Showing posts with label hot sandwich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hot sandwich. Show all posts
I had a quantity of leftover roast pork that I wanted to use up the other day and so I was looking for ways to use it. I wanted to make something different that my usual hash or pot pie.
One thing which I have made in the past has been this fabulous Amish Savory Pork Pie. I had enough that day to send a casserole to a family in need as well as make a small one for myself. Pork, gravy, dumplings . . . never a bad thing!!
Another time I used the leftovers to make this wonderful Pork and Apple Pie. It was really delicious too.
Sliced roast pork and gravy, combined with apples, underneath a savory short crust lid. There is nothing about that which doesn't taste good! Pork and apples are such beautiful partners.
I have always wanted to try the Cuban Sandwich however. The Cuban Sandwich or Cubano Sandwich is a delicious pressed panini type of sandwich.
It is basically layers of cheese, roast pork, ham, pickles, garlic butter, and mustard, pressed between the softness of a sweet Cuban bread.
Any photos I have ever seen of them have sent my taste buds into tingling in overtime! I have never visited Cuba but I know plenty of people who have and they have all loved the food there.
Apparently this Cubano sandwich comes in quite a few varieties, all dependent on regional differences. Some places use ham in it, some salami. I am not sure if any of the versions I saw online were actually true Cubano's, but all looked very tasty.
I will say up front that I did not have any Cuban bread in my house. Nor have I ever seen Cuban bread in any of our shops.
Apparently it is a soft white bread with a sort of crisp crust like a French loaf, but it is supposed to be slightly sweet.
No, I did not have anything even remotely resembling Cuban Bread, but I did have Ciabatta flat rolls and I had some soft white dinner rolls that I had bought thinking to make sliders with them.
Necessity being the mother of invention I decided to make a version of the sandwich using both breads and then taste test them against each other to see which one worked the best.
The first up was the ciabatta flat roll. I layered up everything on it, schmearing the outside with a bit more butter and pressing it in my Cuisinart griddler.
I got the outside all toasty brown and crisp, making sure that the insides were well heated through and the cheese was melted.
The dinner rolls were fairly small and four of them grouped together were about the size of a Kaiser type of roll. I decided to use four of them and keep them attached.
I layered up everything on the inside as with the other roll, buttered the outside and then also pressed/toasted that in my Cuisinart Griddler, again until everything was toasty golden brown and the insides were heated through and the cheese melted.
Authentic or not, I was in it come hell or high water! I had nothing to lose!
As you can see I got a nice press from both kinds of bread. Both toasted well to a golden brown, creating sandwiches that were easily edible.
I hate it when a sandwich is so thick that I cannot get my mouth around it. I like to be able to eat them easily and without too much mess involved. That's why I am not overly fond of wrap sandwiches.
Its not easy to keep their fillings intact.
The one with the dinner rolls was nice. The bread not too hard to bite into or too chewy. Once pressed there was a perfect ratio of bread to filling. But having said that I also enjoyed the one in the ciabatta roll, although it was definitely chewy and a bit harder to bite into.
I had cut my roast pork as thin as possible for both sandwiches and I used sliced black forest ham. The only sour pickles I had were garlic dills and so I cut them very thinly as well.
I didn't have any regular American mustard and so I used Dijon. It was not as vinegary as American mustard. For my garlic butter I used a homemade version, simply mixing softened butter, garlic and some dried parsley.
The rebel in me had wanted to use some pickled hot peppers I had in the refrigerator, but I wasn't sure that would be totally authentic and I wanted to try to be as true to the original as possible.
I think I got pretty darned close.
Of the two, I have to say, I enjoyed the one done on the soft dinner rolls the most. It was the easiest to eat and not as difficult to chew. I think ciabatta bread is definitely too chew for this type of a sandwich.
So, what exactly do you need to make a Cubano Sandwich?
- a softish kind of French style bread/rolls (Cuban bread if you can find it.
- thinly sliced roast pork, or shredded roast pork
- thinly sliced roast ham, I used black forest
- thinly sliced sour pickles, I used dill
- American or Dijon mustard
- garlic butter, homemade or store bought
- sliced swiss cheese
- softened butter for spreading on the outside
Cut your rolls/bread in the middle horizontally. Schmear each cut side with garlic butter and then toast the cut sides on the panini grill until golden brown.
