still be soft in the centre. Remove and lay flat on your work surface.
3. 3Using a butter knife, lightly spread a thin, even layer of softened butter over one side of each of the three toasted slices — both white slices and the rye slice. Butter while the bread is still slightly warm so it spreads easily without tearing.
4. 4Place one slice of white bread, buttered side up, on a clean board or plate. Arrange slices of cold cooked chicken over the buttered surface, covering it evenly. Lay the 2 crisped bacon slices on top of the chicken. This forms the bottom layer of your sandwich.
5. 5Take the buttered rye bread slice and place it, buttered side down, directly on top of the chicken and bacon layer. This is the middle slice of your triple-decker sandwich.
6. 6Hold the lettuce leaf by its base and dip it briefly into the mayonnaise dressing, or use a spoon to lightly coat both sides of the leaf with a small amount of mayonnaise. You only need a thin coating — just enough to add flavour and help the leaf sit in place.
7. 7Lay the mayonnaise-dressed lettuce leaf on top of the rye bread slice (the middle layer). Position it so it covers most of the surface area of the bread.
8. 8Scatter a small amount of finely chopped green pepper evenly over the dressed lettuce leaf. Use just a little — it is meant to add a fresh, mild heat rather than dominate the flavour.
9. 9Place the second slice of white bread, buttered side down, on top of the lettuce and green pepper to complete the sandwich. Press down gently to hold everything together. If desired, cut the sandwich diagonally in half with a sharp knife to make two triangles. Serve immediately.