Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Sage Sausage and Jack Cheese

Ingredients

2 sage/herbed sausages (about 14 ounces), either pork, turkey, or vegetarian
6 ounces shredded Jack or medium Asiago cheese
1-2 tablespoons (about 2 ounces) freshly grated aged cheese such as Parmesan, locatelli Romano, or dry Jack
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2-3 teaspoons sour cream
pinch of cumin seeds
tiny pinch of turmeric
dab of brown mustard
pinch of cayenne pepper or a few drops hot pepper sauce
8 thin slices whole-grain (such as wheatberry, sunflower seed, or sprouted wheat) bread
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1-2 Moroccan-style preserved lemons, rinsed well and sliced into slivers or chopped
1-2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

1. Roughly dice the sausages, then brown them quickly over medium heat in a small nonstick skillet. Remove from the pan, place on paper towels, and leave to cool. Leave the pan on the stove and turn off the heat.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the 2 cheeses with the green onions, sour cream, cumin seeds, turmeric, mustard, and cayenne pepper. When the sausage is cool, mix it into the cheese.
3. Pile 4 slices of the bread with the cheese-and-sausage mixture, then top with a second piece of bread. Pat down well and press lightly but firmly so that the sandwich will hold together.
4. Reheat the pan over medium-high heat and add about half the olive oil and garlic, then push the garlic to one side and add 1 or 2 sandwiches, however many the pan will hold. Cook until lightly crisped on one side and the cheese begins to melt. Turn over and cook the second side until it is golden brown. Remove to a plate and repeat with the other sandwiches, garlic, and oil. You may either discard the lightly browned garlic or nibble on it; whichever you do, remove it from the pan before it blackens as it will give a bitter flavor to the oil if it burns.
5. Serve the sandwiches right away, piping hot, cut into triangles, and sprinkled with the preserved lemon and chopped parsley.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Greilled Cheese

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Today’s Comic

Austrian Pudding – Moor in a Shirt

Ingredients

4 slices bread, crusts removed
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup ground toasted almonds
1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted
1/8 tsp almond extract

Method

1. Break the bread into small pieces and place in a bowl.
2. Pour the cream over the bread, then mix with a wooden spoon until cream is absorbed.
3. Place the butter in the small mixer bowl and cream with the electric mixer for about 5 minutes or until light and creamy.
4. Add the bread mixture and beat until light and fluffy.
5. Combine the eggs and egg yolks and beat lightly with a fork.
6. Add the eggs and sugar alternately to the bread mixture, a small amount at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Add the almonds, chocolate and almond extract and beat until well blended.
8. Turn into a heavily buttered 1 to 1-1/2-quart pudding mold. Cover with buttered waxed paper and heavy-duty foil, then tie securely with string. Trim off excess paper and foil.
9. Place on rack in steamer and pour boiling water just to bottom of rack. Cover with lid and steam for 2 hours.
10. Remove from steamer and let rest for 2 minutes.
11. Unmold onto serving dish and dust with additional confectioners’ sugar.
12. Serve with whipped cream or a chocolate sauce, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The Creative Cooking Course

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Today’s Comic

Chia and Tomato Guacamole with Sumac Crisps

Ingredients

cooking oil spray
4 rye mountain breads (100 g)
1-1/2 tsp ground sumac
2 medium avocados (500 g), chopped coarsely
1/3 cup lime juice
1 small red onion (100 g) chopped finely
1/3 cup (60 g) semi-dried tomatoes, chopped finely
1/4 cup fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1-1/2 tbsp black or white chia seeds
2 fresh long red chilies, sliced thinly

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Line three oven trays with baking paper. Spray with cooking oil.
2. Cut each sheet of mountain bread into 16 triangles. Place in a single layer on trays and spray with oil. Sprinkle with sumac. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 5 minutes or until golden and crisp.
3. Place avocado and juice in a medium bowl. Mash lightly with a fork. Stir in red onion, tomato, coriander, paprika, 1 tablespoon chia seeds and three-quarters of the chili. Season to taste with salt.
4. Place guacamole in a serving bowl. Top with remaining chili and remaining chia seeds. Serve with sumac crisps.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Everyday Power Foods

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Today’s Comic

Fish Po’ Boys

Ingredients

1 pound skinless flounder fillets
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
8-ounce baguette, split and hollowed out slightly
lettuce, for serving
sliced tomato, for serving

Spicy Tartar Sauce

1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chili sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
2 tablespoons chopped gherkins (or pickles)
hot sauce, such as Tabasco

Method

1. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce, parsley, mustard, and gherkins. Season with hot sauce, as desired. The sauce can be refrigerated, covered, for 2 to 3 days.
2. Cut the flounder fillets into 1-1/2-inch strips; pat dry. Place in a medium bowl. Add the cornmeal. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
3. Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Brown the fish (work in batches if needed) on both sides, 7 to 10 minutes (turn the fish carefully). Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with more salt, as desired.
4. Spread both halves of the baguette with tartar sauce, and layer with lettuce, tomato, and fish. Cut into 4 portions and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Great Food Fast

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Today’s Comic

Chive Scrambled Eggs with Brioche

Ingredients

4 eggs
1/3 cup light cream
salt and pepper
2 tbsp snipped fresh chives, plus 4 whole fresh chives for garnishing
2 tbsp butter
4 slices brioche loaf

Method

1. Break the eggs into a medium-sized bowl and whisk gently with the cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the snipped chives.
2. Melt the butter in a sauté pan and pour in the egg mixture. Let set slightly, then move the mixture toward the center of the pan using a wooden spoon as the eggs start to cook. Continue in this way until the eggs are cooked but still creamy.
3. Lightly toast the brioche slices in a toaster or under the broiler and place in the center of two warmed plates.
4. Spoon over the scrambled eggs and serve immediately, garnished with the whole chives.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Toast It!

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Today’s Comic