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6 posts from October 2024

10/31/2024

~ Crispy Texas Steak-Chili Tacos w/Avocado Crema ~

IMG_4369If you're like me, an American cook with a fondness for Texican fare, you most likely have a recipe-or-seven for tacos (American-style ground beef tacos, grilled-beef tacos al carbonshredded-pork carnitas tacosshredded-pork tacos al pastorchicken tacosfish tacos, spicy Mexican ahogada-style grilled shrimp tacos, etc.).  Today I'm adding another one, and the inspiration for this one was simply for me find one more sublime way to serve my decadent Texas-style bowl-of-red steak chili.  It's also great way to serve or stretch leftover chili -- after the meat has had one-two days in the refrigerator to soak up some of the spicy sauce.

IMG_4278Chunky and melt-in-your-mouth tender Texas-style steak chili, made with ribeye steak, plenty of onion and garlic, and seasoned with earthy cumin plus ancho-, chipotle- and jalapeño- pepper, is at the heart of these tacos -- the unequivocal Lone Star of an otherwise typical lettuce-, tomato-, onion- & cheese-topped taco-eating extravaganza. Served on lightly-fried, corn tortillas, which pairs with the masa used to thicken the chili, a squirt of avocado crema pulls 'em all together.

Stuffing "anything beef" in a tortilla is a cowboy tradition. 

IMG_4339Mexicans have been eating what we Americans call tacos for thousands of years -- they've been stuffing, rolling and/or wrapping freshly-made and leftover ingredients, whatever they had on hand or available to them, into corn or flour tortillas since the tortilla was invented.  That said, the Mexican landscape (desserts, tropics, mountain ranges and grasslands) varies greatly, and, no different than our own United States, Mexican cuisine varies from region to region.  Depending on where your eating food stuffed into a tortilla in Mexico, fillings include charcoal grilled, pan-fried or stewed concoctions of beef, pork, chicken, seafood and/or vegetables.  All of Northern Mexico is beef country and the idea of heaping "anything beef" into or onto a tortilla for breakfast, lunch or dinner is a cowboy tradition.  I'm pretty certain some cowboy, somewhere, had to have ladled his steak chili out of of his cast iron skillet into a tortilla or three and ate his dinner taco style.

Ingredients are listed in order of assembly.  Taco-eating etiquette: never overstuff a taco -- make three instead of two.    

IMG_4341For my over-the-top steak-chili tacos (listed in order of assembly):

12  corn tortillas, lightly-fried as directed below

corn or peanut oil, for frying tortillas

sea salt, for sprinkling on fried tortillas

2-2 1/2  cups shredded jalapeño Jack cheese (2-3 tablespoons per taco)

4 cups Texas-style steak chili, steaming hot (1/3 cup per taco)

1  cup thinly-sliced then diced red onion (2 tablespoons per taco)

2-2 1/2  cups shredded iceberg lettuce (2-3 tablespoons per taco)

1  cup "coined" ("slice into coins") grape tomatoes (4-6 coins per taco)

6a0120a8551282970b01b8d29db51d970c1  cup recipe for my 4-ingredient ~ Spicy Avocado Crema: Avocado, Crema & Sriracha ~

cup (16 tablespoons) avocado, scooped from 2 Hass avocados

6  tablespoons Mexican crema

1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce  

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

6a0120a8551282970b01b7c913222f970bWhiz together in a mini-food processor until smooth.

IMG_4316 IMG_4316 IMG_4316 IMG_4316 IMG_4326 IMG_4328 IMG_4328 IMG_4336~Step 1.  To fry the corn tortillas, remove the fryer basket from the deep-fryer, then preheat oil to 375°.  Using a pair of taco tongs, fry tortillas one-at-a-time, 40-45 seconds.  Do not over-fry the tortillas -- you want them to be crispy, yet pliable, not tortilla-chip-crunchy, at assembly time. Remove from fryer, place in a medium baking pan that has been lined with 2-3 layers of paper towels.  Lightly sprinkle with sea salt the moment each tortilla comes out of the the oil.

