Denver sandwich usually consist of a Denver omelet encased between two pieces of bread. The bread is often toasted while the omelet is made with ham, green peppers, onion and eggs. Denver sandwiches are alternatively known as Western sandwiches as well. There is no standard Denver sandwich recipe available apart from the use of bread and eggs. Additional ingredients like cheese or lettuce and tomatoes are often found within a Denver sandwich which may differ according to individual tastes.
While the Denver sandwich is considered to be a breakfast food it can be eaten at any time of the day and may serve as a kind of comfort food as well.
The ham in the omelet is usually diced with white or yellow onions being preferred for preparing the eggs. Red onions or scallions can also be substituted with colored peppers frequently replacing the green ones for a more complex flavor.
History
The credit for developing the first Denver sandwich cannot be bestowed on a single person alone. The Denver sandwich is believed to have been created in 1907 by Albert A. McVittie, a restaurateur residing in Denver. M. D. Looney is also accredited with developing Denver sandwiches in the same year. The Taber Hotel of Denver is a claimant too but the actual history remains confusing with newspapers mentioning the sandwich much earlier than 1907.
A newspaper from San Antonio called it the Western Sandwich in 1908 while the Manhattan sandwich mentioned in 1909 consisted of minced ham, onions and fried eggs.
The cowboys of North America knew the Denver sandwiches as a ham toasts.
Ingredients
The ingredients of the Denver sandwich are all diced into small cubes and fried in butter before adding several eggs and cooking them all thoroughly. Back bacon or prosciuttos are also added to the Denver sandwiches instead of the ham. Cheddar cheese is a popular ingredient as well although the early recipes of the 20th century did not include them.
The New Yorkers prefer to call it by the name of Western sandwiches which consists of lettuce leaves and an olive added to the omelet.
There are no standards for the type of bread used in Denver sandwiches. Rye, sourdough or pumpernickel breads are usually preferred as are the hearty white breads. The cooked omelet is then placed between the two pieces of bread and eaten as Denver sandwiches.
Nutritional Value
The Denver Sandwich is quite nutritious as it is rich in protein, calcium and fiber. The fat content is on the higher side which can be brought down by using leaner cuts of meat instead of ham.
Trivia
The baked version of the Denver sandwich is known as the Denver sandwich casserole.