Ham Sandwich with Quick Scallion Kimchi and Chinese Sausage

How’s This for a Very Different Take on a Ham Sandwich?

I ran across a recipe for Quick Scallion Kimchi and had to make it. I love scallions and as the recipe title says, this isn’t a typically traditional kimchi which takes awhile to ferment. It’s quick. After sitting at room temperature for 24 hours, it’s ready to be eaten, although after chilling for several days it does get stronger tasting and is even better. The ingredients are typical, but also a little different. Besides the normal gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes), garlic, ginger, salt, sugar, etc., David Tanis adds toasted sesame seeds, toasted sesame oil, and rice vinegar. He says he got the recipe from a friend whose Korean mother made it this way.

From there, I had fun devising ways to actually eat it. This sandwich just seemed like a natural. I baked up my favorite baguettes from King Arthur’s recipe and proceeded from there. 

As you can see, I layered on bean sprouts, thinly sliced ham, sliced avocado, the scallion kimchi, sliced chilies, cilantro, and another ingredient that really brought these sandwiches to life – Chinese Sausages. These are Cantonese sausages, lap cheong. They’re readily available at Chinese and southeast Asian markets. They have a sweetness that I just love. 

After removing their casings, I chopped them up and quickly heated them up in a skillet. Scattered on top of the sandwiches, they added both interesting flavor and texture. All that was needed to finish off the sandwich was some sriracha mayonnaise. 

Wow. Were these ever wonderful. I don’t think I could have found a better way to enjoy the kimchi. This scallion kimchi is light. It’s not as heavily fermented as some kimchis, and that’s what I like about it. I’m a fan of all kinds of kimchi and have made quite a few. This one perfectly fits the inherent flavor of scallions. I know I will make it frequently, as it will go well with so many different things. 

I’m not providing quantities of the sandwich ingredients in the recipe. It’s up to you to decide how much of each ingredient you’d like to add, or perhaps you’ll have other items you’d prefer. As to the kimchi recipe, I will post a link. All I can tell you is that it is supremely tasty and I hope you’ll give it a try.