IMG_4347 IMG_4347 IMG_4347 IMG_4347 IMG_4357 IMG_4357 IMG_4357~Step 2.  To assemble the tacos, place two or three tacos on a plate (a small bed of lettuce underneath helps to keep them from sliding around.  Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons shredded jalapeño jack in the bottom of each tortilla, followed by about 1/3 cup steaming-hot chili (if the chili is hot, it will melt the cheese for you).  Top chili with a few red onions, followed by 2-3 tablespoons shredded lettuce and 4-5 coined grape tomatoes.  Add a drizzle of avocado crema -- they're finished and you're ready to eat.

By the time the tacos are assembled, the steaming hot chili will melt the shredded jalapeño Jack cheese for you:

IMG_4382The perfect amount of everything in a perfect taco:

IMG_4396Crispy Texas Steak-Chili Tacos w/Avocado Crema:  Recipe yields 12 Texas steak chili tacos/4-6 servings/2-3 tacos per serving.

Special Equipment List:  deep-fryer w/oil heated according to manufacturer's specifications; taco tongs; baking pan; paper towels; cutting board; chef's knife

6a0120a8551282970b01b8d2d3698c970cCook's Note:  A similar version of tacos can be made by substituting my ~ Hatch Green Chile Chili with Pork and White Beans ~ for the steak chili.  Native to Northern Mexico, chili verde (green chili) is a slow-simmered, broth-based stew made with pork butt, green chile peppers, onions and a variety of herbs and spices.  For a citrusy tang, lime juice is typically squeezed over each portion just prior to serving, and, other versions include tomatillos for more tang, and, a deeper, more complex flavor.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2024)

10/25/2024

~ Steak My Day: Texas-Style Bowl-of-Red Steak Chili ~

IMG_4278About this time every year, as soon as the frost is on the pumpkin so-to-speak, a pot of chili is simmering on my stovetop.  There's nothing to think about.  The first frost, the pot comes out. Chilly weather requires chili.  This year I'm making my version of what Texans hang their cowboys hats on:  steak chili.  It's decidedly different from my Wendy's copycat ground beef chili con carne, hatch green chile chili with pork and white beans, white-out white chicken 'n corn chili, slow-cooker sweet potato and ground beef chili, and, Cincinnati-style chili.  

As the Texans say, I'm in the mood for a "bowl-of-Texas-red". 

What does a bowl-of-Texas-red consist of?  The short-version the foodie authorities give is: tender, fork-tender stewed chunks or slices of beef steak, swimming in a spicy, masa (corn flour)-thickened cumin and chile-pepper-laced deep-red sauce made from dried red chiles and/or red chile pepper -- amongst purists, tomato products are frowned upon, but beans 100% disqualify it from steak-chili status. Personally, I find that to be a backwards argument, since, on the long cattle drives, the chuck wagon, which had no refrigeration, was not stocked with perishables. Fresh tomatoes were not on board (I cannot vouch for sun-dried tomatoes, which were available), but, dried beans most certainly were.  I can't imagine not using them.

Texas steak chili, the legislated official state dish, is said to have been invented in San Antonio (the part of Texas I am most familiar with).  As any Texan will tell you, if you're not Texas born, you're not preparing the real-deal -- I can live with that, I've never wanted to be from Texas.

What do I know about making authentic Texas steak chili?

IMG_4290Simmer down.  Enough to be pretty kick-ass dangerous.  

Texas chili is essentially a chile-flavored beef stew -- that's how it was explained to me by the woman and friend who taught me how to make it.  Antoinette (Toni) was Mexican-American and hailed from San Antonio.  Toni made her Texas beef chili using chuck roast.  I'm making my Texas steak chili using ribeye steak.  Both have the requisite marbling which will render fork-tender meat, with the latter producing a chunked, rather than shredded end result -- the choice is yours.

