Recipes: Toasted sardine sandwiches - Features - Scotsman.com By CLAIRE MACDONALD Published on Monday 27 February 2012 00:00 ABOUT this time last year I wrote about hot sandwiches, the perfect lunch or supper for busy people. The subject crops up again because sandwiches are so versatile and useful - so here are three new recipes. Some of the fillings do require a knife and fork. Last year I wrote about my daughter Isabella who taught me how to bake a cheese sandwich, giving a delicious fried-bread texture to the sandwich. The recommended fillings this week don't require baking, but they do benefit from being made with hot toast. And of course, the bread is of paramount importance. My favourite is a heavily seeded, thickly sliced loaf. In each case the fillings can be prepared well in advance. Tinned sardines will be loved by some, loathed by others. But the added plus-point for those who, like me, love them is that they are extremely good for us. Their flavour, when mashed, benefits hugely from chilli, in this case in the form of Tabasco. The lemon juice cuts the richness of the oily fish. The tuna fish filling has fat and juicy capers as well as lemon, bound with mayonnaise. And the puréed spinach is whizzed with cream cheese, and the texture contrast is in the form of chopped roast mushrooms and toasted pine nuts, both of which are delicious with spinach. Toasted sardine sandwiches Serves 2 4 slices of bread of your choice The contents of 2 tins of sardines preserved in oil - drain the oil on to paper towels and put in the bin 2oz/55g Philadelphia cream cheese, and this can be reduced-fat cheese about 10 grinds of black pepper and a pinch of salt a good dash of Tabasco 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon chopped parsley - this provides vitamin C as well as tasting good with the sardines Tip the drained sardines from their tins into a bowl and, with a fork, mash them well. Add the Philadelphia cream cheese, the black pepper and pinch of salt, the Tabasco and lemon juice, and the chopped parsley. With the fork, mash and beat the contents of the bowl until they are thoroughly amalgamated. When you are ready to eat, toast the bread slices, and divide the sardine mixture evenly between two toasted slices, and spread right up to the edges of the toast. Cover with the remaining toasted bread, press gently and cut the sandwiches in half. Eat immediately. Spinach and roast mushroom sandwiches with toasted pine nuts 4 slices of the bread of your choice 8oz/225g young spinach leaves - this looks far too much, but on cooking it wilts down to the right amount for 2 sandwiches 1 fat clove of garlic in its skin, brought to the boil in water, drained and then brought to the boil once more, in fresh water, drained and snipped at one end of the clove, and popped out of its soft skin into a food processor 3oz/85g cream cheese - I use reduced fat Philadelphia 4oz/110g flat mushrooms chopped and mixed with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and about 10 grinds of black pepper 2oz/55g pinenuts, toasted - if you prefer, substitute chopped walnuts for the pine nuts, but toast the chopped walnuts Cram the spinach into a saucepan containing 1in/2.5cm simmering water. Put the lid on the pan, put the pan on a high heat and count to 20. Then take the pan off the heat, and tip the contents into a fine- meshed sieve. Drain the spinach well, and when it is cool enough to handle without scorching you, squeeze out the excess water. Put this into the food processor with the skinned garlic. Meanwhile, spread the oiled and seasoned chopped mushrooms onto a baking tray - to save washing up time, if you prefer, first line the tray with a sheet of baking parchment. Roast the chopped mushrooms in a high temperature, 450F/ 220C/Gas Mark 7, for 20-25 minutes. Take them out of the oven and cool them, once roasted. Add the cream cheese to the contents of the processor and whiz, until the garlic, spinach and cream cheese mixture is smooth. Scrape this into a bowl, and mix in the cooled, roasted chopped mushrooms, and the toasted pine nuts. Taste, and add more salt if you think it is needed. When you are ready to eat, toast the bread and divide the spinach mixture evenly between 2 slices. Spread right up to the edges of the toast, then cover with the remaining toast, press gently and cut each toasted sandwich in half. Tuna and black olive sandwiches with capers and lemon 7oz/200g tuna, drained of its preserving oil 2 fairly level tablespoons mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Tabasco finely grated rind of 1 lemon, well washed and dried before grating 4-6 black olives - I like Kalamata best - the flesh cut from the stones and the stones discarded 2 teaspoons large capers, drained of their preserving brine approximately 10 grinds of black pepper, but no need for salt, the capers and olives provide sufficient for most palates 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Tip the drained tuna into a bowl and add the mayonnaise, Tabasco, and grated lemon rind. With a fork, mash the contents of the bowl very well. Then add the pieces of black olive, the capers, black pepper and chopped parsley, and mix all together thoroughly. When you are ready to eat, toast the bread and divide the tuna mixture evenly between 2 slices of toast, and spread right up the edges. Press the remaining 2 slices of toast firmly on top of each sandwich, and cut each in half. For tickets, tel: 01463 234234, or visit www.eden court.co.uk