Layer as follows: Bottom of the loaf, mustard, sliced cheese, sliced pork, more cheese, pickles, ham, and more cheese, then the top of the loaf. Brush the outsides with some softened butter.
Cook in panini press until golden brown and heated through, the cheese melted nicely. cut into serving sized sandwiches and serve immediately.
Not a recipe per se, but very easy to follow and to do!! I really enjoyed this easy and yet hearty sandwich!
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One thing I have always enjoyed is Sliders. A Slider, typically, is a small sandwich, based/filling a smallish bun, not much larger than two inches across.
Originally they were meant to be used for burgers, but, like everything, the sandwich has morphed to include all sorts of tasty fillings!
One thing which is nice about making them is that it is a great way of making a larger amount of sandwiches all at once! You leave the buns attached together, like a sheet of buns.
You cut the "sheet" in half horizontally and then you lay them out in a baking dish, bottom halves first and filling them all at once, placing the top "sheet" over the fillings.
Typically they are then glazed with butter and some seasonings, covered and baked until the fillings are hot and any cheese in them has melted.
They are then very easy to cut apart and serve individually. The very concept makes them great for get-togethers, parties, pot lucks, etc.
Of course at the moment, getting together in large groups is not a smart thing to do, due these new highly transmittable versions of the Covid Virus. For myself and my family, we are sticking to the four people who are in our own bubble, and even those get-togethers are rare.
Most of the time it is just me. If you are lucky enough to have a partner, then you will be just you and one more. That doesn't mean you can't still enjoy good food and party treats.
To that end, I downsized my favorite Cordon Bleu Sliders to feed only two people.
And let me tell you, they lack none of the deliciousness of the full-sized version. They still taste every bit as delicious and are every bit as cheesy, moreish, yummilicious!
So what do I mean when I refer to Cordon Bleu? The term is French in origin, and translated into English simply means Blue Ribbon.
According to Larousse Gastronomique cordon bleu "was originally a wide blue ribbon worn by members of the highest order of knighthood, L'Ordre des chevaliers du Saint-Esprit, instituted by Henri III of France in 1578.
By extension, it now refers to food which has been prepared to a very high quality, but very good and experienced cooks.
Generally speaking to day it is meant to be a dish which includes ham, turkey/chicken and swiss cheese, with some sort of sauce involved.
With these sliders it means a tasty bun with several sauces, ham, turkey and cheese. Totally delicious.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE CORDON BLEU SLIDERS FOR TWO
Today I just used the last of the leftovers of my holiday meal, including the buns, so it was a really handy way to use them up in a very tasty way!
- 4 brioche mini rolls ( or mini-dinner rolls or Hawaiian rolls) (Keep together as a slab)
- 1 TBS honey Dijon mustard
- 1 TBS full fat mayonnaise
- 4 thin slices of baked ham
- 3 slices of swiss cheese
- 4 thin slices of roast turkey
- 2 TBS whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1/2 TBS creamed horseradish
- 1/2 TBS butter, melted
- pinch garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp parsley flakes
- 1/2 tsp everything bagel seasoning (if you don't have any, you can use sesame seeds, or poppy seeds, celery seed, etc.)
I was able to use the last of the dinner rolls, which were still attached together, and the leftover roast turkey and the ham. I even managed to use the cranberry sauce that was left.
The only things which I needed to use that were at the holiday dinner were the horseradish, honey mustard, mayonnaise, the cheese, and a few seasonings.
You can of course multiply this to feed more. If you don't have leftover ham or turkey, you can certainly use deli-meats.
Don't like horseradish? Leave it out and just use plain cranberry sauce. Don't like honey mustard? Use regular Dijon. You can also adapt the cheese to what you have to hand. What you want is a smooth melting kind of a cheese.
HOW TO MAKE CORDON BLEU SLIDERS FOR TWO
These are so simple to make. I think a child could make them actually, except for the slicing of the rolls. That step a grown up should always do!
The idea behind these is that they are baked as a whole. So you will need four smallish rolls that are still attached to each other. Cut them in half horizontally so that you have two "sheets" of buns. A top and a bottom.
