Former MasterChef winner and Wahaca co-founder Thomasina Miers has enjoyed a love affair with super-layered sandwiches since she was a child. She tells The Club why she adores the classic and shares her spicy version of the Mexican equivalent, the torta

I’m completely mad on sandwiches. My family used to have a sandwich competition every Saturday when I was growing up. I’d cram in anything that I could find in the fridge – the sandwiches used to be so big that it was always a joke whether I could fit them into my mouth. So I’ve always been drawn to the Club Sandwich by its size element and all those different layers and flavours.

When I was in Mexico, I was obsessed with the torta. It’s a layered sandwich with smashed avocado, refried beans, pickles, meat, tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise. When I wrote my first Mexican cookbook, I put a torta recipe in there, and it was really popular – so many people tweeted about it. And I described it as a Mexican Club Sandwich.

It’s all over Mexico City – if you mention the word torta to any chilango (local), you are likely to see a misty, faraway look come over them as they are transported back to the torta stands that line the streets of the capital. These sandwiches are not for the faint-hearted, but they are exceedingly good.

The Mexican Club Sandwich
Serves 4

4 chicken thighs, skin off

½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp dried chilli flakes

Pinch of dried oregano

1 tsp soft brown sugar

2 tsp cider vinegar

¼ white cabbage, finely shredded

½ red onion, thinly sliced

Extra virgin olive oil

4 very generous tbsp mayonnaise (chipotle, preferably*)

Juice of two limes

1 green chilli, finely chopped

2 avocados

4 brioche buns

8 large tbsp refried beans, warmed through

2 large, ripe tomatoes, sliced

1. Rub the chicken in the spices, herbs, sugar and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes.

2. Toss the cabbage and onion in 2-3tbsp olive oil, 1tbsp mayonnaise and half the lime juice. Season with the green chilli, salt and pepper, and set aside. Mash the avocado roughly with the rest of the lime juice and season.

3. Grill the chicken pieces for 4-5 minutes on each side or until they are cooked through, then leave to rest somewhere warm. 

4. Cut the buns in half. Brush both sides with a little olive oil and toast on the cut side.

5. Smear one half of the bun with refried beans and top with slices of chicken, avocado mash, tomato and a handful of the cabbage and onion slaw. Smear the other half with the rest of the mayonnaise and press down firmly. Eat at once.

*I am fanatical about mayonnaise – and I’m a big Hellman’s fan. If I have time, I’ll make mayo from scratch for this recipe, but I’m not against grabbing a jar of Hellman’s and smashing up some chipotle into it.

Do you like the sound of Thomasina’s sandwich? Or have you found a tastier Club Sandwich on your travels? Email us for a chance to be featured in a future issue

Chilli Notes by Thomasina Miers (published by Hodder & Stoughton, £25) is available to buy now

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This article has been tagged Food + Drink, Opinion