Category Archives: Sandwich of the Month

Sandwich of the Month: Beer-braised pulled beef

I started this Sandwich of the Month series without much vision. All I knew was that I freakin’ love sandwiches and eat them all the time when I’m out, but rarely made impressive ones at home. With the first couple of recipes, I took the safer route and used cooking techniques that I already felt comfortable with, but now that I’ve posted more than a handful of sandwich recipes, I feel I’m getting a lot more creative with the ingredients and techniques I’m using. I’m really glad that I started this series because it’s pushed me to challenge myself and to master new methods, which is always awesome.

Beer-braised-beef-sandwich

This beef turns out tender, and between the acidic beer and sweet molasses, super flavorful as well; the arugula adds a grassy freshness and contrasting aroma that makes the sandwich très sophistiqué. The recipe technically takes a few hours to execute but most of the cooking time is inactive so you’re free to re-organize your sock drawer, do some sit-ups, watch a few episodes of #OITNB, or do whatever else floats your boat while you wait.

Note: The beef on its own is not super saucy. I’m a minimalist when it comes to sauces and prefer not to drown my food. If you like saucier foods, you may want to serve this with your favorite barbecue sauce.

Beer-braised-beef-sandwich

(Yield: 4 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb beef chuck, cut into 2″ cubes
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 bottle (12 oz) porter or stout beer, like Guinness
1 1/2 c water
1 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 ciabatta rolls
Arugula

Procedure: Place beef cubes into a container, season with salt, pepper and chili powder, and toss to coat. Cover and chill for 45 min. Remove from refrigerator and let sit at room temp for another 15 min.

Beer-braised-beef-sandwich

Preheat the oven to 325F. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat and add half of beef cubes. Brown on all sides, turning occasionally, for about 3 min. Remove and add second half of beef cubes, brown and also remove from pot.

Beer-braised-beef (2) copy

Add beer, water, molasses and tomato paste to Dutch oven. Stir to combine while scraping the pot with a wooden spoon (FYI, this is called “de-glazing”). Bring liquids to a boil, add beef back to pot, cover tightly with a lid and place in the oven. Cook for 1 1/5 hours. Then remove beef from pot and reserve remaining cooking liquid. Using two forks, shred beef - use one fork to hold pieces of beef and the other to shred. Add shredded beef back into Dutch oven and stir to combine with reserved cooking liquid. Divide beef among 4 rolls, top with arugula and serve.

Beer-braised-beef-sandwich

Beer-braised-beef-sandwich

Sandwich of the Month: Grilled skirt steak, caramelized onion & blue cheese

Filet mignon may get more love in rap songs, but if you learn to properly handle its tougher cousin the skirt steak, you’ll never have to spend more than ten bucks for a mouthwatering piece of beef again. This steak recipe is ah-mazing; after marinating, coming to room temperature, quickly grilling, and resting before being sliced, this beef turns into the amazingly flavorful, soft-as-butter steak of your dreams. And I mean it - you can cut into it with a butter knife, it’s so tender.

Balsamic skirt steak (50) copy

Caramelized onions are an unparalleled ingredient. The transformation from crisp and pungent to pasty and sweet - with the help of butter, olive oil, salt, sugar and gentle heat - is truly magical. And sharp, salty blue cheese is a perfect complement to their sweetness.

If you’re not as into sandwiches as I am, serve the steak sliced and topped with onions and blue cheese, which a side of mashed taters or atop creamy polenta.

(Yield: 4 sandwiches)

Steak ingredients:

1 lb skirt steak
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp dried rosemary
Coarse salt + freshly ground black pepper

Caramelized onions:

3 yellow onions, sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/3 tsp salt

Plus:

4 tbsp crumbled blue cheese
1 baguette, cut into 4 pieces
4 tsp brown mustard

Procedure: In a bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil, garlic and rosemary. Beat with a fork to combine. Place skirt steak into a flat container and pour marinade over the top, making sure it’s covered evenly. Cover tightly and place into refrigerator for 45 min.

In the meantime, prepare onions. Heat a large skillet over low heat and add oil and butter. When butter is melted, add onions, sugar and salt. Stir with a wooden spatula and cook for about 40 min, stirring frequently to ensure that onions are slowly and evenly browning. After 40 min, the onions should be golden brown and almost pasty in texture.

After the steak has marinaded for 45 min, take it out of the fridge and leave out at room temp for another 15 min. Then, place a large grill pan over high heat and lightly coat with cooking spray or olive oil. Pat steak dry on both sides and season with coarse salt and pepper right before grilling to ensure that the salt doesn’t draw out any moisture from the steak. Grill for 3 min, flip with tongs and cook the other side for another 3 min for medium rare. Place steak on a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Then slice steak against the grain into 1/2″-thick slices.