Making them is kind of like making a lasagna or a bed. You layer things in. You will need two basic sauces.
One is made by whisking together the honey mustard and the mayonnaise. The other is made by whisking together the cranberry sauce and the horseradish sauce. Make both of those.
Place the bottom bun sheet, cut side up, in the bottom of a baking dish small enough to hold them snugly. Mine was about 7 inches square. Spread this sheet with the honey mustard/mayo combination.
Lay your sliced ham on top of this to cover, then lay on your slices of cheese, covering the ham completely. Finally lay on your turkey/chicken, again covering the cheese completely.
Melt your butter and mix it with the garlic powder. Brush this mixture evenly over the tops of the buns.
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Finally sprinkle them evenly with the everything bagel seasoning and the parsley. If you don't have everything bagel seasoning, then you can use sesame seeds or poppy seeds, celery seed, etc.
I have to say however, the everything bagel seasoning is perfect.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and then bake the sliders in a preheated 375*F/190*C/gas mark 5 oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until everything is heated through and the cheese has melted.
Remove from the oven, let sit for a few minutes and then cut the bun sheet in four and serve.
Two sliders should be more than ample for each person, especially if you have some salad or potato chips or fries on the side. Store any leftovers, covered in the refrigerator.
I have never frozen these so I cannot say with any certainty that they will or will not freeze well. This is such a small amount however, that there shouldn't really be much in the way of leftovers.
These are incredibly delicious and very popular. The honey mustard mayo goes well with both the ham and the turkey, and of course cranberry goes well with turkey. Ham also lends itself to fruity condiments and the horseradish cuts the sweetness a tiny bit and gives these a bit of zippity do dah!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
This is a delicious twist on the traditional hot dog. Perfect for bonfire night or any other night! Quick and easy to do as well!
This is a photograph of me with Jean Christophe Novelli at one of the shows. That was the thrill of my life getting to meet him.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
In the UK you will find that any type of sausage, smoked or otherwise, tucked into a bun is called a hot dog. 😲
I suppose when you get right down to it, its all open to interpretation. Having said that however, being brought up in North America, a hot dog is a very different thing than merely any old sausage in a bun.
A hot dog is a frankfurter type of sausage, in or out of the bun.
I remember not too long after moving to the UK being down in London. We spied a "Hot Dog" cart on one of the streets and I was so excited to see it.
I could not wait to tuck into what I thought was going to be my definition of a Hot Dog. Oh my, how very disappointed I was when I got it. 😪
It was a sausage, and not a very nice one, tucked into a cheap roll. I was so disappointed. So, so, SO disappointed.
I have never been able to bring myself to call a sausage in a bun a hot dog. To me, no matter how tasty it is, it will always be a sausage in a bun, and I hope I don't insult any British by saying that, because I do not mean to do so!
Tonight is Bonfire Night in the UK and all over the country people will be tucking into meals just like this one I am sharing with you today, Friday or not!
Bonfire night is THE night to enjoy bangers/sausages, hot drinks, hokey pokey and the like. The recipe which I am sharing with you today was adapted by one I found on Good Food.
When I lived in the UK, one of the first cooking magazines I subscribed to (and they do them VERY well) was the BBC Good Food Magazine. I also used to watch all of their cooking shows and had several of their cookery books.
For the most part, their recipes were really wonderful and reliable. But then again, you would expect nothing less from the BBC.
I also used to go to the Good Food show in London every year when we were living down South. It was the ultimate experience in food for foodies!
There were hundreds of booths and displays, most with samples to try and to buy, cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, live entertainment, wine and drink, etc. They were a fabulously fun and tasty day out.
Through the years I also got to meet Curtis Stone, Jamie Oliver, James Martin, Paul Rankin, and a few others, not to name drop or anything.
But back to these tasty sausage buns! What you have here are grilled sausages on a bed of caramelized onions, with a honey and Dijon mustard cheese melted over top.
All tucked into a toasty brioche bun. Can you say scrummy? I hope so because they truly are!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESE, ONION & HONEY MUSTARD SAUSAGE BUNS
Very simple ingredients and very few ingredients!
