Pastrami Bleu Cheese Melt

Ingredients

olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
fresh bread rolls, enough for 2 sandwiches
pastrami slices
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese

Method

1. Pour a little olive oil in a saute pan, and over low-medium heat, slowly sauté onions and mushrooms until they are soft and somewhat caramelized.
2. Slice rolls and assemble sandwiches by layering pastrami slices, bleu cheese, and cooked onions and mushrooms.
3. Place sandwiches in a hot cast-iron grill pan with a cast-iron lid press on top or use a panini pan. Let bleu cheese melt and allow the bread to get crispy.
4. Serve warm.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: The Organic Family Cookbook

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Today’s Comic

Sweet Saffron Buns

Ingredients

Saffron Mixture

1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon rum or another good strong liquor

Dough

Saffron Mixture, above
2 packages (1/2 oz) active dry yeast (4-1/2 tsp)
1 cup water
1 cup milk
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup butter, cubed, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted
sugar for dipping

Method

1. Mix the saffron, sugar, and rum in a bowl and let stand for several hours.
2. Blend the saffron mixture with the remaining dough ingredients except the flour: Add about one-third of the flour and stir until the dough is smooth. Add the rest of the flour and stir until the dough holds together, or knead in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
3. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape into a smooth ball by folding the edges in to the center. Turn the dough seam-sidedown. The principle here is the same as for shaping a round loaf. Sprinkle with some flour, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature for 1-1/2 hours or in the refrigerator for 10 hours.
4. Divide the dough into 30 pieces and shape each piece into a smooth ball.
5. Place the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a baker’s couche or a heavy linen tea towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 2 hours.
6. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) for at least 30 minutes before baking.
7. Bake the buns until golden brown on top and bottom, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes under a kitchen towel.
8. Brush the rolls with the melted butter and dip them into the sugar to coat.
9. These buns are best when freshly made, but you can freeze them. Thaw frozen or reheat day-old buns for 10 minutes in a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven.

Makes 30 buns.

Source: Bread Bread Bread

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Today’s Comic

Lamburgers a la Grecque with Cilantro-mint Chutney

Ingredients

Cilantro-mint Chutney

1/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped yellow onion
1-1/2 fresh jalapeno chilies, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger root
3/4 cup fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, preferably kosher
pinch of sugar

Lamburgers

1 pound lean ground sirloin
1 pound lean ground lamb
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/3 cup minced pitted Kalamata olives
1 teaspoon salt, preferably kosher
6 medium-sized pita breads, preferably thicker variety
1/4 cup fruity olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
1 teaspoon ground cumin mixed with 1 teaspoon ground coriander
vegetable oil for brushing on grill rack

Condiments

tomato slices
thin red onion slices
red leaf lettuce leaves

Method

1. To make the chutney, combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly. Cover and chill for at least several hours or as long as 24 hours.
2. In a grill with a cover, prepare a medium-hot fire, preferably with natural hardwood charcoal, for direct-heat cooking.
3. To make the burgers, combine the sirloin, lamb, garlic, cheese, olives, and salt in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into round patties to fit the pica breads. Brush the patties with the olive oil and then sprinkle with the cumin mixture.
4. When the fire is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil.
5. Place the patties on the grill, cover, and cook until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes.
6. With a wide spatula, turn the patties and cook until done to preference, about 4 minutes longer for medium-rare.
7. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the pica breads on the outer edges of the grill and turn to toast lightly on both sides.
8. Place the patties inside the pica bread pockets and add the chutney.
9. Offer the condiments at the table.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Burgers

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Today’s Comic

Roasted Strawberries with Rose-whipped Ricotta on Toast

Ingredients

1 lb strawberries, hulled and halved
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/4 cup heavy (double) cream
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons rose water
4 (3/4-inch thick) slices rustic Italian bread
unsalted butter, softened, for the bread
Kosher (coarse) salt

Method

1. Roast the strawberries: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, toss together the strawberries and sugar. Arrange the strawberries cut side up on the baking sheet and roast until the strawberries are soft and juicy, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and return them to the bowl to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the ricotta, cream, sugar, and rose water until the mixture is smooth and holds soft peaks, about 30 seconds.
4. Toast the bread. Let the toast cool slightly before topping.
5. Top each toast with ricotta cream and serve the strawberries and accumulated juices spooned over the top.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Toast – The Cookbook

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Today’s Comic

Pan-fried Garlic Sardines

Ingredients

2-1/2 lb fresh sardines
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves
finely grated rind of 2 lemons
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fried garlic slices, to garnish

Tomato Toast

2 large ripe beefsteak tomatoes
8 slices crusty bread, toasted

Method

1. Gut and clean the sardines thoroughly. If preferred, you can remove their heads, but this is not essential. Scale the fish, by gently scraping along the length of the body from the tail to head with a scaling knife or your hand. This is best done under cold running water.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the garlic cloves. Cook over a low heat until soft. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the sardines and fry for 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle over some of the lemon rind, parsley and seasoning.
4. Crush the whole garlic cloves and spread on the toast. Cut the tomatoes in half and rub them on to the toast, discarding the skins. Serve the sardines accompanied by the tomato toast, and garnished with the fried garlic slices, remaining parsley and lemon rind.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Best of Spain

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