Meike Peters | eat in my kitchen

There are two ways to deal with Christmas, some stay at home and celebrate with family and friends and others travel as far away as they can. I belong to the first group, I'm too bound by tradition and memories to let go of my annual rituals and jump into something completely new. Although it sounds exciting (and the exodus has started already around me), I'm very happy where I am, at home! I love to listen to all the plans and stories of the exotic places where some of my friends go, but I wouldn't want to change the cold here with the warmth of a Caribbean beach. I would feel strange sitting under a palm tree in a bikini with a Piña Colada in my hand while imagining everyone else having roast duck and warm eggnog under the Christmas tree. I never tried, as I was always worried that it would make me nostalgic at one point and that is the only thing I don't want to happen on that day.

So this year, many of my friends are off to India for some reason and I caught myself in a quiet moment thinking of our summer holiday. The first memory that came into my mind was about food (as always). I had to think of our quick salads, tomatoes and greens tossed together with olive oil, capers and Gbejna, the wonderful Maltese goat cheese. I felt a bit melancholic so I might as well live it out in a sandwich, and here it is: a sesame sandwich with grilled feta, crunchy fennel, tomato, parsley, chili peppers and caper berries. It's not summer, the vegetables aren't really in season (and not at their aromatic peak either) but I just felt like it and it was good! The grilled cheese covered up some of the missing flavours of ripeness but we enjoyed every bite!

Grilled Feta and Fennel Sandwich with Caper Berries

For 4 sandwiches you need

sesame buns, cut in half, 4
feta cheese, sliced, 200g / 7 ounces
small fennel bulb, cut into very thin slices, 1
medium tomato, thinly sliced, 1
fresh chili pepper, cut into rings, 1
caper berries, the stem cut off, quartered, 4
fresh parsley leaves, a small handful
olive oil, for the topping
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, for the topping

Spread 2 slices of fennel on the bottom of each bun and put the feta cheese and a slice of tomato on top. Sprinkle with chili pepper, parsley, a little olive oil and black pepper and put a quartered caper berry on top. Grill for about 3 minutes or until the cheese turns golden. Close the bun and put it under the grill for another minute. Serve immediately. Enjoy!