Kidney Bean, Cumin, and Beef Polpette with Torta al Testo
I decided to fly to London for one day to meet a girl for a kitchen feature whose work I've been following for quite a while: Claire Ptak of the acclaimed Violet bakery. But then I started thinking about all the other inspiring people I know who also live there, so I felt tempted to meet a few more people for even more meet in your kitchen features. In the end, I met 1 baker from California, 2 kitchen chefs at the Brown's Hotel, 1 Vogue journalist, 2 bloggers, a friend from the fashion industry plus my publisher's team in London - all in 3 days. Now I'm back home, a little tired, but with fantastic, new kitchen features in my pocket and I can't wait to share them with you over the next few weeks.
There was a lot to organize before my departure to make my tight schedule work, so I couldn't spend much time on cooking, which my boyfriend happily used to take over our kitchen for a few days. One of his delicious and experimental creations was cumin polpette in a fruity tomato sauce. He used mashed kidney beans for the beef mixture, instead of the usual breadcrumbs and eggs, and kept some of the purple beans whole for the sauce. The texture of the floury legumes is perfect to loosen up the minced meat, the result is simply delicious. It was so good that we had it twice in a week, the second time with torta al testo on the side, Umbrian flatbread cooked in a cast iron pan, to stuff with the juicy cumin bean polpette and the aromatic red sauce.
Kidney Bean, Cumin, and Beef Polpette with Torta al Testo
You can find my torta al testo recipe here or you can serve the polpette with any other flatbread or ciabatta. If you want to make your own torta al testo, mind that the yeast dough has to rise twice. Once it's well risen, the bread only needs to cook for about 3 minutes in a hot pan.
Serves 2
minced beef 400g / 14 ounces
kidney beans (tinned), rinsed and drained, 250g / 9 ounces
medium red onion, finely chopped, 1
garlic, crushed, 2 large cloves
medium fresh red chili, cut into tiny cubes, 1
fresh coriander leaves 2 large handfuls
ground cumin
fine sea salt
ground pepper
olive oil
tomatoes (tinned), 400g / 14 ounces
pinch of sugar
Using your hands or the dough hooks of an electric mixer, mix the minced meat with a handful of the beans (squeezed until mushy), 3/4 of the onion, garlic, 1/4 of the chili, a large handful of coriander leaves (not chopped), 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt and a generous amount of ground pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Wet your hands and form 4cm / 1 1/2" meatballs, transfer the polpette to a plate.
Chop a small handful of the remaining coriander leaves and set a few whole leaves for the topping aside.
Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a large, heavy pan and cook the polpette with the remaining onions on medium-high heat for a few minutes until just light brown on all sides. Take out the meatballs and add the remaining beans (whole) to the hot pan, cook for 1 minute on high heat, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes, chopped coriander leaves, 1/4 teaspoon of cumin, sugar, salt, pepper and 1/4 of the chili. Chop the tomatoes finely and transfer the polpette back to the pan. Stir gently, close with a lid and simmer for about 3 minutes on medium-low heat.
Season the sauce to taste and sprinkle with the remaining coriander leaves and chili. Serve the meatballs with torta al testo (or flatbread) on the side or inside the bread.
A juicy Lamb, Pomegranate and Pistachio Halloween Sandwich
This has been the longest sandwich break ever since I started my Sandwich Wednesdays almost 2 years ago - and I missed them badly. There's something deeply satisfying about creating a sandwich, taking the pictures of this luscious dish - and especially - eating it! It's back again and although it was supposed to be a Halloween sandwich I must admit that it didn't really work out. I expected my creation to look a bit messier, wildly dripping with red (pomegranate) juices, but it turned into a pretty sandwich beauty instead. Never mind.
Anyway, the flavours count more than the looks and they are more than promising in this recipe. A bit more than a year ago I shared my juicy lamb sandwich with preserved lemons and capers with you, it was a much loved and often featured sandwich that called for a new interpretation. Seared lamb fillet only needs a little salt and pepper to become the most tempting piece of meat you can possibly have on your plate, so there's no need to change the preparation. But this time the composition went into a different direction. Sour and salty gave way for sweet, sour and nutty. The fine taste of the fillets goes unbelievably well with the tangy, deep red juices of the pomegranate and unsalted pistachios. The topping of mint leaves should be handled with care. The herb can easily be too overpowering and I don't recommend using the whole leaves as you can see in the pictures but slice them thinly instead. Apart from this rule, you only have to stuff the composition between two slices of thick, juicy ciabatta - or even better, potato bread - and enjoy!
Lamb, Pomegranate and Pistachio Sandwich with Mint
If you don't feel like a sandwich enjoy the creation without bread, just juicy lamb fillets sprinkled with pomegranate, pistachios and crushed pepper.
Makes 4 sandwiches
olive oil
lamb fillets 250g / 9 ounces
fine sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
juicy, white bread 8 thick slices
fresh rocket leaves, a small handful
pomegranate seeds about 4 heaping teaspoons
unsalted pistachios, chopped, about 4 heaping teaspoons
mint leaves, thinly sliced, 8
Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy pan and sear the lamb for 1 1/2-2 minutes on each side (not longer!), the meat should be pink and slightly undone in the middle. Season the fillets lightly with salt and pepper and wrap them in aluminum foil. Set them aside for a few minutes before you slice them thinly.
Brush the inside of the slices of bread with the juices from the pan and a little olive oil. Spread some rocket leaves on each slice of bread, lay a few slices of lamb on top and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, pistachios, a little mint and crushed pepper. Close the sandwich and enjoy!
Pumpkin Pesto, Date and Ripe Chèvre Sandwich
They are finally back on my windowsill - colourful pumpkins in all shades, shapes and sizes! At the beginning of a new season I tend to hoard nature's new produce like a squirrel. My excitement for the fruits and vegetables that I've been missing and looking forward to for months causes irrational behavior at the market. When I came home with enough pumpkin to feed a large Mediterranean family I thought it would be a good idea to purée one of them and make space on my crowded kitchen tops. I turned it into a pesto.
Pesto comes from the Italian word pestare, meaning to pound and to crush, herbs are the most common ingredient but vegetables are an equally delicious but often neglected addition. Broccoli, asparagus, beans, peas, there are no limitations. Winter squash is packed with taste and subtle sweetness, once puréed the texture is so smooth that it seems like pumpkin is practically made to become a pesto. You can use canned purée or cook the squash in the oven, which I always prefer, it tastes better. My bright pesto is refined with orange juice and zest, thyme and the vegetable's seeds. I went for Hokkaido as you can use its skin and I appreciate its nutty flavour, butternut or Musque de Provence work just as well. I'm sure it would be scrumptious stirred into warm spaghetti but I spread it voluptuously on a sandwich instead, with dried dates to enhance the sweetness and Sainte-Maure de Touraine affiné, an aromatic ripe Chèvre.
Pumpkin Pesto, Date and Ripe Chèvre Sandwich
You can also use the pumpkin pesto for pasta dishes.
