No. 812

Barlow Sandwiches

Sandwichs a la Barlow

Spread some slices of bread, crumb over with mustard butter (No. 811), lay on this butter some pickled cucumbers, and on these some finely shred and seasoned lettuce hearts, on top of this slices of chicken the same size as the bread, then more shred lettuce hearts, and the chopped yolks and whites of hard boiled eggs over; set another slice of buttered bread on top, and arrange the sandwiches in a pyramid on a folded napkin.

← No. 811 Sandwiches Cold Side Dishes No. 813 Sandwiches of Chopped or Thin Sliced Chicken →

For the Modern Kitchen

A layered chicken sandwich from Ranhofer's Delmonico's book, written for a cook who already knows the house's compound butters. The whole thing hinges on structure: it is a tall stack of wet fillings between two slices of bread, and it will collapse or slide unless the layers are dry and the sandwich is pressed and trimmed before serving.

Mustard butter (No. 811)The cross-reference is to Ranhofer's own mustard butter, not given here; in practice it is softened butter worked with mustard until smooth and spreadable. Season to taste, and use a smooth mustard rather than a grainy one so the layer stays thin and even.
Pickled cucumbersCornichons or a firm dill pickle, not sweet bread-and-butter slices. Slice them lengthwise and blot them dry on a towel — pickle brine soaking into the mustard butter is the main cause of a soggy base.
Lettuce heartsThe pale inner leaves of romaine or a butterhead, shredded fine. "Seasoned" is not spelled out; at minimum salt and pepper, and most likely a light oil-and-vinegar dressing. If you dress it, do so just before assembly and drain off any pooled liquid.
The chickenPoached or roasted breast, sliced thin and cut to exactly the footprint of the bread; Ranhofer specifies "the same size as the bread", and uniform edges do help the finished sandwiches stack cleanly.
BreadA close-crumbed white pan loaf, sliced thin and crusts removed after assembly. Cut through the finished sandwich with a long serrated knife in one stroke; sawing drags the filling out.
Chopped eggRanhofer names yolks and whites separately, so chopping them apart is a reasonable reading. Salt them lightly and keep them dry, as wet egg will not stay put between the layers.
The pyramidRanhofer says only to arrange the sandwiches in a pyramid on a folded napkin; cutting them into quarters or fingers first makes the tapering stack easier to build. Set the napkin on a flat platter.
Yield and timingNo quantities are given. As a rough guide, a pound of chicken and a small loaf might make about eight sandwiches. Assemble no more than an hour ahead, cover with a damp cloth, and refrigerate.

A Little History

The Epicurean (1894) is Charles Ranhofer's record of thirty-odd years as chef at Delmonico's in New York, and its sandwich section reflects a very particular moment: the sandwich had become respectable enough for a great restaurant to codify it, but was still filed under cold side dishes rather than treated as a meal. Named dishes of this kind — Barlow, and dozens like it scattered through the book — were generally christened for patrons, private-dining regulars or occasions at the restaurant, though Ranhofer rarely explains which, and no documented Barlow attaches to this one. What the recipe does show plainly is the house method: nothing is simply piled on, each element is cut to size, and the finished plate is arranged as a pyramid on a folded napkin, a presentation that recurs throughout the book for cold items.