1LOMmer Pickles Create The Perfect Flavor Combination (NAPSA)—Apickle and a sand- wich. The long-term relationship between this “perfect couple” is getting a lot more intimate these days. No longer content to be a pretty garnish beside a handsome hunk of bread and meat, pickles, pickled peppers and sauerkraut are now appearing between the bread as well as on theplate. It’s no wonder. With their lively flavor and crispy texture, pickled vegetables can turn a plain sandwich into a knockout meal, for few added calories and no added fat. Here’s how: e Mix pickle relish or chopped pickled peppers into tuna or chicken salad for a changeof pace. For a delicious and colorful egg salad, combine both dill pickle relish and chopped pickled peppers with chopped hard-cooked eggs, minced onion and mayonnaise. e Burgers are better—and juicier—with pickle relish folded into the mix. Or, add sauerkraut to ground beef, grill and top with Swiss cheese and Russian dressing for a Reuben burger. Plain burgers get fancier when layered with bread-and-butter pickle chips or a scoop of sweet, hot or ham- burgerrelish. e Sauerkraut is second only to mustard as the nation’s most popular adornment for the hot dog. It’s great as is, but if you're looking for a change, try mixing chopped onion, sweet pickle relish and chopped, pickled hot cherry peppers with the sauerkraut and sauting before spooning onto your frank. e For a delicious vegetarian sandwich, stuff a pita with an assortment of your favorite chopped, sliced or julienned fresh vegetables, such as tomatoes, onions, peppers, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, snow peas and bean sprouts. Add a layer of sliced dill pickles and top with a sauce of Pickles add zip to just about any kitchen creation. rings, salsa, shredded cheese and sour cream. For a vegetarian ver- sion, skip the meat and add refried beans instead. e Sneak a surprise into even the most mundane sandwiches by adding a layer of thin, length- wise-sliced pickle sandwichslices. Pickle slices really perk up turkey, roast beef, chicken, ham and even bologna. Go one step further and switch to a hearty whole grain bread and serve gherkins as a go-with. Say hooray for heroes topped with sauerkraut instead of let- tuce. The sauerkraut packs a piquant punch and is always crispy and crunchy. Next time you're in the mood for a hearty repast, try this con- temporary version of a classic Ham and Cheese Sandwich: 4 slices hearty bread, such as sourdough Mayonnaise (optional) 1 bunch fresh arugula, cleaned Roasted red peppers 1% Ib. thinly sliced Westphalian ham 14 Ib. thinly sliced brie Cornichon pickles Spread 2 slices of bread with mayonnaise, if desired. plain, nonfat yogurt, Dijon mus- Arrange arugula pieces to range sliced, cooked chicken, peppers, ham, cheese and pickles in layers. Top with tard andfresh dill. Try “Tortilla Roll-Ups.” Ar- turkey or beef down the center of a flour tortilla and top with chopped tomatoes, pickled pepper taste on each slice of bread. Top with equal amounts of remaining slices of bread and serve. Serves 2.
