On Bread and Bagged Lunch

I have two new favorite sandwich breads: La Brea Take and Bake Ciabatta Rolls, and the Ancient Grains loaf at Whole Foods, pictured here.

The former was a lucky, but informed, guess. I met Nancy Silverton (of La Brea Bakery) once when she was visiting my boss's restaurant. They worked together years earlier. I was young and awestruck enough to convince myself of a personal connection to Nancy: Melinda and Nancy worked together. I work with Melinda. Ergo, I've worked with Nancy. If it weren't a complete lie it'd be a brilliant way to pad one's resume.

Anyhoo, I stumbled on the rolls at Treasure Island and thought they might work for the Caprese sandwiches my kids like so much. Now, I probably fall in the middle about obsessing over what goes in their neoprene lunchbags. I've got friends who make mid-day trips to school with their kids lunches so that the children will have a freshly prepared lunch. I've got friends (more fall into this category) who make their kids' lunches the night before. I'm capable of neither. Sometime in the window between my morning Americano kicking in and Crap!-It's-Time-to-Go-Or-You'll-Be-Marked-Tardy (on a good morning this is about 20 minutes, but it's usually more like 10-15), I consider what they had yesterday, what they are apt to eat that day (and not give away or toss), and a balance of treats:protein:whole foods.

The caprese sandwich is one they really like, but it's got to be made on baguette or ciabatta, and both are often less than great on Day 2 (Day 1 being the day before, when I bought the bread).  Enter the take and bake bread idea. Since Nancy does wonderful bread, I decided to give her's a go, and I give to two thumbs up. The take and bake baguettes are great, too. And both the baguettes and the rolls freeze well, meaning you can stock up a bit and bake them as directed right from the freezer. I recommend them for anyone who likes fresh bread in their lunch but who has to buy it in advance.

On to the Ancient Grains loaf. I am not a fan of the WF bakery. But this particular loaf has a really great flavor. I would use it as a substitute for our house sandwich bread: Trader Joe's sprouted grain. It would make great French Toast, too. I wouldn't buy it to serve at dinner - it's not crusty or glorious enough.

Caprese Sandwich
Print recipe only here

Makes two sandwiches

INGREDIENTS
Two ciabatta rolls, or equivalent portion of baguette
1 ball fresh mozzarella
Fresh basil - amount varies but I use lots: from 4-8 leaves
1-2 T Extra virgen olive oil
3-4 t Balsamic vinegar (I like Colavita)
1 Roma tomato, sliced (the firmness of the Roma works well in a sandwich that will be eaten later in the day)
Pinch salt

METHOD
Slice open ciabbatta or baguette. Pour the olive oil and balsamic into a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, or a spoon, brush over the both surfaces of the bread. Cover base of sandwich with basil leaves.

Slice the Roma and the mozzarella and sprinkle with salt, then divide between the sandwiches. Top with additional basil, if desired. My kids like extra basil because it prevents the bread from getting soggy.

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A Spring Sandwich to Bust Out of Winter

The season of perfect winter citrus has ended.  We will miss the Ruby Reds. And that's about it. Spring is seriously the best thing since bread. Winter was on extended play this year, rocking electric snowstorms, psychedelic rain, and damp cold. In Grateful Dead parlance, it was an epic long Dark Star that has, at long last, segued into Bird Song.

I climbed out of a menu rut last night with a Grilled Mustard Chicken sandwich, inspired by this one from Martha.  Mine omits the cheddar and the pickles. Add them if you like. I basted the bread with olive oil before grilling and would serve it next time with frisee or arugula, tossed first in a smidge of lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper. I might also include an extra sauce for the sandwich. The natives thought the wondermous new sandwich a bit dry, tho I did not concur. Anyway, the sauce from this recipe for a Smoked Chicken Sandwich, would work well. Here's that recipe...

