Meatless Chicken Sammie

Chef Mason Hereford

Turkey and the Wolf

New Orleans

Chef Mason Hereford enters a plant-based contender in the chicken sandwich wars with this plant-based sammie. It boasts layers of flavor of texture, starting with breaded meatless “chicken” tenders topped with crisp lettuce, red onion slices, fresh dill sprigs and dill pickles piled on potato rolls. The chef’s house-made sweet hot mustard, a signature at his New Orleans restaurant, Turkey and the Wolf, sets the sandwich apart. The recipe makes a big batch of mustard to keep on hand to spread on other sandwiches.

Steps

1. For the sweet hot mustard: In blender container, combine all ingredients; blend until completely incorporated.

2. Transfer mixture to top of double boiler placed over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often with a rubber spatula, until mixture is slightly less thick than your average Dijon mustard. (It will thicken as it cools.) Refrigerate until mustard cools and thickens.  

3. For the sammie, Heat canola oil to 360 F. Deep fry frozen tenders in hot oil for 4 minutes, gently shaking basket once. (For safety, product must be cooked from frozen to an internal temperature of 165 F.)  Remove tenders from fryer and season with salt.

4. To toast the roll, heat a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot; swipe a half teaspoon of butter onto the cut side of each sandwich roll half. Working in batches, if necessary, toast the bread in the skillet until each half is golden brown, about 30 seconds.

5. To assemble, on one side of 4 roll halves, evenly swipe a teaspoon of mustard. On the other halves, swipe a teaspoon of mayo. Layer ¼ cup lettuce, a few onion slices and dill sprigs and the cooked tenders. Shake a few drops of hot sauce on tenders and top with 3 or 4. Place remaining roll halves on top. 

Photo courtesy of Incogmeato by MorningStar Farms