- Emmental cheese (this is a swiss type of cheese. You can also use Gruyere)
- Strong Cheddar cheese ( use a good one, strong is the same as sharp)
- Grainy Dijon mustard
- Liquid honey (use a nicely flavored one)
- Onions ( I used large cooking onions)
- butter
- 4 meaty banger type of sausages
- 4 brioche style hot dog rolls
Lets talk sausages here, and about what constitutes a good sausage. In the UK they have some of the very best sausages in the world. Meaty and rich flavored, so long as you buy a quality one.
Like anywhere in the world, there are also some pretty cheap and nasty ones. Its as simple as getting what you pay for. If you don't want to spend a bit more, you will always end up with something of substandard quality.
A good sausage should be rich and meaty, plump and juicy, with not a lot of fillers and a skin that snaps when you bite into it.
Here in Canada I favor the PC Free From Bangers. They are quite simply the best in my opinion, or at least that I have tasted so far. Not too fatty with a nice skin and tasty filling, without a lot of fillers.
HOW TO CARAMELIZE ONIONS
Caramelized onions were my addition to this recipe. I adore caramelized onions and they work very well here. There is a huge difference between grilled onions and caramelized onions.
Grilled onions, delicious in their own right are cooked in fat over a high heat. Caramelized onions are cooked much slower over a lower heat, which helps to really develop and bring out their natural sugars.
You want to use a good sweet cooking onion. I like to cut them in half lengthwise, peel and then cut them crosswise into 1/4-inch wide half moons.
I melt some butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Once the butter begins to foam I add the onions. It will look like a lot, but onions tend to shrink by about half in cooking.
You will need to keep moving them around in the pan with a wooden spoon so that they don't burn. Onions do naturally contain a lot of sugar and this lends them to becoming burnt very easily.
At first they will appear soft and translucent, but keep going. Eventually they will begin to turn into that lovely golden brown color we all know and love as being caramelized.
I could eat a plate of caramelized onions and nothing else! They are also good in grilled cheese sandwiches, quiches, tarts, etc. They are also an essential element in a good French Onion Soup.
HOW TO MAKE CHEESE, ONION & HONEY MUSTARD SAUSAGE BUNS
There is nothing complicated here. Grilled sausages. Caramelized onions, tucked into a toasted bun and topped with a lush honey, grainy mustard and cheese mixture. Popped beneath a hot grill until the cheese melts and gets golden brown.
Ooey, gooey, deliciousness in a bun. You can't beat it!
I served mine with a few crisp crinkled salted potato chips on the side for a really delicious, yet very simple supper.
These would also go well with cups of hot soup.
One thing is for certain and that is that your family is sure to fall in love with these easy and delicious sausages in the bun. Not a hog dog, but a tasty and succulent, crisp skinned sausage in a bun.
What's not to love!
Cheese, Onion & Honey Mustard Sausage Buns
Yield: 4
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
These easy grilled sausage in the buns with their fried onion base and honey mustard cheese toppings make an excellent mid-week supper!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (50g) grated Swiss cheese
- 2 ounces (50g) grated strong Cheddar cheese
- 3 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 TBS liquid honey
- 4 fat banger type of sausages
- 4 Brioche hot dog rolls
- 2 large onions
- 1 TBS butter
Instructions
- First prep and cook your onions. Peel the onions and cut them in half. Cut crosswise into half moons. Heat the butter in a skillet until it begin to foam. Add the onions and cook, over medium low heat, stirring frequently until they are golden brown and beginning to caramelize. Scoop the onions out and keep them warm.
- Brown the sausages in the same pan as you cooked the onions in, turning them frequently. Cook until they are cooked through the middle and no longer pink. Keep warm.
- Mix the cheeses, honey and mustard together in a small bowl.
- Preheat the grill/broiler to high.
- Toast the buns on the cut side.
- Place 1/4th of the onions on the cut sides of each bun. Top with one sausage each and then 1/4th of the cheese mixture. Pop under the grill for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese has melted and is bubbling.
- Serve hot with your favorite sides and condiments.
I am sure many of you have heard of Tuna Melt sandwiches. They are a real favorite here. I have several recipes for them on the blog.
There is the Classic Tuna Melt, which is a really good sandwich and my absolute favorite. Then there is the Parmesan Pesto Tuna Melt, also very good.