Grilled Mustard Chicken Sandwich
Print recipe only here

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup whole-grain mustard (I used Grey Poupon Country Dijon)
3 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced lengthiwise into 2-3 strips
1 large red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 baguette

METHOD
Combine mustard, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add chicken and onion, and toss to coat. Let sit 30 min.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill onion and chicken for 3-4 minutes; flip over and cook another 3 minutes or so or until cooked thru.

Cut baguette lengthwise and brush with olive oil. Grill until just browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

Slice the chicken and serve piled high on baguette.

Happy spring!

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On the Menu this Week

First of all, the Roasted Lamb from a few weeks ago was amazing. I can't recommend it highly enough, especially if you're serving six or more lamb lovers. I had the butcher at Whole Foods cut me a 2.5-pound piece of bone-in lamb shoulder which fed our family of four generously. We keep our animal protein portions small, though, so get more if you have bigger eaters.

Now that the school year has begun, my menu planning has taken a turn for the practical. In the summer I like to daydream a bit about food, but when the kids are in school and time is at more of a premium, I find I have to be more pragmatic about the time I can spend planning, shopping, and cooking. I tend to start each week thinking about what we haven't eaten in a while and plan my weekly menu around the combination of proteins and seasonal veggies. Then I make sure I'm stocked with grains, and produce for nightly salads.

I typically plan for five dinners, knowing that often we'll be out on a weekend night, or have one random night where we forage on leftovers or I make something simple like panini* and a salad. Tonight I'm planning on making Chicken Pesto Pasta, since I have chicken breasts and a bag of fresh basil on hand. Tomorrow will likely be a a quick Teriyaki night (quick pan-fried pork loin, on rice with stir-fried broccoli and bottled teriyaki sauce) since the family calendar has each of us in a different direction at dinnertime. Wednesday might be a good night for salmon, as it's a good day for me to get to Whole Foods, where I buy fish. I like to purchase and cook fish on the same day. Asian Salmon Salad sounds really good right now, so I'll make sure I get some bell peppers at the Green City Market on Wednesday morning.  Now I just need dinners for Thursday and Friday. We've not had Lamb Kabobs in some time, so that's an option, and Friday is a great night for Pizza Margherita, or Chanterelle Pizzas, if chanterelles are still coming to the market. It's a bit late in the season, but it's still possible.

And there - the weekly menu plan is done. Now I just have to plan my little shopping excursions and stock the fridge.

*Ham & Gruyère Panini
Featured on Pinch in 2008, In a Pinch

METHOD
Preheat a griddle. Spray lightly with canola spray. Slather one piece of low-gluten sprouted bread with your favorite mustard. For the bread, I like both Alvarado Street or the comparable version at Trader Joe's.

Thinly slice some ham and Gruyère (note: Gruyère is very flavorful and a little goes a long way. I only use a few, thin slices to keep the sandwich healthy). Assemble and cook on hot griddle until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Press down using a panini press or a heavy lid, right on top of the sandwich. It's really good with greens dressed with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

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Fab Five Gluten Free Snacks and Sandwiches

We've been dabbling in a dairy-free, gluten-free diet in the House of Pinch. What we've learned is this:  bready things are hard to recreate without gluten. We were thoroughly grossed out by Namaste's pancake mix, divided on the frozen gluten-free pancakes at Trader Joe's, and all agreed that Udi's Whole Grain Gluten Free bread should be in everyone's freezer. (I found it in the freezer section at our Chitown Whole Foods.)

We've had Udi's as toast, and we've had it thawed and soft. Both good. But the best preparation was this: basted with olive oil and garlic and baked until golden and crispy. Gluten free toast points with hummus? Awesome. As a base for a Pinch sandwich? Outstanding.  Take your pick from these five awesome sandwiches and substitute Garlic Slathered Udi's for the baguette or ciabatta:

Salmon Sandwich with Dill Aioli
Flank Steak Sandwich
Herb Frittata with Pepperonata
Italian Beef Sandwich with Giardinera
Pan Bagnia


Garlic Slather for Bread
Print recipe only here

Combine in a small bowl:
about ¼ cup good olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
2 T fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 T fresh basil, finely chopped,
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Brush on bread (frozen is fine) using silicone basting brush. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for about 5-15 minutes, depending on oven size, until golden brown at the edges and fragrant.

