Showing posts sorted by relevance for query sandwich. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query sandwich. Sort by date Show all posts
This isn't a supper dish for the faint of heart . . . it is loaded with calories, but once in a blue moon it's nice to treat yourself to something special like a Croque Madame.
And just what is a Croque Madame? Well . . . it's a Croque Monsieur with a fried egg on top . . .
A Croque Monsieur is a glorified ham and cheese toastie! Only the french could make a ham and cheese toastie more decadent and tastier than it is . . .
They have added a layer of rich bechamel to the top, grated Parmesan over the top and then popped it under the grill. until the bechamel is gilded golden brown . . .
But, it's not even an ordinary cheese toastie . . . there is a smattering of Dijon mustard inside, thinly sliced jam . . . and gooey Gruyère cheese.
You toast that first in a skillet . . . and then you ladle the bechamel over top and pop it under the grill.
But it's not just any bechamel (which happens to be one of the easiest sauces to make and a base for many others) . . . this bechamel is flavoured lightly with thyme, Worcestershire, nutmeg (traditional) and . . . wait for it . . . brandy.
Yep . . . there is just the merest tiniest hint of brandy which will have your eaters wondering just what that elusive flavour is . . .
In France a Croque Monsieur is known as a bar snack . . . a quick bite, the name loosely translating to crunchy mister. hmm . . . tasty no matter the origins . . .
Which brings us to the Croque Madame . . .
Adding the egg is said to help it resemble a ladies hat??? Well, I don't fancy wearing a hat that looks like a fried egg, but . . .
I don't mind eating a Croque Madame, no matter what it is called.
This is a hearty lunch for even the halest of eaters. I can't imagine it being a bar snack or a quick bite for anyone . . . but as a once in a blue moon indulgence . . . it went down a real treat.
*Croque Madame*
serves 4
Printable Recipe
A traditional ham and cheese toastie, topped with béchamel sauce and a fried egg. Delicious!
5 TBSs butter
2 1/2 TBS flour
1 3/4 cup milk
1 TBS brandy
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
pinch thyme
pinch of grated nutmeg
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 slices of sturdy white sandwich type bread
4 tsp Dijon mustard
4 ounces of Gruyere cheese, grated
12 ounces of leftover ham, sliced
1/2 ounce of Parmegiano-Reggiano, finely grated
4 large free range eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
pinch thyme
pinch of grated nutmeg
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 slices of sturdy white sandwich type bread
4 tsp Dijon mustard
4 ounces of Gruyere cheese, grated
12 ounces of leftover ham, sliced
1/2 ounce of Parmegiano-Reggiano, finely grated
4 large free range eggs, at room temperature
Melt 2 TBS of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk in the flour, whisking constantly until it begins to turn beige in colour. Slowly whisk in the milk, iin a slow and steady stream. Cook and whisk constantly until it is smooth and thickened and slightly bubbling. Whisk iin the brandy, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and set aside, whisking now and then to help prevent a skin from forming.
Position your broiler rack 4 inches from the heat and heat the broiler to high. Spread 4 slices of the bread on one side each with 1 tsp of Dijon mustard. Top with the slices ham and then the cheese. Place the remaining 4 slices of bread on top.
Melt 1 TBS of the butter in a 12 inch non stick skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 of the sandwiches until brown and crisp, turning once, halfway through the cooking to brown the remaining side. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with another TBS of the butter and the remaining 2 sandwiches.
Melt 2 Tbs. of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking just until it turns beige, about 20 seconds. Whisk in the milk in a slow, steady stream; continue whisking until smooth, thickened, and slightly bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.
Whisk in the brandy, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Whisk for 30 seconds; then remove from the heat and set aside, whisking occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. Ladle the bechamel sauce over top of the sandwiches. (It will run down the sides, but that's ok.) Sprinkle with the Parmigiano Reggiano. Broil until bubbling and lightly browned.
Melt the remaining 1 TBS of butter in the skillet over medium heat. Crack in the eggs and fry them sunny side up until the whites are set, but the yolks are still runny.
Transfer the sandwiches to serving plates, placing a fried egg on top of each. Sprinkle with salt and a good grinding of black pepper and serve.