Makes 3 sandwiches
dark buns, cut in half, 3
Sainte-Maure de Touraine affiné, sliced, 80g / 3 ounces (or any other aged Chèvre)
juicy dates, pitted, quartered, 3-4
fresh thyme leaves, 1 tablespoon
pumpkin seeds 1 tablespoon
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
For the pumpkin pesto
Hokkaido (with skin) or butternut squash (peeled), cut into cubes, 350g / 12 1/2 ounces
pumpkin seeds 2 tablespoons
olive oil 2 tablespoons
freshly squeezed orange juice 1 tablespoon
orange zest 1/4-1/2 teaspoon
fresh thyme leaves 1-2 teaspoons
salt
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F (convection oven).
Spread the pumpkin in a baking dish and fill the bottom with water (about 60ml 1/4 cup). Wet a large piece of parchment paper, big enough to cover the baking dish and lay it on top of the pumpkin. Cook it in the oven for about 20 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Purée the pumpkin in a food processor, add the pumpkin seeds, olive oil, juice, zest, thyme and salt and purée until smooth. Season with orange, thyme and salt to taste.
Spread the pumpkin pesto voluptuously on the bottom side of a bun, lay the Chèvre on top and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, dates, thyme and pepper. Enjoy!
Caponata and Chorizo Ciabatta Sandwich
Caponata is the pure dark, concentrated juice of summer, the sweetness of Mediterranean fruits cooked to a chunky vegetable stew of aubergine, zucchini, green bell pepper and tomatoes. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to find tasty produce at the market, ripe and rich in flavor, so I'm stocking up while it lasts. I cooked enough caponata to feed a family of 6, but in our case it only lasted for a few days. Breakfast, lunch and dinner saw piles of the juicy dip shuffled onto one thick slice of bread after the other - delicious.
I had a sandwich in mind, I decided to include a Spanish speciality - chorizo - to reach the next level of caponata pleasures. My boyfriend really loves this spicy salami, so I bought a big piece from the butcher as a little thank you to him. In the past few weeks he's been helping me out tremendously reading through recipes and stories for my book and weathering my changing mood throughout this rather stressful time. It's supposed to be my baby, my work - which it definitely is - but it's also cutting off a big chunk of his time. He deserved an exceptionally good sandwich: caponata voluptuously layered on spongy ciabatta with bitingly hot salami and a little fresh parsley. It felt like a yummy good-bye to summer!
A short note: The combination of chorizo and caponata is also great with pasta!
Caponata and Chorizo Ciabatta Sandwich
Makes enough caponata for 4-6 people
For the caponata
olive oil
aubergine, quartered and thinly sliced, 200g / 7 ounces
fine sea salt
ground pepper
large red onion, quartered and sliced, 1
garlic, thinly sliced, 3 cloves
large green bell peppers, cut into cubes, 1/2 (about 130g / 4 1/2 ounces)
zucchini, cut in half and thinly sliced, 200g / 7 ounces
small tomatoes, chopped, 4
balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon
tomato paste 1 heaping tablespoon
capers, rinsed, 1 heaping tablespoon
For the sandwich
large ciabatta bread 1
chorizo salami 3-4 thick slices per sandwich
black olives, pitted and cut in half, 3 per sandwich
fresh flat-leaved parsley, a small handful
Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a large, heavy pan and sauté the sliced aubergine for about 7 minutes on medium heat until golden and soft, stir once in a while. Season with salt and pepper, transfer the aubergine to a plate and set aside. Add a little more olive oil to the pan and cook the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until soft but not dark. Scrape them aside, add some oil and cook the bell pepper for 2 minutes, add the zucchini and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and the sautéed aubergine to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 15 minutes or until soft. Stir once in a while. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, tomato paste and capers and cook for 5 minutes. Season with vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and let it cool a little.
Divide a few generous spoonfuls of the caponata between the sandwiches, lay the chorizo and olives on top and garnish with fresh parsley. Close the sandwiches and enjoy!
Green Bean and Sausage Sandwich with Pear Mustard and Thyme
A bag full of green beans and a handful of overly ripe pears called for an urgent recipe. In the end, it became a sandwich, almost everything works in a sandwich, but if you prefer, you could easily leave out the bun and go for a proper lunch or dinner.
Crisp green beans, sautéed until just al dente, pair deliciously well with hearty herb sausage and honey-sweet pears. I cook the fruit in the sausages' concentrated frying juices until golden and soft, but still in shape. A part of them goes on top of the beans snuggled in next to the meat but the rest is turned into a spicy and aromatic fruit mustard - it's so good, you can also use it for steak, roasts and burgers. I'm absolutely hooked on it! The ratio has to be balanced, lots of pear stand up confidently against a teaspoon of fine Dijon mustard. It's more of a mustardy sauce than a thick dip, fruity and rich. And don't expect a beauty, it comes in a rather pale beige but the taste totally makes up for it.
Green Bean and Sausage Sandwich with Pear Mustard and Thyme
Serves 2 (as sandwiches, or without the buns, as a warm one pan dish)
buns, cut in half, 2
green beans, the ends snipped off, 160g / 5 1/2 ounces (use 300g / 10 1/2 ounces beans if you serve them without the bun)
olive oil
fine sea salt
ground pepper
herbed sausages 2
pears, rinsed (not peeled), cored, cut into slim wedges, 2
Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon
For the topping
fresh thyme leaves 1-2 teaspoons
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
In a large pot, blanche the beans for a few minutes in salted water until al dente, drain and rinse quickly with cold water. Transfer back to the pot, stir in a splash of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy pan and cook the sausages on medium heat for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Take the meat out of the pan and set aside, add the pear wedges (leave 2 wedges out on a plate) and sauté for about 1 minute on each side until golden brown, set the pan aside. Transfer about 100g / 3 1/2 ounces of the cooked pear into a blender, add the mustard and purée until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and mustard to taste and set aside. If you want to serve it as a warm pan dish stop here, add the sausages and beans to the pan and serve with the pear mustard sauce and thyme.
For the sandwich, cut the remaining uncooked pear wedges into slim slices. Brush the soft inside of the buns with the juices from the pan and lay the beans and uncooked, sliced pear on top. Divide the sausage and cooked pear wedges between the buns and sprinkle with crushed pepper and thyme. Finish it off with luscious dollops of the pear mustard, close the bun and enjoy.
My 501st post: Spicy Cumin Guacamole and Bacon Sandwich
500 posts (and even more recipes) on eat in my kitchen and I missed it! Sunday's cinnamon peach cake was the big jubilee recipe and it would have been more than festive enough to raise a glass of champagne, but anyways, this chance is missed and over. So, today I celebrate the 501st post with a spicy guacamole bacon sandwich, refined with citrusy coriander and hot chili peppers. The meat's smokey saltiness wonderfully breaks the velvety smoothness of the Mexican dip and makes it hearty and rich. I wanted to write about this creation much earlier but after July's hot tempered discussion about a green pea guacamole recipe caused by Melissa Clark's article in the New York Times, I lost interest and faith in further guacamole variations.
