COLONIAL (CLUB) SANDWICH

Ingredients

• 3 slices thinly cut bread (Choose a sandwich loaf and slice as thinly as possible, or ask your baker to slice it thin.)
• 1 to taste butter (Use softened butter so it spreads easily without tearing the toast.)
• 1 to taste cold boiled chicken (Use leftover boiled or poached chicken, sliced thinly. It must be fully cooled before assembling.)
• 1 to taste mayonnaise dressing (Use a good-quality mayonnaise. It is used in three separate layers, so have enough on hand.)
• 1 leaf crisp lettuce leaf (Choose a large, firm lettuce leaf such as iceberg or romaine for the best crunch.)
• 1 slice ripe tomato (Use a fully ripe tomato and slice it about 5 mm thick. Pat dry with a paper towel to prevent sogginess.)
• 1 to taste finely chopped celery (Chop the celery as finely as possible so it spreads easily across the toast without falling off.)
• 1 to taste sweet red peppers (Cut into thin strips (ribbons) lengthways. Fresh or jarred sweet red peppers both work well.)

Instructions

1. 1Place all three slices of thinly cut bread into a toaster or under a grill (broiler). Toast until golden and crisp on both sides. Remove and immediately spread one side of each slice generously with softened butter while still hot, so the butter melts in. Set aside on a clean board and allow to cool for 1 minute so they are warm but not too hot to handle.
2. 2Place the first slice of buttered toast, buttered side up, flat on your board — this is your base. Lay slices of cold boiled chicken across the entire surface. Spread a light, thin layer of mayonnaise dressing over the chicken. Place a crisp lettuce leaf on top of the chicken, pressing it gently so it lies flat.
3. 3Place the second slice of buttered toast, buttered side up, directly on top of the lettuce — this is your middle layer. Lay the slice of ripe tomato over the toast. Spread a light, thin layer of mayonnaise dressing over the tomato slice.
4. 4In a small bowl, mix the finely chopped celery with a small amount of mayonnaise dressing until just combined — the mixture should hold together but not be overly wet. Place the third and final slice of buttered toast, buttered side down, on top of the tomato layer. Spread the celery and mayonnaise mixture across the top surface of this uppermost slice of toast.
5. 5Cut the sweet red peppers into thin, long ribbons by slicing them lengthways with a sharp knife. Lay these pepper ribbons across the top of the celery and mayonnaise spread on the uppermost slice of toast, arranging them evenly to cover the surface.
6. 6Using a sharp bread knife, cut the assembled triple-decker sandwich diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner to create two triangles. For a more elegant presentation you can cut diagonally twice to create four smaller triangles. If needed, press a sandwich pick or toothpick through each triangle to hold the layers together. Serve immediately.