To prepare sandwiches, scoop out some of soft inside of the baguette to give the fillings more room. (Save the remains for croutons or bread crumbs, or if you’re like me, just eat ‘em!) Then spread 1 tbsp of mustard on the bottom of each sandwich, and layer steak slices, onions and 1 tbsp of cheese crumbles into each sandwich. Serve hot or at room temp.

Sandwich of the Month: The Cuban

Though it’s unknown for sure, el Cubano is said to have originated in either southern Florida or Cuba, and was known to be a popular lunch item among cigar factory and sugar mill workers. Whoever that hungry person was who first put roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard together on bread and into a press should really be deified.

One sandwich to rule them all!

These is some debate about the preparation of roast pork for a Cuban sandwich. Some advocate a shoulder cut while others, a boneless loin. Some advocate marinating the pork in numerous ingredients - including lime juice, onions, cilantro, garlic, oregano - while others roast plainly seasoned with salt and pepper. For my recipe, I found a middle ground. I went with a pork loin since it’s easier to find and to work with, and instead of marinating, I butterflied it, added chopped garlic and cilantro, and tied it closed with twine before baking. This gave the pork a chance to be perfumed with garlic and cilantro from the inside out while roasting and, I must say, it came out simply phenomenal.

(Yield: 4 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb boneless pork loin
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt + freshly ground black pepper
A large handful cilantro leaves, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 hoagie rolls
4 tsp brown mustard
Pickle chips/slices
1/4 lb sliced deli ham
4 slices Swiss cheese

Procedure: Preheat oven to 350F. Rinse pork loin and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a cutting board and slice into the loin horizontally, leaving a thin “hinge” to keep both halves together. Season the inside with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper and press cilantro and garlic into the meat. Press the meat closed and tie with kitchen twine in two places. Rub both sides of the loin with olive oil and season with more salt and pepper. Place into a baking dish.

Roast in the middle oven rack for 1 hour and 20 min. Remove from oven and let the meat rest for 20 min.

Preheat a griddle pan (or panini press) on medium heat. Untie the twine and discard. Slice the pork loin into 1/4″-thick slices.

To construct sandwiches, slice open hoagie rolls almost all the way through, leaving both halves intact. Spread mustard on bottom half and layer pork, ham, pickles and cheese on top. Close sandwiches and place on griddle (if your griddle is small, work with one sandwich at a time). Weigh the sandwich down with another heavy skillet/dish to keep it pressed together. Cook 1-2 min, flip, and cook until bread is crusty and cheese is melted (if using a panini press, cook 2-3 min). Cut in two and serve immediately.

Sandwich of the Month: Chicken Schnitzel

It has been nine days since I last updated my blog and the reason is that I recently switched jobs. I had trouble adjusting to my previous nine-to-five, but since my new position is at a start-up, the hours are basically nine-to-question-mark, which is a whole new ball game. I don’t mind putting in extra hours - I love my new job! - but I so don’t want my blog to suffer. Hopefully after I get more used to the new schedule, I’ll find a way to manage my time better and restore balance to my life.

Anyway, let’s talk about this sandwich, shall we?

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

Simple chicken Schnitzel (or cutlets - not really sure if there’s a difference between the two) are something every cook should be able to execute seamlessly. They come together quickly and are delicious enough to please regulars and special company alike. Over the years, finding the three-step dredging process a bit annoying, I have experimented with other methods - like dredging in only flour, or only in bread crumbs. These shortcut alternatives have failed to result in that crispy outside-juicy inside combo that’s so characteristic of schnitzel, so now I know for sure that the three-step method is essential, and dirtying two extra dishes is so, so worth it.

(Yield: 4 sandwiches)

Schnitzel:

3 tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb chicken breast cutlets (organic, if possible)
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 c plain breadcrumbs
3/4 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
2 eggs
Salt + pepper

Sandwiches:

4 soft rolls, sliced in half
1 large vine tomato, thinly sliced
Greens of your choice (spinach, arugula, romaine, iceberg lettuce)
3 tbsp mayo
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp brown mustard
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Procedure: Prepare three shallow dishes - place flour in one, bread crumbs in another, and beat eggs with a tablespoon of water in the third. Season flour and eggs with pinches of salt and pepper, and gently stir to combine. Season bread crumbs with salt, pepper, parsley and garlic powder, and stir.

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Wash and pat chicken dry with paper towels. Pound each cutlet with a meat mallet until 1/4″ thick. Working with one piece at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, egg and then bread crumbs - shaking off access after each dip.

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

Place into skillet and cook 3-4 min per side, flipping once, until golden brown. (Be sure not to over-crowd the skillet; cook chicken in 2 batches if necessary.)

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

To make the sauce, combine mayo, sour cream, mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl. Assemble sandwiches while chicken is still warm and serve immediately.