But this is in the past now, like all the 500 recipes that found their way from my humble kitchen in Berlin (and Malta) to so many people and other kitchens all over the world. How all of this could happen still amazes me. I just write about what happens on my cooker or in my oven and then it reaches whoever feels inspired by the title, the pictures or the story behind each post. In the past, before eat in my kitchen, I used to just cook or bake my recipes, sometimes just once but most of the time they became staples, dishes that always come back to my table. Obviously, the taste and look would vary slightly as no recipe is always the same. But now I can come here, like everybody else, and see the whole collection of meals that passed through our kitchen. This is really beautiful - and inspiring for myself as I tend to forget about recipes.
At the moment, I need all my time to write for my cookbook which is a totally different experience on another level. The web is digital, it changes constantly with a pace that can be intimidating at times but a printed book is unchangeable. I'll be able to feel it in my hands when I thumb through the pages, to lay it on my kitchen table, and I like this feeling, it's real. It's as real as all the wonderful messages I've been receiving from you from the start, messages about all the recipes that inspired you or simply teased your appetite.
Thank you! xx
A note on the side: In my opinion, guacamole can easily take variations as any other dish - as long as it pleases the personal taste of the creator. This is part of our worldwide kitchen culture, it's makes it richer every day, it evolves, changes and always finds its way back to its roots. It's a gift that shows that a culture is alive, not a threat.
Spicy Cumin Guacamole and Bacon Sandwich
Makes 3 sandwiches
dark, rustic buns, cut in half, 3
breakfast bacon 6-9 slices
fresh red chili pepper, seeded and sliced, 1/4
For the guacamole
large ripe avocado 1 (or 2 small ones), the flesh scraped out
sour cream 2-3 heaping tablespoons
freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon
fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped, 3 heaping tablespoons plus a few leaves for the topping
ground cumin, a pinch
fine sea salt
ground pepper
In a bowl, chop the avocado with a knife until chunky, stir in the sour cream, lemon juices, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix well, season to taste and set aside.
In a heavy pan, cook the bacon until crisp, transfer to kitchen paper to remove excess fat.
Spread the guacamole voluptuously on the bottom side of the buns, sprinkle with chili pepper and lay the bacon on top. Finish it off with a few coriander leaves, close the bun and enjoy!
My perfect Summer Sandwich with Balsamic Tomatoes & Whipped Basil Chèvre
My perfect summer sandwich is an easy snack - pure simplicity in a bun: Some fruity cherry tomatoes with a mild and creamy cheese and plenty of herbs. Italian Mozzarella di Bufala, or the softer burrata, would have been the classic choice but chèvre whipped with chopped basil turns the composition into a fresh and slightly sour pleasure.
What about the tomatoes - you could leave them raw and chop them up or grill them on the BBQ if you happen to have some hot coals at hand. I wasn't, so I seared the whole fruits in a pan on high temperature for just a few minutes and deglazed them with a shot of syrupy balsamic vinegar. They immediately turned into squishy balls of summer sweetness and made the sandwich a juicy and messy treat.
Balsamic Tomato and Basil Chèvre Summer Sandwich
For 2 sandwiches you need
white buns, cut in half, 2
fresh, soft chèvre (mild), mashed with a fork, 120g / 4 1/2oz
heavy cream 4 tablespoons
mild olive oil 1 tablespoon, plus a little splash for the tomatoes
fresh basil leaves, chopped, 2 1/2 tablespoons (10g), plus 6 leaves for the topping
ground pepper
cherry tomatoes 10
balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
In a bowl, whisk the chèvre, cream, olive oil and chopped basil and season with ground pepper to taste.
In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil and sear the tomatoes (whole, not cut) on medium-high / high heat for about 3 minutes or until soft and partly dark, stir constantly. Deglaze with the balsamic vinegar, stir and take the pan off the heat.
Spread the basil chèvre generously on the bottom sides of the buns, lay the tomatoes on top and sprinkle with crushed pepper and fresh basil. Close the bun and enjoy!
About Greece - and a Sandwich with Tzatziki and Grilled Bell Pepper
Eat in my kitchen is about food but also about the happiness, peace and pleasure I find in cooking and sharing the dishes I prepare in my kitchen. My recipes are influenced by my life, my friends and family and also by the countries I've visited in the past years, by the people I've met who were so kind to share their rich culture, traditions, recipes and stories with me. No matter where my travels took me, whenever I sat at table talking to the locals, the real journey started. Without an exception, I can say that all these people enjoyed sharing their food with me at their tables as much as I do at mine. Many years ago I visited a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea, the beautiful Naxos. I felt welcome from the moment I set foot on the ground and stayed with a lovely couple who gave me a delicious insight into Greek cooking besides creating an unforgettable holiday. This couple and their home island have been on my mind a lot recently, how they must feel in these rough times. It seems like it's all about numbers at the moment, Greece's failures and debt, and not enough about the people who go through the worst nightmare that none of us would ever want to go through. The worst case scenario of losing everything that you and your family have worked for, for many generations.
The people of Greece have always been an inspiration, not only for Europe and not only because they were the first to set up a democratic state. The keenest thinkers of the world have been influenced by the classic Greek philosophy and literature, science, inventions and arts. I don't want to simplify Europe's currant problem but I often miss compassion and respect in the ongoing discussions. Sunday's decision demanded lots of strength from the Greek people, they raised their voice to question a system, not the democratic but the financial system. And that's what democracy is about, to think, discuss and voice your own opinion. This is a gift!
I'm sure that most of us have a connection to this country in some way, one that is struggling and fighting at the moment. I feel thankful for all I've learned, so thankful that I can't turn my back on all the people who don't give up but stick together. And that's what I wish for Europe, that we stay together and support each other so that the ones who are weak at times can get back on their feet again. I'm not a patriotic person in a national sense at all but I love Europe, its countries and cultural richness. This is my beloved home. I believe that we have to care for each other to keep this treasure, that's the necessary basic foundation of a union, in a political but first and foremost in a human sense.
A Sandwich with Tzatziki and Grilled Bell Pepper
I will share two recipes for tzatziki with you, one made with quark and one made with yoghurt.
For 4 sandwiches you need
rustic white buns, cut in half, 4
flaky sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
fresh basil leaves 12
Spread the bottom side of each bun generously with tzatziki, lay slices of grilled bell pepper on top (see recipes below) and sprinkle with a little sea salt, crushed pepper and basil leaves. Enjoy!
For the tzatziki
cucumber, preferably organic, roughly grated and squeezed between your hands, 80g / 3 ounces (you'll need about 60g / 2 ounces of squeezed cucumber)
Continue with version 1 or 2
Version 1 (I used this recipe in my photos)
low fat quark 250g / 9 ounces
heavy cream 2 tablespoons plus more to taste
garlic, crushed, 1-2 big cloves
salt and pepper
Version 2
Greek yoghurt 250g / 9 ounces
sour cream 4 heaping tablespoons
heavy cream 4 tablespoons plus more to taste
garlic, crushed, 1-2 big cloves
salt and pepper
Mix the cucumber with the ingredients of version 1 or 2, season with salt, pepper and garlic to taste, whip in more heavy cream if you prefer your tzatziki a little more smooth.
For the grilled bell peppers
red and yellow bell peppers 2-3
olive oil 1 tablespoon
Set the oven to grill (broiler).
