Lockdown Sandwiches To Enjoy While In Quarantine

One of the unfortunate side effects of the Luzon-wide COVID-19 lockdown is that people can’t go out to grab snacks as often as they want to. But don’t worry, as you can always whip up great-tasting sandwiches right at home. Here are several lockdown sandwiches that will give you your fill while staying inside. 

Lockdown Sandwich No. 1:
Cheese and Chocolate French Toast

This French toast sandwich recipe is great if you want to serve something flavorful for the kids. The combination of cheese and chocolate spreads is sure to be to their liking. You can also serve this one with mangoes, pineapple, or any other juicy fruit for that summer merienda. Alternately, you can have it with hash browns and sauteed vegetables for lunch. 

Ingredients

• 8 slices of tasty bread
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup of milk
• Chocolate spread
• Cheese spread
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 tablespoons oil
• Salt
• Sugar
• Maple syrup to garnish

Steps

1. Take two pieces of bread. Coat one side of one piece with the cheese spread. For the other piece, coat it with chocolate spread. Close each sandwich with another piece of bread. 
2. Mix the eggs, milk, butter, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Whisk until well blended. 
3. Dip each sandwich into the batter. Make sure to coat both sides with the mix. 
4. Heat a non-stick pan and put a tablespoon of oil. Fry the sandwiches until one side has a golden brown color. Flip over to do the other side. 
5. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve. 

Lockdown Sandwich No. 2:
Veg Cheesy Mayo Sandwich

If you want your lockdown sandwiches to be more on the vegetarian side, this one is a great choice. The snack consists of two parts, a simple veggie sandwich, and a dipping sauce. You can have the sandwich as it is or grill it beforehand to enhance the flavor. 

Ingredients

Sandwich

• 4 slices of bread
• 1 large onion
• A tomato
• 1 cucumber
• Salt and black pepper powder
• Honey (as needed)
• Butter (as needed)

Sauce

• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Grated cheese (as needed)
• ½ cup hung curd (yogurt drained of water)
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon parsley
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper powder to taste

Steps

1. To make the sauce, combine all the needed ingredients in a bowl. Stir and toss until everything is well blended. Set aside. 
2. Heat the butter in a pan. Toast the bread pieces until you have a golden brown color. 
3. Chop the onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes and mix them in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, honey, and some of the cheese mayo sauce. 
4. Scoop some of the mixture and spread it on top of a piece of toasted bread. Cover with another piece. 
5. Cut the lockdown sandwiches diagonally to form triangles and serve with the rest of the cheese mayo sauce. 

Lockdown Sandwich No. 3:
Tuna Melt Sandwich

This is another tasty lockdown sandwich that you can easily make from your quarantine food stocks. The main ingredient is the humble canned tuna you can pick up at any sari-sari store. You also don’t need to do a lot of chopping since you add most of the ingredients as they are. But you do want to have at least a small toaster oven to warm the bread faster. 

Ingredients

• 2 cans of tuna, drained
• 8 slices of loaf bread
• 1 pickle, minced
• 1 stick of celery, minced
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 4 slices of cheddar
• ½ tablespoons hot sauce 
• Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

1. Combine the drained tuna, minced pickles, minced celery, mayo, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Add more hot sauce or salt and pepper depending on what you prefer. 
2. To assemble the sandwiches, spread the tuna salad on one slice of bread. Add the cheese to another slice. 
3. Toast the prepared bread slices in your toaster oven until the cheese melts. Alternatively, you can heat them in a non-stick pan with a bit of oil. 
4. Put the cheese and tuna bread slices together and serve. You can serve the sandwiches as they are or with chips. 

Lockdown Sandwich No. 4:
Filipino-style Breakfast Sandwich

This is one of the lockdown sandwiches that will be close to every Filipino’s tastes, as it uses the quintessential pan de sal. As such, it is perfect for those instances when you don’t have time to prepare a complete meal for breakfast. You can also do this as a way to use leftover food. 

Ingredients

• 4 pieces pan de sal
• ½ to ¾ pounds leftover meat dish (such as ham, Asado, or pork adobo)
• Mayonnaise
• 4 large eggs
• 4 slices Eden cheese or queso de bola
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• Salt

Steps

1. Slice the pandesal into halves and spread mayonnaise on both halves. 
2. Heat a pan over medium heat. Toast the pan de sal halves in the pan for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. 
3. Reheat the leftover meat dish in a saucepan. If you are using ham, put a tablespoon of butter and cook until both sides are golden brown. For the Asado or pork adobo, reheat it with just enough sauce to simmer. 
4. Heat a separate pan over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of butter. Break the eggs into the pan and cook until the whites are set. Season with salt. 
5. To assemble the sandwich, put on a slice of ham or a spoonful of the Asado. Add a slice of cheese and egg in that order, then top with the other pan de sal half. 
6. Serve with your desired beverage. 

Feast on these lockdown sandwiches at home

You can prepare all the lockdown sandwiches above in just a few minutes, making them great for any occasion. These also make for a great baon now that the lockdown is gradually being lifted and you can soon start to travel. Make a bunch and you can snack on them and other great lockdown food.