I suppose if you were a vegetarian you could leave out the ham altogether and it would still be delicious. But what would you call it then???? Any suggestions??? A Croque Infante??
Oh, and the purpose of the chips??? Why to dip into that gorgeous runny yolk. Oh, I am a naughty girl. ☺
Know what I love even more than Hot Cross Buns???? Hot Cross Bun Loaf!! Oh, I know . . . it's store bought and not homemade . . . but . . .
Just look at it close up. It's soft and spicy and absolutely bursting with currants and sultanas! I think it's just wonderful and so does Todd! Our local butcher had it on special last week at two loaves for 99pence, so what could I do, but buy two!
We've had it for breakfast, lightly toasted and spread with butter. We've had it for our evening bedtime snack, again lightly toasted and spread with butter. I've eaten it right out of the bag . . . it's so soft and yummy . . .
AND then I decided to make some scrummy French Toast with it . . . but not just any French Toast . . . a French Toast stuffed with low fat cream cheese and jam. Normally I would have used apricot jam for this . . . but alas . . . I had run out and so I used berries and cherries jam. It was really good too.
Oh my but it was some good. We actually had it for our tea the other night with some grilled sausages, but I reckon it would make a fabulous holiday breakfast for the children on Easter morning.
What do you think?? I'm thinking the kids would love it!
*Hot Cross French Toast*
Serves 4, but easily mulitplied to feed more
Printable Recipe
It just wouldn't be Easter without it!
8 sliced hot cross bun bread (can use raisin bread if you
can't get the hot cross bun bread)
4 ounces cream cheese
4 TBS of your favourite jam
3 large free range eggs
2 ounces milk (1/4 cup)
1 TBS butter
1 TBS oil
Icing sugar to dust (optional)
Lay 4 slices of the bread out. Spread these with the cream cheese, spreading it right to the edges, but having it a bit thicker in the centres. Spoon a TBS of jam in the middle of each one and spread it out a bit, but not all the way to the edge. Top with the remaining slices of bread. Press down slightly to make them stick together around the edges.
Beat the eggs and milk together until smooth.
Heat the butter and oil together over medium heat until the butter begins to foam.
Dip each cheese and jam sandwich into the beaten mixture, one at a time, allowing the egg mixture to soak in a bit on each side and on the edges. Fry them one at a time in the butter/oil mixture, browning them on each side and then placing into a warm oven while you prepare the rest.
Dust with some icing sugar if using, and serve hot with syrup and cooked sausages.
Happy Easter!
I do so love my computer. Having a computer has added such a special dimension to my life. I have met some really special people via this medium and been able to experience a lot of really wonderful things that I might not have had I not been the owner of a computer and the author of several blogs!
I have always stored my photos on photobucket and pay a hefty price for the priviledge. That is where I keep all of my food photos and normally it's worked very well for me . . . until a couple of days ago. I literally have not been able to get the site to load for me, which is very frustrating for me as almost all of my food photos are on there, and I can't get at them! Grrrrrr!!!! I am really hoping and praying it is a temporary blip!
Anyways, all of the recipes and reviews I have in my queue to post will have to wait until I can get access to my photos and I am really hoping that will be soon, or else I will be spitting feathers . . . and trust me, you do not want to see that! It ain't pretty!
Thankfully I had the wherewithall to upload a few photos to my google account the other day and so I can show you this fab recipe here today. It's like a type of strata . . . a bread and egg pudding, sort of like a savory bread pudding.
They make excellent use of stale bread and other bits. The other day I decided to make it like a BLT sandwich and it worked out fabulous! This was soooooo tasty.
I simply made some sandwiches with some stale bread, filling them with crumbled bacon, grated cheddar, finely sliced leeks and some slices tomatoes . . . place them into a baking dish and then poured a savoury egg custard mix over top.
It was so delicious and went down a real treat with a nice mixed salad with a French Vinaigrette. Super duper tasty! I love that it was also quite thrifty and I made good use of a stale loaf of French bread, and a few other bits that needed using. I love it when that happens!