Put the bell peppers in a baking dish and grill them in the oven until their skin turns black in small patches, turn them twice (it's best to cook them on 3 sides). I grill them for about 10 minutes on the first side (depending on your oven it may need more or less), and for 6 minutes on the other 2 sides, so for about 22 minutes in all, but mind that this varies between different ovens. When the bell peppers are soft, take the tray out and cover them immediately with wet kitchen paper (this will help to peel them). Take out 1 bell pepper and peel carefully with a knife, mind that it's very hot. Once it's peeled, cut it in half, scrape out the seeds and fibres and cut it into strips. Continue with the remaining bell peppers. On a plate, mix the sliced bell peppers with olive oil.
Artichoke Omelette and Basil Pesto Ciabatta Sandwich
The inspiration for this sandwich comes from a lady who has been reading through almost all of my eat in my kitchen recipes in the past few weeks. She truly impressed me, not only because she soaked up hundreds of posts and stories, she also cooked many of the recipes in her kitchen and sent me the sweetest comments. We've never met, but here, on these pages, we share our passionate love for food.
A couple weeks ago, I found out that she loves to cook with artichokes as much as I do and she told me about an omelette she makes with the preserved vegetable. This genius idea never crossed my mind but when she mentioned it I knew instantly that I would turn this dish into a sandwich. I'm a big fan of juicy omelette sandwiches and I also love to sprinkle my bread with pesto, so this seemed like the perfect occasion to combine both treats. In the end, I also stuffed lots of fresh basil and rocket leaves inside the spongy ciabatta which added a fragrant Mediterranean flavour to the hearty eggs. It was fantastic, thank you, lady!
Artichoke Omelette Ciabatta Sandwich with Basil Pesto
For 3-4 sandwiches you need
For the pesto
fresh basil leaves 20g / 3/4oz
fresh mint leaves 2
pine nuts 1 tablespoon
Parmesan, freshly grated, 2 tablespoons
garlic, crushed, 1 small clove
olive oil 50ml / 1/4 cup
salt
Mix the ingredients for the pesto in a blender and season to taste.
For the omelette
organic eggs 3
heavy cream 50ml / 1/4 cup
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
large preserved artichoke hearts, quartered, 2
butter 1 heaping teaspoon
For the omelette, whisk the eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Heat half the butter in a small pan and sear the artichokes on high heat for about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Add the remaining butter and pour the egg mixture over the artichokes. Scramble very lightly and fold onto itself. When the bottom side starts to become golden flip it around. Brown it lightly from the other side for about a minute. Take the pan off the heat and cut the omelette into large chunks.
For the sandwich
medium ciabatta bread, cut into 3-4 buns
rocket (arugula) leaves, a small handful
fresh basil leaves 12
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
Lay a few rocket leaves on the bottom side of each sandwich, arrange the omelette on top and sprinkle with pesto, fresh basil leaves and crushed pepper. Close the sandwich and enjoy!
Spicy Roast Beef and Rhubarb Chutney Sandwich
Amazing news: eat in my kitchen is Yahoo Food's 'Blogger of the Week'!! Click here to take a peek in my kitchen and read the interview with the wonderful Rachel Tepper about sweets and plans in life!
Distracted by this excitement, I felt a bit indecisive in the kitchen, an unusual state of mind for me especially when it's about my Sandwich Wednesdays. To come up with a yummy new creation between two slices of bread every week has been one of the easier tasks since I started eat in my kitchen.
Sandwich recipes come to me quite easily, luckily, I don't have to think much about it. And it would have been the same this week if I hadn't gotten the stubborn idea stuck in my head that I wanted to empty an open jar of my spicy rhubarb chutney (amongst a few other jars) and use it for a sandwich. I was hardheaded and that always blocks my creativity. Soon we'll be in Malta and our apartment will be in the hands of a trusted friend while we're away, including our fridge which I'm aiming to empty completely and to have in a sparkly and spotless state by the day of our departure.
So, the chutney had to go and a sandwich had to be made. Pastrami seemed perfect but the quality at the store didn't convince me. When I spotted roast beef, freshly cut, bright pink on the inside with a spiced crust my chutney sandwich was saved. Still at the market, I threw some fresh chili peppers and a rustic French loaf into the basket and off I went. The first bite confirmed my suspicions, the beef and spicy rhubarb are a match made in heaven!
This recipe has been featured by Food52, you find my rhubarb chutney recipe here!
Spicy Roast Beef and Rhubarb Chutney Sandwich
For 2 sandwiches you need
rustic white bread 4 slices
roast beef, thinly cut, 8 slices
rhubarb chutney (or any other fruity chutney) 2-4 teaspoons, to taste
rucola leaves (arugula), a small handful
fresh red chili pepper, without seeds and thinly sliced, 1/2
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
olive oil, for the bread
Brush the bottom slice of bread with a little olive oil, arrange the rucola and roast beef on top and sprinkle with chutney, chili pepper and crushed pepper. Close your sandwich and enjoy!
Fennel Burger and Elderflower Onion Sandwich with Gruyère
If two passionate cooks are in a relationship you need a well thought-out kitchen plan. My boyfriend and I have a great passion for cooking, we love to experiment with recipes and ingredients but it just doesn't work at the same time. A cook is a leader and therefore needs total command in the kitchen to guarantee successful results. So many, many years ago we made a wise decision: depending on the recipe, one of us takes over control and has the last word when it comes to the important decisions, and the other one just assists. It works perfectly, no discussions and no arguments as long as we stick to the plan and don't get in each other's way.
Luckily, we love the same cuisine, Mediterranean and North European comfort dishes. The preparations are always quite relaxed and most of the time very satisfying at table. While chopping and cooking, there is often wine, cheese and olives involved to nibble and chill, I've mentioned it so often, it's definitely my favourite way to end a day. However, life would be boring, if two people had the same approach in the kitchen and we're definitely two absolutely different personalities. We find inspiration in different ingredients, flavours and combinations. My man likes it a bit more crazy, wild and experimental when he takes over the kitchen. He often combines flavours which seem too far apart to my mind, but the results are delicious and that's what counts.
A few days ago he came up with the genius idea to deglaze onions with elderflower syrup, it was fantastic! And to make it even better, he placed them on top of juicy fennel burgers. So, you need to know, when he uses our fennel seeds from Malta, he measures them by the tablespoon and not the teaspoon, the aroma is strong and present in this recipe and pure bliss in combination with the elderflower onion's smoky sweetness. There was also a thin layer of melted Gruyère cheese in between and at that point I knew I would have to share this recipe with you! I loved it!
Fennel Burger and Elderflower Onion Sandwich with Gruyère
For 8 burgers (or 4 hungry people) you need
For the sandwiches
medium onions, cut in half and thinly sliced, 3-4
butter 1-2 tablespoons
elderflower syrup, about 6 teaspoons, to taste
salt and pepper
rustic white buns, cut in half, 8
crisp lettuce, 8-16 small leaves
Gruyère cheese, 8-16 slices
For the burgers
minced beef 1 kg / 2 1/4 pounds
dry breadcrumbs 80g / 1/2 cup / 3oz
organic eggs 2
garlic, crushed, 2 cloves
fennel seeds, crushed in a mortar, 2 tablespoons
salt 3 teaspoons
pepper
butter 1-2 tablespoons
olive oil
Start with the onions and fry the burgers at the end, you want them to be hot enough to melt the cheese.