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Hearty Vegetarian: Herb Fritatta con Pepperonata

Usually when I eat a vegetarian meal that doesn’t involve pasta I think, this is nice, but I’m going to need to eat again in 15 minutes. I’m sure my vegetarian friends don’t agree, but plants don’t quite satisfy. Obviously frittatas aren’t plants. They aren’t vegan either. But they do constitute a hearty vegetarian meal – and a delicious one at that.

Fresh herbs and a sweet-sour pepperonata make this a unique sandwich. And it’s easy to make year round. I made it recently after harvesting herbs from my thriving AeroGarden . Pepperonata is like a cooked antipasto or Mediterranean chutney. It's comprised of red pepper, red onion, tomato and garlic. A splash of red wine vinegar gives it a tangy punch.

The herb frittata comes - almost without alteration - from Evan Kleiman’s Pizza Pasta Panini, a cookbook spawned by her LA restaurant, Angeli Caffè.

Herb Fritatta con Pepperonata
Print recipe only here
Serves 4

Pepperonata
In 1-2 T olive oil, sauté over medium heat:
• 3-4 garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped
• ½ red onion, finely chopped

After a few minutes, add:
• 2 red peppers, cut into long, ½-inch wide strips

Sauté for another few minutes, stirring frequently, until the peppers soften. Add:
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

Cover and cook for a few minutes. Then add:
• 3 Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped OR ½ cup Muir Glen canned fire-roasted crushed tomatoes

Cook uncovered for another few minutes until the tomatoes become saucy and the mixture thickens a bit. Add:
• 1-2 T sugar
• Kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

Set the pepperonata aside to cool.

Frittata
In a mixing bowl, whisk together:
• 8 eggs

Add:
• ¼ cup Parmesan
• ¾ cup mixed fresh herbs
• Pinch kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat 1 T olive oil in a 10-12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Also spray the surface with canola spray.

Lower the heat to medium-low.

Pour the eggs in and using high heat spatula (or wooden spoon) stir eggs gently, scraping up sides and bottom, until the mixture is somewhat set (more solid than liquid).

To cook the top I find it's easiest to place the whole pan under the broiler – just keep a eye on it! Or feel free to attempt flipping (sliding the frittata out onto a plate and flipping that way works well).

When cooked, slide the frittata out onto a plate or cutting board.

Assembling frittata sandwich
Prep baguette or ciabatta, toasting if desired (you can also melt some provolone or mozzarella on the bread).

Drizzle a bit of the pepperonata sauce on the bottom half of the bread. Cut a wedge of frittata for each and place a piece on the bread. Top with a spoonful of pepperonata and serve.

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Get Me a Sangwich - Part II

Yesterday Pinch took delivery of three glorious loaves of bread from Zingerman's in Michigan. Thank you, Tami! In between mouthfuls, I remembered a few things:

1. I need to add the two remaining sandwiches to the Get Me a Sangwich or Somethin' post;
2. Chicago needs better bread bakers;
3. I need to add March to the list of months I could do without (right now only January and February are on the list). March is glorious when you live in the mountains (warmer days, spring skiing) and tedious when you live in Chicago where it snows but not quite enough to play in.

sigh.

Here are the remaining sangwiches we love at Pinch, Chicken with Pomeray-Rum sauce and Frisee and Italian Beef with Pepperoncini and Giardinera.

Smoked Chicken Sandwich with Pomeray-Rum sauce and Frisee
Print recipe only here

I picked this up from a chef at Café Nola. It’s a tasty and original sandwich even if you don’t bother with the smoking part.