Toni seasoned her beef chili using a head-spinning quantity of whole, dried chiles that were pulverized into a powder and mixed together with other native-to-Mexican-cuisine spices.  She had access to them here in my state of Pennsylvania, because her relatives mailed them to her.  I save tons of time (and eliminate the mess) by purchasing three pre-ground pepper powders -- ancho (made of dried poblanos), chipotle (made of dried and smoked jalapeños), and, jalapeño.  

Toni added a scant amount of tomato paste, to achieve the requisite acidity to pull off any good chili recipe, and admitted (to me) that even in Texas, many of the best cooks sneak it in undetected.  I hit upon adding diced fire-roasted tomatoes a few years ago and never looked back -- they melt into the sauce, and seriously, improve the Lone Star State's steak chili.  Simmer down.  You don't want 'em in there?  Leave 'em out and get on with it -- don't yap about it here.

IMG_41636 1/2-7 pounds nicely-marbled boneless ribeye steak, trimmed of excess fat and fat pockets, cut into 3/4"-1" cubes (6 1/2-7 pounds meat after trimming) (Note:  True.  I often purchase an entire tenderloin of beef to make this chili.  It is the pinnacle of chili-eating decadence and excellence.  My family affectionately refers to it as "chili mignon".

1-1 1/2  pounds 1/2"-diced yellow or sweet onion (about 6 cups diced onion)

8  large garlic cloves, minced (about 6 tablespoons minced garlic)

6  tablespoons corn oil

1  teaspoon sea salt, for lightly-seasoning onions, garlic and beef

2  14 1/2-ounce cans, diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained (optional)

Mel's Dry-Spice Blend for Texas-Style Chile, stirred together as directed below

32  ounces beef stock

1  12-ounce bottle beer (12-ounces additional beef stock may be substituted for beer)

6  tablespoons masa harina

IMG_4153For the dry spice blend:

4  tablespoons ancho chile powder*

1  tablespoon chipotle chile powder*

1  teaspoon jalapeno chile pepper*

1  tablespoon Mexican-style chili powder*

IMG_41564  tablespoons ground cumin

2  tablespoons Mexican-style oregano

1  tablespoon garlic powder

1/2  teaspoon ground cloves

2  teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2  teaspoons sugar

1  tablespoon salt

IMG_4162* Note:  CHILE:  Spelled with an"e", refers to the fresh or dried plant or pod or fruit of any member of the pepper family.  CHILI:  Spelled with an "i", refers to soups, stews and/or sauces made with fresh or dried chile peppers (like chili con carne). CHILE POWDER:  When spelled with and "e", means it's a powder made from one or more dried chiles exclusively.  This is sometimes referred to or sold as POWDERED CHILES, or CHILE BLEND (if it contains more than one kind of chile powder). CHILI POWDER:  When spelled with an "i" means it's a mixture of dried spices (example:  cumin, garlic, onion) and chile powder, meaning:  the manufacturer added spices to the chile powder or a blend of chile powders.

IMG_4167 IMG_4167 IMG_4167 IMG_4167~Step 1.  Heat the oil, in a wide-bottomed 14" chef's pan w/straight-deep sides, over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and garlic.  Sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon of salt -- just enough to lightly season.  Sauté, using a large slotted spoon or spatula to stir occasionally, until light-browning starts, the beginning stages, mostly with the bits of garlic, about 9-10 minutes.  

IMG_4177 IMG_4177 IMG_4177 IMG_4177 IMG_4189~Step 2.  Add the beef.  Continue to sauté, and stir occasionally, then adjust heat to simmer rapidly, so the beef cooks in its own juices, until a slight coating of liquid remains in the bottom of pan and light-browning is at the beginning stages, about 30 minutes -- this is a marvelous method for cooking the beef cubes without searing in the beginning.