In a heavy pan, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and fry the onions for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown and soft. Add more butter if they dry out. When they are done, turn up the heat and deglaze with a splash of elderflower syrup. Season with salt and pepper to taste, take off the heat and set the pan aside.
Mix the ingredients for the burgers in a large bowl (with your hands or the hooks of an electric mixer) and form 8 thick burgers with wet hands. Heat a generous splash of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in a heavy pan and fry the burgers on medium-high heat for 1 minute on each side, turn down the heat to medium-low and continue frying until they are golden brown, add more butter if necessary. The cooking time depends on how well done you like them, cut a burger in half to check the inside. Once they are done, lay 1-2 slices of cheese on top of each warm burger immediately.
Arrange 1-2 slices of lettuce on the bottom half of each bun, lay the burgers with the cheese on top and finish with the onions. Close the buns and enjoy!
Grilled Tomato, Chèvre and Thyme Baguette Sandwich
Many summers ago, I spent a few wonderful weeks at the Côte d'Azur with my aunt, uncle and cousins. We stayed at a beautiful house in the middle of the green hills around Grasse, a picturesque town which is also called the world's capital of perfume. I think I wrote about this trip last year but after almost 500 posts I'm losing track! Never mind, I often sat with the girls of the family, my aunt and two cousins, at the pool in the garden. It was a little French paradise with all kinds of flowers, lavender, jasmine and roses turned this place into the most fragrant oasis. We had our girl chats, chilled, swam and ate, a perfect holiday!
Although I won't go to the French Riviera next month but to Malta (which I look forward to with growing excitement!), I had our peaceful Grasse garden scene in mind when I came up with today's sandwich. Imagine sitting on the fresh grass, feeling the warm morning air on your skin and the smell of a million flowers around you. You wear a summery dress and enjoy the quiet peace of the early hours of the day which is only interrupted when you take a big bite of this crunchy grilled baguette sandwich topped with chèvre, cherry tomatoes, olives, garlic, thyme and pecorino (I'm sorry, I had no French substitute at hand). Doesn't this sound just right?
Grilled Tomato, Chèvre and Thyme Baguette Sandwich
As a lunch for two you need
rustic French baguette (around 25cm / 10"), cut in half, 1
olive oil 2 tablespoons
chèvre (preferably Sainte-Maure de Touraine), very thinly sliced, 70g / 2 1/2oz
cherry tomatoes, cut in half, about 6
black olives 6
garlic, thinly sliced, 1 clove
fresh thyme leaves, from a small handful of sprigs
pecorino (or any other aromatic hard cheese), freshly grated, 2 generous tablespoons
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
Set the oven to 220°C / 430°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the bottom half of the baguette on the lined tray, brush the bread with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread the chèvre and then the tomatoes and olives on top. Sprinkle with the remaining olive oil, thyme, garlic, pepper and pecorino. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the tomatoes are soft. You can also bake the top half of the baguette for the last few minutes. When it's done, sprinkle with a little fresh thyme, season with salt (if necessary) and enjoy!
Sautéed Aubergine and Salami Sandwich with Fennel Oil and fresh Oregano
It happened at one of our traditional Sunday pizza nights, we had the glorious idea to drizzle fennel oil over our cheesy salami, aubergine composition and the result was even better than we had expected. I had bought a rather simple salami for this cosy sofa dinner, it was organic but without the addition of any outstanding herbs or spices, just the pure, distinct flavour of the dried sausage.
So we started playing around with the ingredients, as every Sunday when it comes to topping our pizza. I cut an eggplant into very thin slices and took out the sauce pan to warm up a splash of olive oil with a teaspoon of my Maltese fennel seeds, Buzbiez in Maltese. I bought them last summer from a lady at the market in Marsaxlokk. Soon, the jar will get refilled when we go back to our Mediterranean island in a month, just the thought of it puts a big smile on my face! Back to the oil, I let the spice spread its aroma on the heat until the seeds started sizzling, it's important to watch them as they shouldn't get dark, when they burn, they taste bitter. When I ate the first bite of the baked pizza I knew that this combination would have to be translated into a sandwich. And here it is: thin slices of aubergine sautéed in a pan, topped with Italian salami and sprinkled with fennel oil and fresh oregano. Wonderful!
Sautéed Aubergine and Salami Sandwich with Fennel Oil and fresh Oregano
For 2 sandwiches you need
white, rustic buns, cut in half, 2
medium aubergine, sliced very thinly, 1 (about 18 slices) (the thickness should be just before see-through, if they are too thin, they'll burn)
olive oil
salt and pepper
fennel seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar, 1 teaspoon
salami, preferably Italian (like salame al finochietto), 6-8 very thin slices (of a medium sized salami)
fresh oregano leaves, about 2 tablespoons
Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a heavy pan and sauté the sliced aubergine in batches on medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Spread them evenly, they shouldn't lay on top of each other. Mind that you'll have to add some more olive oil when you turn them around and watch them well as they can burn within seconds. Lay on kitchen paper to remove excess oil, season with salt and pepper and set them aside when they're done.
In a saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the fennel seeds. Take the pan off the heat as soon as the seeds start sizzling and mind that they don't burn.
Brush the bottom side of a bun with the infused oil, lay about 6 slices of sautéed aubergine on top and continue with about 3-4 slices of salami. Sprinkle with the roasted fennel seeds and a little of the oil, finish it off with the fresh oregano leaves and close the bun. Enjoy!
Strawberry and Lime Chèvre Ciabatta Sandwich with Basil
At the moment I can enjoy the best strawberries - sweet like honey and so good that you could just nibble them as they are, pure and without any distracting addition. I have done that excessively but now it's time to get a bit playful with this lovely fruit.
As summer is nearing, I like to simplify my recipes, less ingredients, less work yet still delicious and the ultimate bliss while I'm sitting at the open kitchen window with a glass of rosé wine in front of me and a friend to chat with. Now is the time for easy nibbles, good bread and cheese, fresh herbs, raw fruits and vegetables, and aromatic olive oil - pure, natural flavours.
When my mother was here a couple weeks ago, I did a lot of recipe testing together with her. All those different flavours, and indulging in so many dishes for days, finally called for a little break for my tastebuds. I felt like something simple, like a juicy ciabatta sandwich, so I whipped up some chèvre with a little lime zest, generously spread it on top of the oily bread and covered my perfect summer sandwich with strawberries and fresh basil. First I wasn't sure if the combination of chèvre and citrus would work, but there was no need to worry, they are a perfect match!
This sandwich has been featured by Food52!