YOU WILL NEED:
* Hickory wood chips
* Skinless, boneless chicken breasts
* Good crusty baguette or ciabatta
* Apple cider vinegar
* Meyers Rum
* Brown sugar
* Pomeray mustard – or a comparable course, high-quality mustard

METHOD
Soak wood chips for 15 minutes.

Preheat grill.

Drain the wood chips and wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Seal the package by folding over the edges and pierce the top side of the foil pack. Place the pack between coals and grill rack.

Rub chicken with a thin film of olive oil and a bit of kosher salt and pepper.

Wait 10-15 minutes until smoky, then grill chicken. If you have room on your grill you can grill the chicken over the front coals, with the foil pack at the backside of the grill. If not, no worries. The chicken will be fine cooking atop the wood chips.

In a saucepan, combine:

* ½ cup Apple cider vinegar
* ¼ cup Meyer’s rum
* 2 T Brown sugar
* ¼ cup Pomeray mustard

Simmer a few minutes.

Remove chicken from grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes or so before slicing.

Toss sliced chicken in sauce.

Serve on baguette with frisee, arugula or any spicy greens.

Italian Beef Sandwich with Giardinera
Print recipe only here

YOU WILL NEED:
* Slow cooker or Dutch oven (I use a 3 qt. Le Creuset Dutch oven)
* 3 # beef roast. I use a lean tri tip roast from Trader Joe's.
* 1 jar (12-16oz) giardinra peppers, mild or hot
* 1 jar (12-16 oz) pepperoncini
* 10 oz beef broth (I use a good beef base plus water)
* Good crusty bread - baguette or ciabatta

METHOD
Preheat oven to 175-200°

Drain the giardinera and pepperoncini and add to Dutch oven or slow cooker.

Add the beef broth (or beef base plus water) and the the roast and stir to coat the beef.

COOKING
Slow Cooker: Cover and cook on the low setting for 18 hours

Dutch oven: Cover and place in oven for 6-8 hours

SERVING
Use two forks to shred the beef, or remove from cooker/Dutch oven and slice.

Serve with crusty bread and the jus, pepperoncini and giardinera.

You can also toast the bread first, melt some provolone on top and top with sliced/shredded beef.

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Get Me a Sangwich or Somethin'

The title is, if memory serves, from that movie with De Niro and Billy Crystal where Crystal is the twitchy shrink and De Niro the mafioso. One of the guards says it just before both (?) get whacked. Scratch that. I’m assured it’s from Honeymoon in Vegas. "There's sections of Kaua'i!??!"

I'm a bit of a bread head. I really love bread - crusty, artisan loaves, with layers of flavor. Outside of my house I'm not much of a sandwich person (Potbelly is the exception. Mmmm, Potbelly.) for the simple reason that sandwich bread is usually yuck.

The sandwich recipes I'm including are all based on having access to a great, crusty baguette or ciabatta. If you don't have such access, I'm sorry. Very, very sorry. Actually, Chicago, for as good of a food city as it is, really lacks true talent in the bread department. I haven't yet found a ciabatta I adore. I pick up the city's best loaves at Pastoral (and they get them from a bakery in Evanston). The baguettes at Trader Joes are better priced and better in taste and texture than what's turned out in the local bread bakeries.

So here's five sandwiches I just love.

1. Roast Salmon Sandwich with Dill Aioli
Print recipe only here

YOU WILL NEED:
One good baguette, or comparable good crusty bread that would make a good sandwich, toasted (I think toasting is optional, my husband disagrees).

Salmon filets, trimmed to be no thicker than the baguette, rubbed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted or grilled until just done.

Dill Aioli. I used to feel like such a cheater making an aioli with mayonnaise. I got over it. I really couldn't justify spending so much time preparing something we would consume, at best, a couple of tablespoons of.