IMG_4196 IMG_4196 IMG_4196 IMG_4196 IMG_4196 IMG_4196 IMG_4213 IMG_4213 IMG_4221~Step 3.  Add the fire-roasted tomatoes and give the mixture a good stir. Add the dry spice blend, all of it at once, and stir again, to thoroughly combine.  Add the beef stock and beer.  Adjust heat to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally and more frequently towards the end, 30-45 minutes.  

IMG_4222 IMG_4222 IMG_4222~Step 4.  Sprinkle in the masa, stir, and continue to simmer 15 additional minutes, stirring regularly. Turn the heat off, cover the pan, and, allow the chili to steep, 2 hours prior to serving, to allow flavors time to marry.  

Note:  As with many things, if you've got the refrigerator space, refrigerate overnight, return to room temperature, reheat and serve the next day.  This is a truly extraordinary recipe.

Set a spell, take your shoes off.  I'll get out the pot passers...

IMG_4289... we'll slobber over Jack & Texas-tea-style chili nachos:

IMG_4302Or a Texas steak-chili taco w/avocado crema or two:

IMG_4396Steak My Day:  Texas-Style Bowl-of-Red Steak Chili:  Recipe yields 4 quarts chili.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; 14" chef's pan w/straight, deep sides & lid (capacity of 7-8-quarts); large slotted spoon or spatula

6a0120a8551282970b022ad3ba5ea3200b 6a0120a8551282970b022ad3ba5eb0200bCook's Note: Cornbread is often served with a bowl-of-Texas red. That said, choose between my divine recipes for ~ Triple-Corn Jalapeño Cornbread ~, or, ~ Triple-Corn Jalapeño Corn Muffins ~.  Bread is bread.  Muffins are muffins.  You choose your favorite. 

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2024)

10/20/2024

~ Steak My Day: Texas Steak Chili Seasoning Blend ~

IMG_4299While store-bought seasoning packets are indeed convenient, they are loaded with salt and miscellaneous preservatives we can all do without.  It's why I make my own.  Prime examples with respect to Tex-Mex fare are taco seasoning and fajita seasoning.  If you're curious about the difference between those two, you can read about it here -- it's more than just a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  Back in the latter '70's, thanks to a close girlfriend from San Antonio, Texas, I was able to come up with an all-purpose seasoning for Texas-style beef or steak chili too.

What does a bowl of Texas beef or steak chili consist of?

IMG_4290The short-version the foodie authorities give is: tender, fork-tender stewed chunks or slices of beef steak, swimming in a spicy, masa (corn flour)-thickened cumin and chile pepper laced deep-red sauce made from dried red chiles and/or red chile pepper -- amongst purists, tomato products are frowned upon, but beans 100% disqualify it from steak-chili status. Personally, I find that to be a backwards argument, since, on the long cattle drives, the chuck wagon, which had no refrigeration, was not stocked with perishables. Fresh tomatoes were not on board (I cannot vouch for sun-dried tomatoes, which were available), but, dried beans most certainly were.

Me, Toni & an all-purpose spice blend for Texas-style chili.

IMG_4156Texas chili is essentially a chile-flavored beef stew -- that's how it was explained to me by the woman and friend who taught me how to make it.  Antoinette (Toni) was Mexican-American and hailed from San Antonio.  Toni made her Texas beef chili using chuck roast.  I'm making my Texas steak chili using ribeye steak.  Both have the requisite marbling which will render fork-tender meat, with the latter producing a chunked, rather than shredded end result -- the choice is yours.

Toni seasoned her beef chili using a head-spinning quantity of whole, dried chiles that were pulverized into a powder and mixed together with other native-to-Mexican-cuisine spices.  She had access to them here in my state of Pennsylvania, because her relatives mailed them to her.  I save tons of time (and eliminate the mess) by purchasing three pre-ground pepper powders -- ancho (made of dried poblanos), chipotle (made of dried and smoked jalapeños), and, jalapeño.  

