Search
Categories
Have a request?
This form does not yet contain any fields.

     

    Tuesday
    Jun072011

    Someone give that girl a sammich

    No, I dont' think it's quite over. The Mayhem that is. This is one hell of a long month.

    Taneasha is still on the road, still plagued by the strangest weather. Srsly, the woman is like some kind of tornado magnet. Me, I've decided that working full time over the summer isn't enough. I have to do school too. Evening calculus, here I come. Well, I do school full time and work part time the rest of the year, I should be able to pull this off, right? Right??

    Feeding myself in the 45 minutes I'll be home between work and school three nights a week for the next 8 weeks is gonna be fun. I'm going to do a bunch of cooking ahead, have actually started with that and no, Taneasha, I didn't remember to take pictures /hangs head in shame/. I do however have pictures of a meal that commonly goes unappreciated.

    The sammich.

    Humble, yet satisfying, and creators of very few dirty dishes, these things have for some reason become some kind of good-enough meal, something we sigh and resign ourselves to. But really, what beats a couple slices of bakery fresh bread made with locally grown organic whole grains with a crusty exterior and tender inside carefully cuddling an infinitely variable collection of delectible meats, savoury cheeses, perfect veggies and just the right amount of condiment. Ha. Who says purple prose is dead?

    Fresh bread is an absolute requirement for me and sammiches. I'll give it two days and then the rest of the loaf is relegated to toast (now there's a meal to sigh about). Besides, when you're craving egg salad, you really need fresh soft bread. It's squishy and gooey and way too likely to ooze all over your palms if it's not on the right kind of bread.

    And I was craving egg salad. And I am completely unable to control cravings. And because of that I sometimes don't take anywhere near enough pics. But, I mean, it's a freaking sammich, I think you can figure it out without the visual aids.

    Egg Salad Sammich

    What you need:

    • 2 slices of the freshest bread ever
    • 1 egg, boiled for about 10 minutes
    • 1-2 tbsp mayo
    • salt & pepper & butter
    • Optional, at your discretion, to your taste, and depending what you happen to have in the fridge at the time:
    • minced chives or green onion
    • red onion
    • pickled onions
    • pickled asparagus
    • hot pickled beans
    • picked pickles
    • olives, black or green
    • dill, thyme, basil, tarragon, marjoram
    • chili powder, cumin, caraway, paprika
    • bacon
    • horseradish
    • ham
    • capers
    • sundried tomatoes
    • jalapenos, pepperoncinis, banana peppers
    • what else is in your fridge?

    What you gotta do:

    Peel and mash the boiled egg. Mash it first. Don't add the mayo yet, you don't know how much you need!

    Add the other stuff to the bowl. I had some cipollini onions in balsamic vinegar (if you've never had them, find them, they're fabulous),

    bacon of course, and some dill that I'd dried and jarred last summer.

    Once you've got all your goodies in the bowl with the egg, start adding the mayo. And by mayo I mean real mayonaisse, not some kind of weird whipped salad dressing. And by start, I don't mean plop it all in there. Too much mayo will totally kill an otherwise awesome egg salad. And once it's in there, there's no getting it out. Start with a teaspoon or two and mix it in completely before you add the next one. For once I'm going to say that wetter is not better. You don't want the creamy goodness on your hands as you're trying to eat.

    Shred yourself some lettuce. Shred. Don't try to lay a whole leaf of iceburg on top of egg salad and expect it to work. For one, iceburg is useless and flavourless. At least use romaine. And shred it as finely as you can. Stack them, roll them, and slice them into tiny hairs of lettuce. Egg salad is actually one of the more delicate things you can put between sliced bread; you don't want to go overpowering it with huge crunchy chunks of leaf.

    The matter of butter on bread is one of great debate. Some need it, some hate it, some want it on one side only, some only need it if there's no mayo... holy crap. Do what you want. Me, I need butter on sammiches and on toast. Regardless of what else is on there, I need the butter. You, you do whatever your little heart desires. This is your sammich.

    Start assembling your masterpiece. Butter, mayo, whatever you want on the bread. Next, the egg salad. I don't spread mine all the way to the edge because I know it's going to squish a bit. Now, the delicately sliced (and apparently very shiny) leaves.

    Cut the sammich any way you want. Or don't. This is a very personal thing and everyone seems to like them done differently. Who am I to tell you how best to arrange your meal.

    The only thing I will insist on is a pickle. Every great sammich needs a pickle. Yes, you could have a few potato chips, maybe some carrot sticks, but even with those on the side, you need a pickle.

    Okay, I'll admit it, that is definitely not the best looking sammich I've ever made. That was a muffaletta, which I promise to make for you some day. This though, this is dinner. No, not lunch. Sammiches are dinner too.

    What kind of sammich do you eat for dinner?

    Friday
    Jun032011

    Green Onion and Cheddar Soda Bread... Is the Mayhem Really Over?

    June…hem?  Just doesn’t have the same ring, does it?  Well, May might be over, but things will continue to be a bit shaken up around here.  I will continue to be homeless for probably at least another two weeks.  Not a lot of gourmet cooking going on in a hotel, even if it does have a kitchen.  So, to help me out, Seeley and I will be switching our post dates next week.  She’ll be posting on Friday the 10th, and I’ll be posting on Tuesday the 14th. 

    In more exciting news, we have a fabulous guest who will be posting on Friday, June 17th.  Gemma Halliday will be paying us a visit to celebrate her latest release, Hollywood Confessions.  Yes, I mean THAT Gemma Halliday!  How awesome is that?  She’ll be sharing a recipe and cooking story with us, so stick around for the fun.  In the meantime, You can check her out here

    Ok, that ends the news portion of this post, we now return to your regularly scheduled programming.  Green onion and cheddar soda bread.  Ever prepare a meal that could really use a slice of bread or a roll, but you don’t have the time or energy for making yeast bread?  Soda bread to the rescue.  It’s quick, easy, and delicious.  Add green onions and extra sharp cheddar to the mix, and it’s even more fabulous.  So, let’s get started on it. 

     

    Here’s what you’ll need:

    2 ½ cups flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    ½ teaspoon salt
    4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
    8 ounces extra sharp cheddar
    ½ green onion, thinly sliced
    1 ¼ cups buttermilk
    1 large egg

     

     

     

    In a mixing bowl, sift or whisk together all the dry ingredients.  Cut your butter into small cubes and throw them into the flour. 

    Mix on medium-low speed until it looks a bit like this:

    If you don’t have a stand mixer, feel free to use pastry blender, two knives, or even your fingers.  Throw in the cheese and green onions.  As you can see, I used a very large grater for the cheese.  Regular graters are fine, or you can cut very small cubes.  Either way, mix it into the flour mixture until evenly distributed.   

    Measure your buttermilk and then crack in the egg. 

    Oops, I forgot about the pan.  Butter the bottom and sides of a square glass pan, and preheat your oven to 375°. 

    Now, mix together the egg and buttermilk and pour them over the dry ingredients. 

    Mix just until it comes together into a sticky mess, er… mass.

    Scrape it from the bowl and plop it into your prepared pan. 

    Wet your fingers and press it evenly into the pan.

    Into the oven for 40 – 45 minutes.  The top will be a beautiful golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean. 

    Allow it to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack.  Allow it to sit for at least another 20 minutes before you give into the temptation to cut yourself a big hunk.  It’ll help it stay together when you do cut it. 

    Enjoy with butter or as a side for chili or any dinner.  Or simply nibble on it just the way it is. 

    Stay tuned for more details about Gemma’s upcoming visit!