Combine in a small bowl:
* Juice of one lemon (shoot for 2-3 T, using more lemons as necessary)
* 2 T mayonaise
* 2 T fresh dill, chopped very fine
* Salt and pepper to taste


PREPARATION:
* Roast or grill salmon.
* Prepare aioli.
* Trim the baguette on a diagonal and slice down the middle. Place cooked filet and a generous spoonful of aioli.

2. Flank Steak with Roast Roma Tomatoes and Arugula


Oh, this is good one. It just screams PERFECT SUMMER MEAL to me. Even now. Even in the middle of the longest winter, ever.

Flank Steak Sandwich
Print recipe only here

YOU WILL NEED:
* Again with the bread. Baguette or ciabatta.
* One flank steak. I've been picking up the Austrailian ones at Trader Joes. So good, no hormones, amazing price. Flank steak is quite lean, and the TJ variety has never disappointed. Rub it with salt and pepper and grill whole, about 6-8 min per side. Let sit 10-15 minutes before slicing, across the grain, as thin as you can get it without stressing yourself out.
* 4-6 Roma tomatoes, sliced about 3mm thick, doused in a light film of olive oil, salted and peppered, and slow roasted in a 250° oven for about 2 hours (Ok, ok! Regular roasting is fine here, especially when you don't have time to slow roast: 10-20 min at 375° is fine)
* Bunch of good arugula, tossed at the last minute in a spoonful each olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of kosher salt.
* Panini oil: combine about ¼ cup olive oil (best you've got - this won't be cooked), 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped, 1-2 T fresh parsley, finely chopped, 1-2 T fresh basil, finely chopped, Salt and fresh ground pepper

PREPARATION:
* Realize you forgot to allow time to slow roast romas. Preheat oven to 375°, prepare romas and roast on a baking sheet.
* Preheat grill 10 minutes. Prep flank steak (trim excess fat). Rub a bit of grapeseed oil on grill rack (if possible - if not, no biggie). Set flank on grill.
* Make panini oil
* Prep arugula and baguette (slice ends on diagonal and crosswise down the middle, slather with panini oil).
* Wait patiently for flank to sit for 10 minutes on a cutting board before you bust into it. This is a good time to ruin your appetite snacking on baguette dipped in panini oil.
* Slice steak. Layer onto bottom half of baguette, top with romas and arugula. Serve.


3. Roast Vegetable Panini

YOU WILL NEED:
* Again with the bread. Baguette or ciabatta. No. Make that baguette.
* Veggies! 4-6 Roma tomatoes, an eggplant, portobella mushrooms, red bell peppers. All prepped about the same: sliced about 3mm thick (just roast the peppers whole,then break down into strips when roasted and cooled), doused in a light film of olive oil, salted and peppered, and roasted in a 350° oven until they're nicely browned.
* Bunch of good arugula, tossed at the last minute in a spoonful each olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of kosher salt. Alternately, substitute whole, fresh basil leaves - about 2-3 per individual sandwich. I might like the basil here more than the arugula.
* Panini oil: combine about ¼ cup olive oil (best you've got - this won't be cooked), 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped, 1-2 T fresh parsley, finely chopped, 1-2 T fresh basil, finely chopped, Salt and fresh ground pepper.
* Tapenade: combine in a mini-prep until nicely chopped up: 1 cup pitted kalamatas, 2 T fresh parsley, 1-2 cloves garlic, pinch salt. Then add, pulsing to combine:1-2 T olive oil.
* Fresh mozzarella, the balls that come soaking in brine.

ASSEMBLY:
* Trim down roasted red peppers (remove skin and slice into 1-inch strips).
* Prep baguette by slicing ends on diagonal and crosswise down the middle. Slather the bottom half generously with tapenade and the top half with with panini oil.
* Layer veggies on bottom half, top with mozzarella and basil leaves or arugula.
* Mangia!

4. Chicken with Pomeray-Rum sauce and Frisee - Coming Soon
5. Italian Beef with Pepperoncini and Giardinera - Coming Soon

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