Toni added a scant amount of tomato paste, to achieve the requisite acidity to pull off any good chili recipe, and admitted (to me) that even in Texas, many of the best cooks sneak it in undetected.  I hit upon adding diced fire-roasted tomatoes a few years ago and never looked back -- they melt into the sauce, and seriously, improve the Lone Star State's steak chili.  Simmer down.  You don't want 'em in there?  Leave 'em out and get on with it -- don't yap about it here.

IMG_4153For the dry spice blend:

4  tablespoons ancho chile powder*

1  tablespoon chipotle chile powder*

1  teaspoon jalapeno chile pepper*

1  tablespoon Mexican-style chili pepper*

IMG_41564  tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons Mexican-style oregano

1  tablespoon garlic powder

1/2  teaspoon ground cloves

2  teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2  teaspoons sugar

1  tablespoon salt

IMG_4162* Note:  CHILE:  Spelled with an"e", refers to the fresh or dried plant or pod or fruit of any member of the pepper family.  CHILI:  Spelled with an "i", refers to soups, stews and/or sauces made with fresh or dried chile peppers (like chili con carne). CHILE POWDER:  When spelled with and "e", means it's a powder made from one or more dried chiles exclusively.  This is sometimes referred to or sold as POWDERED CHILES, or CHILE BLEND (if it contains more than one kind of chile powder). CHILI POWDER:  When spelled with an "i" means it's a mixture of dried spices (example:  cumin, garlic, onion) and chile powder, meaning:  the manufacturer added spices to the chile powder or a blend of chile powders.

Use 2 tablespoons per every pound of beef or steak.

IMG_4278Steak My Day:  My Texas Steak Chili Seasoning Blend:  Recipe yields 1 cup seasoning blend.

Special Equipment List:  measuring spoon; 1-cup capacity jar w/tight-fitting lid

IMG_4289Cook's Note:  My recipe for ~ Steak My Day:  Texas-Style Bowl-of-Red Chili ~ cannot be denied as anything less than extraordinary.  It has overwhelming received the real-deal seal of approval from family, friends and tailgate guests from the Lone Star State.  Topped with a dollop of crema and squirt of lime, then served with jalapeño Jack nachos or classic cornbread, this is a recipe you'll be proud to have in your repertoire and serve to your guests.  Trust me on this one.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2024)

10/15/2024

~The Crispy Bits about Bruschetta, Crostini and Panini~

IMG_3899Bread comes in many forms.  I am of the opinion that bread IS the staff of life, and, I average one serving of bread per day.  Sans the occasional requisite soft-textured grilled-cheese sliced white, the hot-dog roll and the hamburger bun, any humble flatbread or pita pocket, along with the breakfast-y bagel and English muffin, the display here represents a sampling of my personal artisanal favorites.  Except for one, the delicate croissant, they are all firm-textured, and, by choosing the correct shape, I can make make one of three crispy Italian-style specialties.

IMG_3916Bruschetta (broo-skeh-tah) means "oiled slice" and comes from the word "bruscare" (broo-scar-ay), which means "to roast over coals". Bruschetta is the original garlic toast.  Traditionally, large, thick slices of firm, crusty bread are toasted over a wood fire, rubbed with plenty of garlic while they are still warm, drizzled with the finest olive oil available, sprinkled lightly with salt and pepper, then served warm.  They are classically served with freshly-picked basil, tomatoes and same-day-made buffalo-milk mozzarella, but when paper-thin slices of Italian meats, cheeses and vegetables (grilled, roasted or marinated) are added, they can turn into a hearty knife-and-fork open-faced sandwich meal.

IMG_3932Crostini in Italian simply means "little toast", and also means they don't always get drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with garlic.  Just like bruschetta, crostini are topped with any number of savory toppings. Unlike bruschetta, they are usually made using smaller, cylindrical-shaped breads, like a baguette. Crostini are almost always served as a snack or an appetizer before a meal, but, a basket of them can be served as an accompaniment to the meal.  That said, in the case of both bruschetta and crostini, any size, color or flavor of rustic bread can be used, as long as it has a firm texture and have a good crust -- ciabatta, focaccia, michetta, baguette or batard, and sourdough are prime examples.