*Bacon, Cheese, Tomato & Leek Pudding*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe
Kind of like a savoury bread and butter pudding made with Bacon, Cheese, Tomato and Leek sandwiches. You can use sliced onions if you don't have any leeks. It's quite delicious!
a stale french loaf
(You will need at least 14 slices)Kind of like a savoury bread and butter pudding made with Bacon, Cheese, Tomato and Leek sandwiches. You can use sliced onions if you don't have any leeks. It's quite delicious!
a stale french loaf
2 ounces (1/4 cup) butter, softened
1 large tomato, thinly sliced, and cut into half moons
6 slices steaky bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 medium leek, washed, trimmed and very thinly sliced
1/2 pound of strong cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
3 large free range eggs
1 TBS Dijon mustard (can use grainy if you have it)
1 pint of whole milk (2 cups)salt and pepper to taste
Butter a 10 inch glass pie dish.
Spread each slice of the bread thickly with butter on one side only. Mix together the sliced leeks, grated cheese and crumbled bacon. Divide 3/4 of this mixture between half of the slices on the unbuttered sides. Top each with two half moons of tomato. Place another slice of bread, buttered side up on top. Cut in half and place into the pie dish cut side down, to fill the dish. Sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese mixture.
Beat the eggs together with the mustard and milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over top of the sandwiches. Allow to stand for half an hour before cooking so that it can absorb as much as possible.
Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Bake the pudding in the heated oven for about 45 minutes, until a knife inserted near the centre comes out clean. Allow to stand for about 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve. A salad goes nice with this.
Here's hoping that photo bucket is working tomorrow!
I am so excited to be able to tell you this morning that I have finally finished my fourth Cookbooklet. Entitled Recipes to Keep it is a little goldmine of my all time favourite recipes, the ones that I turn to again and again, indeed my family favourites, gleaned from a lifetime of cooking for my family and loved ones.
40 pages containing over 40 new, never before posted recipes from my big blue binder that contain some of my all time favourites. Recipes such as Cindy's Portuguese Gumdrop Cake ( a must for our Christmas larder each year for over 20 years!) , Runny Butter Tarts (a fail proof recipe I have been using for over 30 years for the best butter tarts you could want to eat), Onion Patties (who needs to go to all the faff of making onion rings when you can just drop them as simple patties!), The Best Ever Tomato and Meat Sauce, and a whole lot more. Destined to become your family favourites too . . . in short, recipes to keep.
It's available now as a PDF Download, mailed right to your home, and at the same low price as all of my other cookbooklets. You will find the link up there on underneath my header on the page called Cookbooklets!
Thanks for visiting and have a great day!
One thing my Todd has always wanted to do is to go to a diner to eat. You know . . . just like the ones on the telly that you see in all those American movies.
All chrome and formica . . . and juke boxes, waitresses named Sally, and a coffee cup that has no bottom.
Club sandwiches, gravy fries and mile high pies.
I thought I would try to recreate a Diner meal for him here at home tonight, but in as low fat as possible. One of my favourites back home use to be the Hot Hamburger Sandwich Platter.
A big oval platter, loaded up with hot fries, a huge hamburger pattie on a toasted bun, with oodles of gravy slathered over top and a small bucket of coleslaw on the side. Washed down with an ice cold soda pop. It can't be beat!
It might not be much to look at, but what it lacks in looks, it more than makes up for in flavour. I used extra lean ground steak, which I flavoured with onion powder, garlic, seasoning salt and black pepper . . . lots of onion and garlic. I then divided the meat into four equal shapes and then flattened them as thin as I could into a huge flat irregular sized burgers, so they had lots of little nooks and crannies on the edges.
You can make your own pan gravy if you wish. (I tell you how) or you can just open a tin of beef gravy. Me, I opted for Bisto, coz there is not much fat in it., and it's as easy as boiling the kettle.
Even the coleslaw, my own homemade, was low in fat . . . as I used a fat free mayo and low fat creme fraiche. The only thing I didn't do was to put on a short dress and ask him to "kiss ma grits!" (I also didn't ask for a tip!) Oh, and there was no pie . . . sigh . . .
*Hot Hamburger Platter Dinner*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
It's diner food for the UK! A delicious well flavoured hot hamburger patty on a toasted bun half, topped with gravy and served with crispy fries and coleslaw!