Strawberry and Lime Chèvre Ciabatta Sandwich with Basil
For 6 open sandwiches you need
fresh ciabatta bread 6 small slices
fresh chèvre (or any other soft goat cheese) 200g / 7oz
heavy cream 4 tablespoons
lime zest 1/4 teaspoon, plus a little more for the topping
strawberries, quartered, 150g / 5 1/4oz, plus 6 fruits cut in half for the topping
fresh basil leaves a small handful, for the topping
Whisk the chèvre, heavy cream and lime and adjust to taste. Add more cream if necessary, the texture should be smooth and thick. Divide the cheese between the bread, top with strawberries (quartered plus 1 fruit cut in half for each slice) and sprinkle with lime zest and basil. Enjoy!
meet in your kitchen | Molly Yeh's Ricotta, Bacon & Egg Birthday Sandwich
Molly lives in North Dakota and I live in Berlin, there are more than 7000km (4000 miles) between us and this would be reason enough to accept that there's no way to meet her in her kitchen for a spontaneous kitchen chat, as this is the idea behind my meet in your kitchen features. But the way this girl cooks and bakes is irresistible! Her inspiring recipes, which she has shared on her gorgeous blog my name is yeh for 6 years and the way she talks about her life on a farm after years of living in New York made me rethink the importance of a physical meeting in real life.
Every time I read one of Molly's posts, when I see the pictures of such innocent creations as her Funfetti Cake, the cutest Pony Cake (a rosemary vanilla cake with blackberries and mascarpone) or her Pumpkin Cake and Semifreddo Push Pops, I feel like someone has put me right into another world. I turn into a little girl, pressing my face against the window of a candy store to get a glimpse of all the magic that happens on the other side - in Molly's kitchen. Just look at her Gingerbread Farm, a replica of the actual farm where she lives with her husband, there's no way one can't be touched by this masterpiece! Her husband called her a lunatic during the process, but I love her for her determination when it comes to her unique creations - sweet and savory. There's an unabashed ease in her recipes, infectious fun in her language and a pure honesty in her photography which makes her one of my favourite women in the blog world.
Molly studied percussion at The Juillard School in New York and is on tour with David T. Little and Royce Vavrek's opera Dog Days at the moment. She'll perform in LA in June, so if you happen to be in California, don't miss the chance to see her playing live (you can find the dates on her blog)!
After chatting via email, reading her interview and seeing the images of her delicious ricotta, bacon and egg sandwich which she made for eat in my kitchen, I know that we'll definitely have to meet in the real world one day, either in Berlin, North Dakota or in Malta!
It's Molly's birthday this Friday and it became a tradition to eat a great (she says fatty) sandwich on her special day and I'm sure that there's also a special Molly Yeh cake to go with it, have a great one Molly!
Ricotta, Bacon, and Egg Sandwich
It’s my birthday week! And every year on my birthday, I eat a fatty breakfast sandwich. This one gets a nice creaminess from ricotta, and while it’s a fairly simple recipe, it is absolutely next-level when it’s made with the freshest, best ingredients.
For each sandwich, you will need
thick cut bacon 2 slices
large egg 1
fresh whole grain bread 2 thick slices
coarse salt and black pepper
a smear of ricotta
In a skillet, cook your bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon but keep the fat in the pan. Crack your egg in and cook it to desired doneness in the bacon fat. Set it aside. Grill the bread in the bacon fat (if the skillet dries up, add a little butter to the pan), salt and pepper both sides of the bread. Remove it from heat. Spread the ricotta on one slice of bread, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, top it with the bacon, place the egg on top, season the egg a bit with salt and pepper, and then place the other slice of bread on top. Enjoy!
You started sharing your life and recipes on your blog my name is yeh in 2009. Did the way you document parts of your life change over the past 6 years?
Oooh yeah, there are some really horrific and embarrassing posts. Don’t look in my archives, just don’t.
Your father is a musician at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and you often travelled with him when he was on tour. Was he your biggest inspiration to study percussion at The Juillard School in New York?
He was definitely one of the biggest inspirations! Both of my parents really encouraged me to follow my love of hitting things (usually my mom’s pots and pans) and channel it into music. I think I really fell hard for classical music when I joined a youth orchestra near my hometown, and then going to Juilliard was my goal throughout high school. I loved training with the musicians there, being in New York, and having the same legendary ear training teacher that my dad had when he was a student there. She once called me by his name because we sat in the same spot, just 30 years apart.
At the moment you're on tour with David T. Little and Royce Vavrek's operaDog Days. What fascinates you about being on tour?
Being on tour is one of my favorite ways to travel because I’m not in full-time vacation mode, but I’m still on an adventure and I can explore when I’m not working. Being in full-time vacation mode makes me go a little bonkers after a few days (is that weird?), but on tour I can work a little, play a little, and just live my regular life but in a different city. I call it a work-cation. It’s so much fun.
You're from Chicago, you've lived in New York and now your life takes place on a farm in North Dakota. What do you miss the most about city life, what do you prefer about your life now?
I miss the food, my friends, and the music scenes, but the quality of life on the farm is what’s going to keep me from ever moving back. It’s so energizing that I feel like I can get every piece of work done that I want to, and the small town community here is really wonderful. If I had moved here in an age when we didn’t have the internet—to Facetime with my friends, live stream concerts, lookup copycat recipes for my favorite dishes from New York restaurants—it might have been a slightly different story. Just slightly.
You made Norwegian Lefse flatbread together with The New York Times food critic Sam Sifton in your kitchen, a traditional recipe from your husband's family. How did your partner's Norwegian roots influence your cooking?
It’s SO FASCINATING! There are so many Norwegian and Upper Midwest dishes that I’m learning about that are so great. Lefse is one of them. Hotdish is another. A lot of the new dishes that I’m learning are hearty, comforting meals that are perfect for the long winters here, and that type of food has always been my favorite. There is not a single unit of spiciness in sight, so my tolerance for spicy food has plummeted, but other than that, I’m so excited to be learning about all of these new dishes, and I love putting my spins on them, whether it’s adding flavors inspired by my roots or subbing in newer trendier ingredients like kale and ramps.
How did living on a farm change your kitchen activities?
I have a much bigger kitchen now, and more time. So I just do a lot more in the kitchen. And we also live outside of the range for delivery men, so there’s a lot more planning in advance to be done. We also have a garden and a rhubarb patch and an apple tree and we’ll be getting chickens soon, and all that jazz.
You combine Jewish and Chinese roots which your unique recipe creations often bring to light. What do you like about bringing these two culinary styles together?
They go really well together! Both cuisines pack a lot of carbs and comfort, and I grew up on both of them equally, so there’s a lot of nostalgia mixed in as well.
Who is your biggest inspiration in the kitchen?
My mom! Also all of my blogger friends.
How do you develop new recipes?
Sometimes I just figure out what I like and do it. Other times, if it’s a newer-to-me food or technique, I read everything that I can about that food and talk to people about it. I examine a lot of different recipes for that particular food, make notes of which aspects of certain recipes I like best, and then I start testing. I test a bunch and make sure every step and ingredient is as logical and as simplified as it can be, while still trying to maintain a delicious outcome.
What was the first dish you cooked on your own, what is your first cooking memory?
Probably microwaving hot dogs with cheese on them.
What are your favourite places to buy and enjoy food in New York and around your farm in North Dakota?