IMG_3862Panini is the Italian word for a grilled sandwich made with the same type of firm, crusty bread (or rolls) used to make bruschetta and crostini.  "One panino, two panini" are the singular and plural forms (which derive from the Italian "pane" and Latin "panis", referring to bread), but the use of panino is uncommon and almost never used. Panini sandwiches, served hot off the grill, were traditionally filled with the same thin-sliced specialty deli-meats and cheese served with or on bruschetta and crostini (capicola, ham, mortadella, salami, soppresatta, provolone, etc.), meaning they're associated with Italian fare, but, nowadays a panini can find itself fused with any cuisine.  

IMG_2214A panini press is basically a double-sided contact grill that cooks both sides of a sandwich at once. Much like a grill pan, the grids of a panini press give these sandwiches their signature grill marks.  There are several good brands, in all price ranges, on the market.  My Cuisinart Griddler is about 5 years old.  It doesn't take up too much space, controls heat perfectly, and, I love it. This gadget has earned its rightful place on my kitchen counter.

Crispy bruschetta, crostini or panini -- your choice!

IMG_3939"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2024)

10/10/2024

~ Grillmarked: Italian-Style Panini-Croissant-Crostini ~

IMG_3862Panini-croissant-crostini.  That's a lot to digest, and if you're of Italian-heritage, simmer down, lighten up, and read on before criticizing my fun-loving play on mouth-watering words.  Sandwich-press-grilled panini, full of cured Italian meats and cheese, substituting mini-croissants for the traditional rustic Italian bread (I've affectionately added the word crostini to describe them, because I serve them, crostini-style, as 3-4 bite appetizers), are crowd-pleasing snacks that get gobbled up at a tailgate party faster than beer flows at a fraternity house.  While crusty, firm-textured rustic-type breads make marvelous panini, I am here to tell you, if you've never made a panini using a light and airy buttery-rich croissant, you are missing out on one of the best panini-sandwich-eating experiences of your life -- every savory bite literally melts in your mouth -- the croissant is cottony enough inside and crackly enough outside to produce extraordinary results.

IMG_3874bready bit about Italian bruschetta, crostini & panini:

Bruschetta (broo-skeh-tah) means "oiled slice" and comes from the word "bruscare" (broo-scar-ay), which means "to roast over coals".  Bruschetta is the original garlic toast.  Traditionally, large, thick slices of firm, crusty bread are toasted over a wood fire, rubbed with plenty of garlic while they are still warm, drizzled with the finest olive oil available, sprinkled lightly with salt and pepper, then served warm.  They are classically served with fresh basil, tomatoes and buffalo-milk mozzarella, but when paper-thin slices of Italian meats, cheeses and vegetables (grilled, roasted or marinated) are added, they can turn into a hearty knife-and-fork open-faced sandwich meal.

Crostini in Italian simply means "little toast", and also means they don't always get drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with garlic.  Just like bruschetta, crostini are topped with any number of savory toppings. Unlike bruschetta, they are usually made using smaller, cylindrical-shaped breads, like a baguette.  Crostini are always served as a snack or an appetizer before a meal, or, an accompaniment to the meal.  That said, in the case of both bruschetta and crostini, any size, color or flavor of rustic bread can be used, as long as it has a firm texture and have a good crust -- ciabatta, focaccia, michetta, baguette or batard, and sourdough are prime examples.

Panini is the Italian word for a grilled sandwich made with the same type of firm, crusty bread (or rolls) used to make bruschetta and crostini.  "One panino, two panini" are the singular and plural forms of the word (which derive from the Italian "pane" and Latin "panis", referring to bread), but the use of panino is uncommon and unused nowadays.  Panini sandwiches, served hot off the grill, were traditionally filled with the same thin-sliced specialty deli-meats and cheese served with or on bruschetta and crostini (ham, mortadella, salami, provolone, etc.), meaning they were associated with Italian fare, but, nowadays a panini can find itself fused with any cuisine.  