1 pound extra lean minced steak
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS onion powder
1 tsp seasoned salt
5 TBS flour
1 litre of beef broth
4 large baking potatoes
oil
seasonings for the fries (I like the smoked paprika, sweet red pepper and thyme mix from M&S)
salt and black pepper
Toasted Bun halves
Coleslaw, your own or purchased (See my recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 225*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Have ready a large baking sheet.
Wash the potatoes and dry well. Cut into thin chips. Toss them onto the baking sheet. Pour about 1 TBS of oil over top along with some of your chosen seasoning and some salt and black pepper. Toss together with your hands. Place into the heated oven and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
Mix together the minced steak, garlic, onion powder, seasoned salt and a bit of salt and lots of black pepper to taste. (You can pinch off a little bit and fry it in a pan to see if you have the seasoning correct if you wish.) Shape into large flat irregular shaped patties.
Place a large skillet over mediium high heat. Add a bit of oil and fry the patties until well browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove and keep warm. Reserve any drippings in the pan. There probably won't be much. You will need about 4 TBS. You can add some butter to the pan drippings to make this up. Once the fat is melted and hot, stir in the flour, whisking it in well. Slowly whisk in the broth a bit at a time, whisking until the gravy thickens. Simmer for several minutes then taste and adjust seasoning as required.
Divide the fries between 4 heated plates. Place a toasted bun half on each and top with a burger. Spoon over some of the gravy, making sure it covers the burger and some of the chips. Serve with coleslaw on the side. Enjoy!
This isn't the greatest photograph, but it is a coleslaw recipe that I use often. This is how my mom always made it.
*Creamy Coleslaw*
Serves 8 to 10
Printable Recipe
A delciously cream coleslaw that has just the right amount of crunch and flavour! There is no sogginess here!!
10 ounces of white cabbage, trimmed, cored and very thinly cut
(about 1/2 of a medium cabbage)
5 ounces of carrots, peeled, trimmed and julienned
(1 medium carrot)
4 inches of an English Cucumber, trimmed, seeded and cut into small dice
(Do not peel)
2 - 3 large dessertspoons of good quality mayonnaise
1 TBS of Dijon mustard
2 TBS white wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp celery salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp onion powder
Place the vegetables into a large bowl. Whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, sugar, celery salt, black pepper and onion powder. Mix well. Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving.
Note - the amount of mayonnaise you use depends on the cabbage, some cabbages take more mayonnaise than others. It also depends on how creamy you like your coleslaw!
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.
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About two months ago when I was staying at my sisters, she made the best oven barbequed ribs I have ever eaten. They were tender and delicious and really succulent. It was love at first bite for me!
I love spare ribs! They are something I only ever rarely eat. A lot of that has to do with having to go through a lot of pallaver to get them really tender, and then of course there is the fat content. They are a rare treat!
Making them in the past had always involved simmering them in a liquid for a long period of time. Then I would have to brush them with BBQ sauce and cook them some more in the oven or on the grill.
I didn't always have the time or the patience for all of that. My sister's method is so much easier and results in perfectly cooked juicy ribs!
It really was simple and I asked myself afterwards, why had I never thought to do the same! It was so easy and they were so tender.
How could I not have thought of this myself? I mean, if you look at them they are literally falling apart, they are so tender and there was no boiling, simmering involved at all.
First of all she only ever uses back ribs. She says there is too much bone in the side ribs, and I have to agree with her. You are paying for a lot of bone when you do ribs anyways, why pay for even more!
The side ribs almost always include that huge breast bone and there is not an awful lot of meat on them. Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, you get a lot more meat for your money if you buy back ribs.
That is probably why back ribs are so much more expensive than side ribs. It makes sense. This past week the local Foodland had back ribs on offer so I took advantage of the great price and bought some for me to cook at home.
I decided to cook them just as my sister had.
First I started by creating a delicious, nicely flavored rub to season them with. This involved quite a few different spices, as well as some brown sugar.
Sweet and smoked paprika, dry mustard powder, ground cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, onion, oregano, thyme, etc. to just name a few. I have given you the exact quantities and spices in the notes section of the printable recipe below.
I am actually a huge fan of making my own mixes, spice blends, and rubs. I have a whole page dedicated to them here.
Today I only had one rack so I only used a portion of the rub. You will need to keep to the cook time no matter how many ribs you have. This tasty mixture got rubbed into the ribs all over.
