Despite my knowledge of many sandwiches - especially those popular in the United States - I have never come across any mention of the one known as the Denver Sandwich . . . or otherwise known as the Western Sandwich. I take that back. I have come one mention of the sandwich. It was mentioned in an article on another recipe known as the St. Paul Sandwich. The latter has been mistaken for the Denver Sandwich on several occasions.
The reason why the Denver Sandwich and the St. Paul Sandwich are constantly confused with one another is that the basis for both sandwiches start with eggs in omelette form. The Denver Sandwich not only consists of a traditional omelette, but also ham, onion, green pepper, and scrambled eggs between two pieces of bread or toasts.
There are several versions of how the Denver Sandwich was created. A pair of food writers named James Beard and Evan Jones believed that the Denver Sandwich was actually created by "the many Chinese chefs who cooked for logging camps and railroad gangs in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries" and was probably derived from egg foo young (used in the St. Paul Sandwich). Denver citizens such as restaurateur Albert A. McVittie and M. D. Looney have claimed to have created the sandwich in 1907. Someone claimed that the sandwich was invented at Denver’s Tabor Hotel. but mentions of it in newspapers predate all these claimants. A San Antonio newspaper first called the dish, Manhattan Sandwich, which consisted of a fried egg instead of scrambled eggs, in 1908. Chances are Beard and Jones were correct, because mention of the sandwich in newspapers predated 1907.
Below is a recipe for the Denver Sandwich from the Food.com website:
Denver Sandwich
Ingredients
6 eggs
1⁄4 cup milk
1 tablespoon margarine, melted
1⁄2 cup ham, cubed
2 green onions, minced
2 tablespoons margarine
4 pieces bread
Preparation
With a whisk, beat the eggs, milk and melted margarine.
Add the ham and green onions, stirring until blended.
In a heavy frying pan, melt the 2 tablespoons of margarine.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan, continuously stirring while pouring.
Cover the egg mixture and cook over med-high heat, for about 3-5 minutes. then remove the cover.
Run a spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the eggs.
If there is still a lot of uncooked egg on top, poke through, allowing the egg to run to the bottom of the pan.
When semi-set, cut the egg into quarters and flip each piece over.
Continue cooking until set.
If desired, top with cheese slices.
Remove from heat, cover.
Toast the bread, butter and make 2 hearty sandwiches.
Serve with soup or fries for a lunch or supper meal.