IMG_2214A panini press is basically a double-sided contact grill that cooks both sides of a sandwich at once. Much like a grill pan, the grids of a panini press give these sandwiches their signature grill marks.  There are several good brands, in all price ranges, on the market.  My Cuisinart Griddler is about 5 years old.  It doesn't take up too much space, controls heat perfectly, and, I love it. This gadget has earned its rightful place on my kitchen counter.

The meat, cheese, condiments & how-to assemble tips:

IMG_3774With the bread or rolls in hand, find a market with a selection of high-quality cured Italian meats -- trust me, there are a lot of options in every large market, some at the deli-counter and some prepackaged. Choose 3-5 of your favorites plus provolone cheese (mozzarella is typically not put on an Italian panini).  Ask the person at the counter to slice the cold-cuts as thin as possible -- just short of falling apart. If the meat is sliced too thick, the panini sandwiches will be texturally off balance -- too chewy and dense.  The traditional order atop the bread:  a thin coating of butter or a creamy, smooth, flavorful sandwich spread, a cheese slice, the meat(s), soft leafy greens and/or herbs, and (optional) onion, roasted red pepper, or, a pickled vegetable or veggie mixture.

My favorite combo for 8, 3" snack-sized sandwiches or 16 appetizers, listed in order of assembly:

1/2  cup my recipe for Balsamic Mayonnaise:  The Other Italian Dressing*   

8  small 3" croissants, a total of about 9 ounces

8  slices provolone cheese folded in half, 1 full-round slice per sandwich

16  slices dry salame, 2 slices per sandwich

24  slices hot sopresatta, 3 slices per sandwich

8  slices mortadella w/pistachios, 1 per sandwich

32 wispy slices dry-aged hot capicola, 4 per sandwich 

a few, 6-8-10, baby arugula leaves per sandwich  

IMG_3761 IMG_3761* For dressing:  In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon each:  garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning blend. Refrigerate 1 hour, to allow flavors time to marry.

IMG_3777 IMG_3777 IMG_3777~Step 1.  Slice each mini-croissant in half horizontally, then slather each half (both top and bottom and bottom halves) with 1 generous teaspoon of the balsamic mayonnaise.  Take one slice of provolone cheese, fold it in half (to form, essentially, two pieces) and place it on the bottom of the croissant.

IMG_3790 IMG_3790 IMG_3790 IMG_3790 IMG_3790 IMG_3790 IMG_3790~Step 2.  Place 2 slices of the dry-aged salami, 3 slices of the sopresatta, and, 1, carefully-folded-to-fit slice of mortadella atop the cheese on each panini-crostini.  Finish by placing 4 wispy pieces of the capicola on top, followed by about 8-10 baby arugula leaves and put the top on each of the sandwiches.

IMG_3814 IMG_3814 IMG_3814 IMG_3814 IMG_3814~Step 3.  Spray grill grids of panini press, top and bottom with no-stick cooking spray.  Close  grill and preheat to medium-high on grill-panini setting.  When green light turns on, place 2-4 mini-croissant-crostini on hot grill grids.  I'm demonstrating two, because it is easier to photograph -- four will easily fit, six in two rows of three can be achieved.

IMG_3833 IMG_3887~Step 4.  Place the top of the press on the sandwiches. Firmly, but gently, using the press's handle, press down on the sandwiches for 30-45 seconds.  You are NOT trying to squish the sandwiches, but, you are trying to put just enough pressure on them to steam and crisp the bread a bit.  Let go.  Allow sandwiches to grill 3-4 minutes, until cheese is oozing and bread is crispy.  If they don't look perfect, they're perfect.

Transfer from grill, wait 1-1 1/2 minutes, slice on a diagonal...

IMG_3855... & serve, as is & unembellished, as the star of any party:

IMG_3883Grillmarked: Italian-Style Panini-Croissant-Crostini:  Recipe yields 16 appetizers, or, 8 snack-sized sandwiches.