You will need a deepish roasting tin large enough to hold a rack that you can place the rubbed ribs onto in a single layer. You may want to line it with foil to make cleanup a bit easier.
Place the rack in the roasting tin and then lay the spice rubbed ribs on top of the rack in a single layer, leaving room around each for the air to circulate.
Pour a bit of water in the bottom of the roasting tin. You want it to come up between 1/2 to 1-inch in depth. You DON'T want it to touch the ribs. These ribs are steamed not stewed.
Cover your tin tightly with aluminum foil and then leave them to roast for a few hours at a low temperature. At the end of that time you will find that they are lovely and tender and moist.
You could leave it right there and continue to roast them for a further half an hour uncovered. But I chose to add even more flavor by brushing them with barbeque sauce.
Roasting them uncovered and slathered with sauce gives them a nice sticky surface and makes them really finger-licking good! Just use your favorite brand of sauce.
I like the Jack Daniels BBQ sauce myself, but I couldn't find any of that here. I ended up using Bulls Eye for ribs and chicken.
I think this is the best ribs recipe I have ever used and yes, it is more of a technique than it is a recipe! But that doesn't matter. What works, works.
Just look at how tender and juicy they turned out. The meat literally falling off the bone. No hint of dryness at all, and they were so simple to cook.
Succulent doesn't begin to describe them. You could of course serve them with additional BBQ sauce. I was quite happy with them as they were. No extra sauce needed.
I enjoyed them with a nice baked potato, topped with some sour cream and chives from my back garden, along with a tasty tossed salad. Yummilicious!
Of course there was a lot more meat on the ribs than I could enjoy in one sitting. That's one of the hazards of being only one person.
What to do, what to do.
It was simple really. I used a fork and removed all of that tender succulent meat on the remaining bones and tossed it into the refrigerator.
Today I warmed it up with a bit of stock and some additional BBQ sauce and enjoyed a delicious Pulled Pork Sandwich of a sort, with some sweet potato fries. It was delicious!!
There is no reason why a single person can't still enjoy delicious and yet simple meals the same as anyone else! Bon Appetit!!
Yield: 4 depending on appetites
Best Oven Barbequed Ribs
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 2 H & 30 MTotal time: 2 H & 35 M
These ribs turn out beautifully tender, succulent and filled with amazing flavors, every single time.
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds of pork back ribs
- 1/2 cup of your favorite spice rub (see note below)
- BBQ sauce for brushing (use your favorite kind)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300*F/150*C. You will need a deep roasting tin large enough to hold a rack. Line with aluminum foil.
- Rub the pork ribs all over with the rub and then lay them out onto the rack in the roasting tin in a single layer. This allows the air to circulate around them.
- Add about 1/2 to - inch of hot water to the bottom of the pan. You don't want it to touch the ribs.
- Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Roast the ribs in the preheated oven, tightly covered, for about 2 hours. Check periodically to make sure that the water hasn't totally evaporated.
- At the end of that time the ribs should be well on their way to being tender. Remove the foil and brush the ribs all over with BBQ sauce.
- Roast for a further 1/2 hour, brushing them with some more BBQ sauce once or twice. At the end of that time the ribs should be deliciously glazed and tender.
- The ribs are done when a sharp knife slides easily into the thickest part of the meat.
- Allow to rest, lightly tented for about 10 minutes. Cut into portions and serve immediately with or without additional BBQ sauce for dipping.
Notes:
This makes a great rub for pork or chicken: Measure the following into a spice grinder and grind to combine well. 1 1/2 TBS paprika, 1 TBS smoked paprika, 1 TBS chili powder, 1 1/2 TBS sea-salt 1/2 TBS ground ginger, 1/2 TBS chipotle powder, 3 TBS dark brown sugar, 1/2 TBS black pepper, 1/2 TBS ground nutmeg, 1/2 TBS ground oregano, 1/2 TBS ground thyme, 1/2 TBS ground coriander, 1 TBS dry mustard powder, 1 TBS garlic powder, 1 1/2 TBS onion powder, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Once mixed store in an airtight container in a dark place for up to six months. This makes approximately 1 cup and can be used on all sorts of things. Its delicious!
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