Whenever I go to New York, I must go to Hummus Place, Breads Bakery, Brooklyn Larder, and pretty much any pizza place. In North Dakota, there are a few great local places, like our town bakery, Dakota Harvest, and our town natural food market, Amazing Grains. I also love our pizza place, where you can order any pizza as nachos.
You share a sandwich recipe on eat in my kitchen. What was the best sandwich you ever ate and where?
Every time I eat a good bagel and lox, my eyes roll to the back of my head and it’s the greatest thing ever.
If you could choose one person to cook a meal for you, who and what would it be?
Josh Scherer, probably. It would be whatever his lunatic mind came up with at the moment.
You're going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?
Mac and cheese.
What was your childhood's culinary favourite and what is it now?
Mac and cheese.
Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?
With others!
Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?
Planned. I LOVE planning meals.
Which meal would you never cook again?
I ruined a batch of mini frittatas last weekend, so that.
Thank you Molly!
A Mediterranean Sandwich with Zucchini, Pesto and Olives
The past few days have been a pleasant break from my daily duties, my mother came to visit! I decided to take some time off for the long walks through the city which both of us love so much. We started with a beautiful place called Clärchen's Ballhaus which opened more than 100 years ago, in 1913. It's a restaurant/ dancehall where people still meet for Sunday tea dance. When we entered the room the sound of Samba, Waltzes and Tangos filled the air and the faces of the dancing couples seemed lost in nostalgic escape, it felt like a different world!
There's also a gorgeous mirrored ball room on the first floor which has quite a morbid charm, it doesn't sparkle with its original glory anymore. The room was heavily damaged in the war and it was used to store coal until 2005. The mirrors are dull and broken, the decorations and chandeliers on the ceiling can't hide the strains of the past years. It's a forgotten place, a remnant of Berlin's party days from a century ago. When we left the building and its faded light we stepped right into the bright afternoon, we felt like kids who found an abandoned house.
Our next stop was the Museum Island, a group of beautiful and renowned museums on a little island in the Spree river. One of my favourite Berlin buildings is the Bode-Museum, when I first visited it many years ago I instantly fell in love with it and with the little bridge that leads to its entrance. The round building is a classic beauty, majestic but not intimidating. It keeps a stunning collection of marble sculptures in a light-flooded room, the folds and faces cut into the white rock almost seem alive. Our walk ended in front of this museum, at a bar outside on the river bank. We sat down in deck chairs, enjoyed Prosecco with Aperol and witnessed another one of Berlin's tea dance scenes. On an open stage, couples danced Tango under the blue sky, forgetting everything and everybody around them. People stopped to watch them and I'll never forget the beauty of this moment!
So much outdoor activity meant little time for the kitchen, we focussed on salads, snacks and sandwiches. We took it easy this time, no extensive cooking sessions. Usually, when my mother visits, we spend lots of time together in my kitchen but I needed a little break. Yesterday, we had a big family dinner at a restaurant with crayfish and asparagus and today, there'll be oysters on our culinary schedule. In between, we fit in this little sandwich beauty, pure Mediterranean deliciousness stuffed in a juicy focaccia bun. I sautéed very thinly sliced zucchini and piled them up with ripe tomatoes, basil pesto and green olives. It tastes like summer!
A Mediterranean Sandwich with Zucchini, Pesto and Olives
For 2 sandwiches you need
focaccia buns, cut in half, 2
medium zucchini, cut into long, very thin slices, about 200g / 7oz( this is best done with a cheese or vegetable slicer)
olive oil
salt
ripe cherry tomatoes, cut in half, 6
green olives, cut in half, 6
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
For the pesto
fresh basil leaves 20g / 3/4oz plus a few small leaves for the topping
fresh mint leaves 2
pine nuts 1 tablespoon
Parmesan, freshly grated, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon for the topping
olive oil 50ml / 1/4 cup
salt
Mix the ingredients for the pesto in a blender and season to taste.
In a large heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil and sauté the sliced zucchini in batches, spread the slices out next to each other. Cook them on medium-high for 1 minute, turn and season them with salt and pepper and cook for about 30 seconds on the other side until soft and golden but not dark. Take them out of the pan and keep them on a plate. Continue cooking the remaining zucchini slices, always adding a little splash of olive oil between batches.
Lay the zucchini on the bottom half of each bun and spread the tomatoes and olives on top. Sprinkle with pesto, coarsely crushed pepper and basil leaves. Close the bun and enjoy!
Roasted Spring Onion, Parma Prosciutto and Taleggio Sandwich
I rediscovered an old cheese love: Taleggio! Although I used to enjoy this Italian dairy product from the Val Taleggio in the Lombardy quite often in the past, it hasn't been in my kitchen for a few months, but now it's back - preferably melted! A culinary phone call with my mother (our regular recipe exchange) brought it back to my mind. I went to the supermarket right the next morning to stock up on this slightly creamy cheese and started thinking about all the recipes I would use it for.
A new sandwich creation was first on my list, the milky cheese melting its soft yet distinct aroma onto Parma prosciutto and sweet-roasted spring onions. The result was juicy and hearty without being overpowering. Taleggio isn't as harsh as one of my other sandwich-cheese-obsessions, the dominant raclette, its flavour is more subtle, almost fruity. It develops a little slower in the mouth but the impact is impressive nonetheless. I loved the look of this sandwich, I loved its taste and I had to have two of them!
Roasted Spring Onion, Parma Prosciutto and Taleggio Sandwich
For 3 sandwiches you need
rustic buns, cut in half, 3
small spring onions, cut in half lengthwise, 6
olive oil 1 tablespoon
sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
Parma prosciutto 6 slices
Tallegio cheese, sliced, 60g / 2oz
Set the oven to 220°C / 430°F (top / bottom heat).
In a baking dish, mix the spring onions with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until golden brown, mind that they don't burn (about 20 minutes). Turn them after 10 minutes.
Lay the 2 slices of Parma prosciutto on the bottom side of each bun, cover with cheese and swirl the spring onions on top. Put under the grill for a few minutes until the Taleggio starts to melt. Sprinkle with pepper and close the bun. Enjoy!
Orange Blossom Ricotta and Honey Kumquat Tartine with Pistachios
A handful of little kumquats have been lying on the window sill for days challenging my kitchen creativity. They were the meager leftovers from my bean and pea salad and I didn't really feel too inspired to use them. Although I really like these concentrated citrus fruits in combination with vegetables and dairy products, I'm not too fond of eating them on their own, so I had to come up with an idea which would fit their biting tanginess.
I thought of Malta, one of my biggest inspirations and answer to all sorts of open questions in my life. We just booked our flights for this summer, so it's been on mind since I clicked the confirmation button on the booking page. All that Mediterranean food, our family, friends, snorkeling, the sun and blue sky above my head every day, just the thought of it makes me so happy! And we'll have a very special guest over for a few days this summer which makes me even happier (and more excited if that's even possible): Holly, my editor, will visit us from New York to learn more about the country and culture that I praise and write about so much. I'm as excited as a child to show her around, to introduce her to my perfect spots for snorkeling and food, our favourite beach bar for a glass of Ricard in the sunset, my Maltese mama's and grannie's kitchens in Msida. I want to walk though the old streets of Valletta and Mdina with her and show her where to enjoy the best pastizzi, qassatat and Spaghetti Rizzi (sea urchin pasta), so much that was once new to me many years ago and opened the door to a mentality that's so different to mine yet filled my life with so much fun and love!