Then there is the Tuna Melt Casserole. All the flavours of a traditional tuna melt, except in a casserole dish. Delicious! With broccoli, a tasty cheese sauce, pasta and melting cheese on top.
I have even made a Tuna Melt Tart. Equally as delicious. I just love Tuna Melts.
I usually have leftover chicken in the house that needs using up. I eat a lot of chicken. Its probably my protein of choice.
I am always looking for tasty ways to use it up. Today I decided to create a Chicken Melt sandwich recipe. A sort of a riff on the classic tuna melt, but open faced, and with some different flavors in the mix.
I decided to go with some Tex Mex flavors and make it a tiny bit spicy. I love interesting sandwiches, don't you? Boring is highly over-rated!
And this delicious open faced chicken melt sandwich is anything but boring!
I shredded some cooked chicken, leaving it rather chunky. I have a confession. I am not overly fond of shredded meat. Its a consistency thing.
Yes, I am not a lover of pulled pork, or pulled anything else. I just don't like stringy meat. Call me crazy.
So some of it is shredded, but I left a lot of it chunky as well. I mixed that with some mayonnaise for creaminess, and some sparky spice.
Taco seasoning. (You should how much heat you want to add.) Lime juice. Salt, pepper. And Tabasco sauce.
You can use the red tabasco if you want, but I really love the green tabasco sauce. I splash it on all sorts.
Eggs, in soup, on sandwiches, etc. And it goes fabulously with the other flavors in this sandwich, I have to say. I just love the stuff.
I also added some grated Jack cheese. Spicy Jack. With Tex Mex flavors. Just enough to bind the chicken together with everything else.
I also added chopped spring onion, or scallions as they are also called. These add a bit of color, some sharpness and some crunch.
This all gets mixed together and then piled onto slices of rustic bread. I used a sour dough boule I had bought at the shops.
You want a sturdy bread. Something which is going to stand up to that filling. No wimpy bread allowed!
Just pile the chicken filling onto the bread, spreading it out a bit. Then sprinkle on some more cheese. I like to be a bit generous with the cheese.
But that's me. Your sandwich (s) is/are ready now to pop under the grill. It doesn't take very long to warm them up and melt the cheese. Not long at all. Your chicken should already have been warmed anyways.
I usually pop it into a bowl and warm it in the microwave while I grate the cheese and chop the onions. Easy peasy.
Once they are heated through the the cheese on top has melted, and the edges of the bread are turning golden brown, you sandwich is ready.
Just pop them onto a plate and sprinkle some more chopped spring onions over the top. I like to serve some salad leaves on the side. For health reasons. (ROFL)
If you want to you can splash a bit more hot sauce on top. Yum!!
These are delicious knife and fork sandwiches. The quantities I have given are for two sandwiches, but you can easily double it to serve more.
Or half it yet again to serve only one, which is what I did.
This made a delicious light lunch. Perfect for one or two. Nothing else needed, although if you wanted to serve them with a light soup, that would generally go down well also.
Something light though. Like a tomato soup or some such. You won't really want anything hearty.
And there you have it. The Southwest Chicken Melt Sandwich. For two. Deliciously simple and incredibly filling.
Southwest Chicken Melt Sandwich
Yield: 2
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 5 MinTotal time: 10 Min
Tangy spicy chicken salad on a slice of sour dough, topped with cheese and grilled. This makes a delicious lunch with some salad on the side!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (135g) cooked and shredded chicken, gently warmed
- 2 tsp taco seasoning
- 1 TBS fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp tabasco sauce (red or green, you decide)
- 1/8 cup (30g) mayonnaise
- 3 ounces (85g) Jack cheese, shredded and divided
- 3 spring onions, washed and thinly sliced, divided
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 thick slices of a sour dough boule
Instructions
- Place your oven rack about six inches away from the broiler and preheat the broiler.
- Combine the chicken, mayonnaise, taco seasoning, lime juice, hot sauce and half of the cheese and spring onions in a bowl.
- Place the slices of bread onto a baking tray. Divide the chicken mixture between each slice, covering them completely. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top.
- Pop the baking tray under the broiler and cook the sandwiches for 3 to 4 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the edges of the bread are turning golden brown. Watch carefully so that they don't burn.
- Serve topped with the remaining spring onions and some salad on the side if desired. Delicious!
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