Herb Tomato Crostini Recipe

   

1/4 cup olive oil
    2 garlic cloves, pressed
    1 (8.5-oz.) French bread baguette, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
    3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/8 teaspoon pepper
    1 large tomato, finely chopped
    3/4 cup finely chopped green onions
    1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
    1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together olive oil and garlic; brush on 1 side of each bread slice. Place bread slices, garlic sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly toasted.
2. Whisk together lemon juice and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add tomato and next 3 ingredients; gently toss to coat.
3. Top each bread slice with tomato mixture (about 2 rounded teaspoonfuls each). Sprinkle with cheese.
Green Tomato-Fresh Herb Crostini: Substitute 1 finely chopped large green tomato for red tomato. Proceed with recipe as directed.
Fresh Herb-Tomato Tabbouleh Salad: Omit first 3 ingredients. Decrease feta cheese to 1/4 cup. Prepare tomato mixture as directed in Step 2; drain. Reserve seasoning packet from 1 (5.25-oz.) tabbouleh salad mix for another use. Pour tabbouleh mix into a large bowl; stir in 1 cup boiling water. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Stir in tomato mixture. Cover and chill 1 hour. Top with feta cheese, and season with salt to taste. Makes 6 servings. Prep: 10 min; Chill: 1 hr., 30 min.
Note: For testing purposes only, we used Near East Taboule Mix Wheat Salad.
Per serving: Calories 93; Fat 6.1g (sat 1.6g, mono 3.9g, poly 0.5g); Protein 2.1g; Carb 8.7g; Fiber 2.4g; Chol 6mg; Iron 0.9mg; Sodium 243mg; Calc 53mg.

Santa Fe Spinach Dip Recipe

1 medium onion chopped
2 cans spinach (drained)
1 small can plum tomatoes chopped
1 can (4 oz. size) green chiles chopped and drained
1 package (8 oz. size) cream cheese
1 cup half/half
10 ounces grated Monterey jack
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in skillet over medium until softened. Add tomatoes and chilies and then cook 2 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and stir in spinach, cheese, cream cheese, half and half and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into shallow baking dish bake in 400F oven until dip is bubbly and top is light brown, about 35 minutes. Top with a spoon of sour cream and serve with tortilla chips. 

Homeslice Pizza

There's little for me to add to all those who have waxed lyrical about the incredible Pizza at homeslice. I approached this place with caution, despite the generous reviews on yelp. So let's get personal, I popped in hoping for a snack and despite the size of the pizza, the thinness of the crust makes this snack-worthy and meal-worthy. I ordered 3 slices between two people, they even give you a slicer to share their slices (blatantly know that they're too big). The pizzas are very thin, so a lot of folding technique will be involved here, not to worry, all those origami folds weren't mastered in vain.

Big Sandwiches

A muffaletta from New Orleans

 New Orleans sure does great sandwiches. A muffaletta has a wonderful combination of meaty (salami, cooked ham, mortadella), cheesy (provolone, mozzarella), and sour with a bit of sweet from the olive salad. (I'd say the fried oyster po'boy too but that one is very hard to get right.)




A Meshugge from Russ and Daughters, Lower East Side, New York 

This is the best thing to happen to a bagel. It has smoked salmon, smoked sturgeon, smoked sable and real cream cheese.

Jambon beurre (also called a Parisien)

This is the most classic of classic sandwiches in France. It's really simple - just ham (very thinly sliced, I prefer cooked ham but cured is good too), and unsalted creamy butter, on a fresh crispy half-baguette.  Sometimes cornichons are added but I prefer it without. It is so good when all the elements are right.







Egg salad sandwich from Shinshindo in Kyoto
 

A classic from another old Japanese bakery. Just a simple egg salad sandwich...but this one is sooo good. The barely-hardboiled eggs and mayo are so creamy, and seasoned just right.


Rehschinken/Apfel Zwirbelbrötli from Confiserie Sprüngli in Zürich

Confiserie Sprüngli is a Swiss institution. They're mainly a confectionery and pastry shop but they also make exquisite, expensive sandwiches like this one. It has peppery venison ham, sweet-sourish steamed apple slices, an amazing herb spread, and lettuce on a great crusty roll.

Chilled soft tofu recipe

The recipe (though I don't have exact quantities, since mom always made it by eye-balling everything) is remarkably simple.  There is no cooking needed for the tofu, so you just need to make the sauce.

Here's a starting point for the sauce for one block of tofu:

3tbsp light soy sauce
1tbsp sesame or peanut oil
1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 stalks scallions (though I love scallions, and will always put more)
Optional: sriracha (if you like a bit of a kick), sugar (if you like it on the sweeter side)


 Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together
Tweak amounts as necessary to taste
Pour it over top of the tofu (cutting the tofu is also optional)

Bastard Cristo Sandwich

Let's begin with basic ingredients:

Bread:  I like to use Orowheat Hazelnut or Buttermilk

Ham: Black Forest of course, fresh from the deli, thinly sliced and lots of it.  Pancetta is a nice alternative, still prefer BF
 Cheese:  I prefer dilled Havarti and lots of it
Spread:  Optional, sometimes I use a homemade horseradish spread and prefer a thin spread; or go for chiplote, basil  etc.


Construct and prepare with additional Ingredients:

Make sandwich with above ingredients (adding fresh basil or mint has an interesting effect)
Cut the crusts off
Cut the sandwich into 4 triangles
Dredge each triangle completely in beaten egg wash
Roll around in breadcrumbs until thoroughly coated, I prefer the crumbs of the Hazelnut bread, but Panko also works
Repeat the dip and roll above
 
Apply Heat:
Place in a deep fat fryer or dutch oven filled with saved bacon grease, lard, or peanut oil if you must eliminate the pork grease, (about 350-400 degrees as you and your equipment come to terms) and fry until lightly brown.  Remove from fryer without burning yourself when your heartattack begins.

Place on a plate and sift powdered sugar on top, serve with homemade (from Marin County) wild blackberry preserves or whatever jam you please, add a sprig of mint to cleanse your palate when meal is complete.  Arrange the plate artfully to enhance the decadence of this experience.

This should be eaten in bed (with a nice Moscato wine) for obvious reasons.  Don't forget the spotless linen napkins.