Special Equipment List:  small bowl; spoon; cutting board; chef's knife; panini contact-grill; thin spatula; serrated bread knife

6a0120a8551282970b01a511bbddf7970cCook's Note:  When it comes to making panini, the best thing to do is be creative, meaning:  test grill-pressed sandwiches using ingredients that 100% that appeal to you.  I would never have created my own ~ Roasted-Chicken Caesar-Salad Focaccia-Panini ~ without one or two experiments.  They don't call it 'wichcraft for no reason. Concocting a well-constructed sandwich is a serious undertaking.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2024)

10/05/2024

~ Buttery Rum and Raisin Croissant Bread Pudding ~

IMG_3700A humble bread pudding is the perfect use for past-its-prime bread, and, in my kitchen, next to a French baguette or batard, I believe buttery croissants to be perfect foil for flavor-laced eggy custard.  In fact, croissants make such superb bread pudding, if I know I've got guests coming for the weekend (especially during the tailgate and holiday season), I purposely buy croissants two or three days ahead of time, just to be able to serve it as a sweet treat with breakfast or brunch.

Croissants, split in half, w/raisins sandwiched in between...

IMG_3745 2... swimming in a butter-rum & vanilla custard.  Yum.

IMG_36366  large, 2-3-day old croissants, about 10-ounces

1 1/2 cups raisins

4  extra-large whole eggs

8  extra-large egg yolks

3  cups whole milk

2  cups cream

1 1/4  cups sugar

1/2  teaspoon sea salt

1  tablespoon each: butter-rum flavoring and pure vanilla extract

IMG_3638 IMG_3638 IMG_3638 IMG_3638 IMG_3638 IMG_3638 IMG_3638~Step 1.  In an 2-quart measuring container or a large bowl, using a hand-held egg beater, whisk together the extra-large eggs, egg yolks, milk, cream, sugar, salt, butter rum flavoring and vanilla extract.  Set aside.

IMG_3659 IMG_3659 IMG_3659 IMG_3659 IMG_3659~Step 2.  Spray a 13" x 9" x 2" casserole dish with no-stick cooking spray. Slice croissants through their centers horizontally.  Arrange the bottoms of croissants in the bottom of casserole.  Sprinkle the raisins over the croissants in the casserole, then place the tops on the croissants.  Slowly pour the custard mixture over the croissants.  Set aside for 45 minutes, to allow croissants time to soak up custard.  During this 45 minutes, occasionally press down gently on the tops of the croissants, and, use a small ladle to drizzle custard over their tops too.

IMG_3682 IMG_3682 IMG_3682 IMG_3682~Step 3.  Cover the top of the casserole with aluminum foil.  Using a sharp paring knife, poke 12-16 holes in the foil (this will allow steam to escape).  Bake, covered, on center rack of preheated 325º, 45 minutes.  Remove the foil, lower the oven temperature to 300º and continue to bake until custard is just set, about 35-40 minutes.  Remove from oven snd place on a wire rack to cool about 30-40 minutes or longer, prior to slicing and serving warm or at room temperature.

Buttery croissants bake up puffy & beautiful every time:

IMG_3703It serves up pretty-as-a-picture slices too:

IMG_3723With no need for sugary sauce or whipped cream on top:

IMG_3742Buttery Rum and Raisin Croissant Bread Pudding:  Recipe yields 12-16 servings

Special Equipment List:  2-quart measuring container; hand-held egg beater; 13" x 9" x 2" casserole; small ladle; aluminum foil; paring knife wire cooling rack

IMG_3497Cook's Note:  To make use of same-day-baked and ready-for-prime-time croissants, serve my recipe for ~ Chick Flicks and Curry-Chicken-Salad and Croissant Sandwiches ~.  Laced with Madras curry powder, plump, sweet raisins, and, celery and cashews for salty crunch, it's simply perfect for brunch or lunch.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2024)