When I think of Malta, ricotta comes to mind, honey and orange blossom water, I just had to add my kumquats and a few pistachios (unsalted!) and all of the sudden I could see a new sandwich creation before my eyes. I whisked the dairy product with some honey, orange juice and blossom water and spread this sweet dip voluptuously on a slice of fluffy ciabatta bread. The citrus fruit came next, I caramelized the kumquats in honey to soften and sweeten their skin which made them a little sticky and juicy. The crunchy pistachios finished it off and gave this Mediterranean combination an oriental touch. It was as bright as the sunset in Malta and tasted wonderfully sweet and sour!
Orange Blossom Ricotta and Honey Kumquat Tartine with Pistachios
For 4 small tartines you need
ciabatta bread, 4 slices
fresh ricotta 250g / 9oz
quality orange blossom water (preferably organic) 1 teaspoon
liquid honey 1-2 teaspoons plus 3 heaping teaspoons for the kumquats
freshly squeezed orange juice 2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons for the kumquats
kumquats, cut in half (lengthwise), 12
pistachios peeled and unsalted, roughly chopped, a small handful
Whisk the ricotta with orange blossom water, 1-2 teaspoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of orange juice, season to taste.
Heat 3 heaping teaspoons of honey in a heavy pan, add the kumquats and 2 tablespoons of orange juice and cook for about 2 minutes on high temperature or until the citrus fruits start to soften.
Spread the ricotta dip on the bread, lay the kumquats on top and sprinkle with the juices from the pan and the pistachios. Enjoy!
Camembert, Dark Grape and Candied Rosemary Sandwich
Sometimes cheese can be quite challenging, especially its fragrance. This can be a bit of a hurdle despite its delicious qualities, an obstacle to get over to be able to finally enjoy this treat. There is a simple camembert lying in my fridge at the moment which I like to buy once in a while, it's nothing special, it's neither organic nor from a small farmer in the French countryside, but I love it. It's honest, creamy and very, very aromatic, and unfortunately, it stinks so much that it takes days to get the smell out of our fridge again. I can take a lot when it comes to cheese, my nose has seen and smelt the whole range of the world of cheese. One of the prettiest cheese shops I've been to was in Paris, dedicated to the wonders of dairy milk, the display and fragrance in this room was impressive! But the odor of my little camembert in the fridge tops everything, it's borderline. I always ask myself twice if I really want to put myself, the fridge and my close environment through this attack on the nose.
A sandwich came to mind, and obviously, my little French dairy friend asks for strong partners, red wine of course, but also fruits, herbs, spices or chutney. Although it's not the right time for grapes yet, I couldn't resist buying the crisp dark South African fruits I spotted at the market. Their plump juiciness manages to balance out the sharpest cheese. So I wanted more of that sweetness, candied rosemary needles, sticky and crunchy, to get the camembert under control. It worked!
This sandwich puts you right in the scene of a summery picnic in the French countryside, a blanket spread on a green meadow next to a wide river, a bottle of wine, maybe a crisp bean and ramp quiche and a bowl of spinach, strawberry and goat cheese salad. This is the picture I remember when I think of one of my weekend trips to Alsace many years ago, I just close my eyes, take a bite of my camembert sandwich and I'm right there!
Camembert, Dark Grape and Candied Rosemary Sandwich
For 2 large sandwiches you need
crunchy white buns (or fresh baguette), cut in half, 2
ripe camembert, cut into slices, 200g / 7 ounces
dark seedless grapes, cut in half, a small handful
rosemary needles 2 tablespoons
granulated sugar 2 tablespoons
water 2 tablespoons
Divide the cheese between the 2 buns and lay the grapes on top.
In a small pan, heat the sugar and water on high temperature. When it turns golden add the rosemary, stir quickly and caramelize for a few seconds, mind that it doesn't burn. Transfer the candied herb immediately onto the sandwich. Use 2 forks, you have to do this while the syrup is still liquid, it becomes sticky and hard very quick. If you can't get the rosemary out, put the pan back on the heat.
Enjoy!
Sardine and Lemon Sandwich with Ramp Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
A few months ago, my mother went to one of her favourite spots in France, the Belle-Île-en Mer, a picturesque island off the coast of Brittany. It wasn't her first visit, she's been to this tiny rock in the Atlantic Ocean countless times, and whenever I talk to her while she's there, she sounds like she just walked out of a spa. This island must be magic and I've wanted to discover it for myself for ages. I've tasted it though, at least some of it's produce. My mama knows my weak spot for all the culinary delights from this country, solid and liquid, so she gladly treats her ever hungry daughter to her new and old discoveries whenever she comes back. Last time she gave me a few beautiful tins of preserved sardines, the design is a bit old-fashioned, I love that, although it's just a fish tin, it's a pleasure to see it in the pantry. Once she gave me a large can of tinned fish soup from the same island, I liked it so much that it became my container for the kitchen brush and sponge!
The first time I tasted the preserved sardines refined with thin slices of lemon, it must have been early last winter, I got absolutely hooked on this oily treat. I've never been a big fan of preserved fish until that life changing moment, literarily, as since that day, I always eat my weekly Sunday pizza with these sardines, week after week. But today I thought they deserve a little variation. I had to change to another brand as our stock has been used up, it's not as good but still delicious, and I decided that the fish would make a scrumptious appearance on a juicy sandwich with ramp pesto and preserved lemons. It's that time of year again, I can't leave the grocery store without a bunch of ramp, due to their short season but mainly because we're almost addicted to it. So, another ramp pesto, another tin of sardines and a new sandwich, the kind you would eat at the sea, wrapped in paper, your fingers dripping of oil, and the wonderful taste of garlicky green, sour lemon and rich sardines in your mouth, fantastic!
This sandwich has been featured by Food52!
Sardine and Lemon Sandwich with Ramp Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
For 2 sandwiches you need
rustic white buns, cut in half, 2
quality preserved sardines in olive oil, boned and cut into fillets, 3 fish (about 70g / 2 1/2oz)
preserved lemon, cut into thin slices, 1/8 (alternatively, you could use the roasted lemon peel from this recipe)
cherry tomatoes, quartered, 2
rucola, a small handful
For the pesto (this will be a little more than you'll need but you can eat the pesto with pasta or as a spread on toasted dark bread)
bunch of ramp, the stalks cut off, 1 (around 45g / 1 1/2oz)
Parmesan 25g / 1oz
olive oil 55ml /2fl oz
salt 1/4 teaspoon
Mix the ingredients for the pesto in a blender until smooth and season to taste.
Brush the bottom half of the buns with a little oil from the fish tin (just if it's quality olive oil), cover with rucola and lay 3 single fillets of the sardines on top. Garnish with the tomatoes and sprinkle with pesto and lemon slices.