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

 

Sandwich of the Month: Brie grilled cheese

With previous entries into the Sandwich of the Month category, there has been roasting, sauteing, grilling and even pickling - so with this super easy sandwich, you can say that I took the easy way out. And I guess you’d be right. Easy yet special enough for a Sunday morning breakfast. Easy yet so unique that you’ll wonder why the hell you never made it before. Easy and fast enough as to leave you with optimal time to enjoy a day-long marathon of Portlandia in bed with your boyfriend. Mmm…

Brie grilled cheese

The inspiration for this brie grilled cheese comes from the Mr. Rene sandwich at La Maison du Croque Monsieur in Union Square. Besides the contrast of savory cheese and sweet jam, what I love about this sandwich are the varying textures. Due to its rind and quick cooking technique, the cheese retains most of its shape after cooking and doesn’t get fully gooey, which I love.

Ingredients:

Butter

Sliced white country bread

Thick slices of brie cheese

Grape, strawberry or raspberry jam or preserves

Procedure: Preheat a griddle pan over medium-low heat. Butter one side of 2 slices of bread and place buttered side-down on a board. Spread 1 tsp of jam on one piece and top with slices of brie. Place second slice of bread on top, buttered side facing up.

Brie grilled cheese

Then place the sandwich on the griddle and cook 2-3 min per side, occasionally pressing down with a spatula, until the bread is toasted. Remove from griddle, slice in half, and serve immediately.

Describe your ideal Sunday morning breakfast.

Sandwich of the Month: Grilled eggplant panini w/ dill and pickled onion

For this installation of my Sandwich of the Month series, I wanted to keep it light and corpse-free (i.e. vegetarian). Eggplant and mushrooms are the heartiest of all vegetables, and since last month’s edition featured baby portabellas, it was time to showcase our good friend the eggplant.

If you’ve ever cooked this lovely purple vegetable, you know how quickly and greedily it absorbs oil, which I decided to forgo by grilling it instead. Next, I thought of pickled onions for crunch, dill for earthiness, and the mild but easy-melting mozzarella for the necessary cheesiness.

Grilled eggplant panini

Don’t fret - you do not need a panini maker to make these sandwiches. Here is a nifty trick that I learned from Rachael Ray: Make panini on a regular grill pan instead, weighing the panini down with a heavy skillet or soup pot (making sure the bottom is clean, of course), which presses down on the sandwich as it cooks, just like a panini maker does. Ta-da!

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 small yellow onion, sliced

3 oz white vinegar + 4 oz water

3/4 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1 lb eggplant (1 large or 2 small)

Olive oil

About 5 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced

2 tbsp freshly chopped dill

4 whole wheat flatbreads

Procedure: In a bowl, combine onion, vinegar and water with sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and let stand for 30 min. In the meantime, slice eggplants lengthwise, 1/3″-thick. Place a grill pan over a medium flame and lightly brush with olive oil. Once hot, place eggplant slices on grill and cook about 3 min per side, flipping once - or until grill marks appear and the eggplant becomes pliable. Remove from grill and turn heat down to medium-low.

Drain the onions and discard marinade. To assemble panini, place two flatbreads on a flat surface. Distribute eggplant slices (season eggplant with salt at this point, if desired) and pickled onions between the two flatbreads, and top with cheese and dill. Cover with remaining flatbreads and carefully place sandwiches on grill pan. (Or, if you’re a proud owner of a panini maker, use that instead.) Place a heavy skillet or pot on each panini and cook for 5 min. Then, carefully flip using a spatula, replace heavy objects, and cook for another 5 min - or until cheese has melted. Cut each panini into quarters and serve.

Do you have any fun ideas for vegetarian sandwiches?

Sandwich of the Month: Bacon and mushroom grilled cheese

Growing up is hard, but I’m glad that we do. A few summers ago, I went to Otto - Mario Batali’s renown pizzeria enoteca - with my friend Michelle. The thin-crust pizza that we tasted had slices of prosciutto, a heap of arugula and a drizzle of olive oil on top. It was not the chewy NYC pizza that I had grown accustomed to. “What is this greenery,” I wondered, “and just what is it doing on my pizza?”

Fast forward to now and arugula is one of my favorite ingredients - I put it on, like, everything. But back then, I couldn’t appreciate its clean earthiness and how it intermingled with the sharp flavor of the pie. I bet if I ate that pizza today, my opinion would be way different.

Bacon and mushroom grilled cheese

So why am I talking about pizza in a grilled cheese post? Well, back then, I would have said that grilled cheese - like pizza - is not broken, so why fix it? The Wonderbread-Kraft version is just fine. But because I am now older and a tad wiser, I see that there’s nothing wrong with enhancing a classic food. It is simply a variation on the theme - the cheesy, crispy, comforting theme.

(Yield: 1 sandwich)

Ingredients:

2 strips bacon

3-4 baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 slices Muenster cheese

2 slices pumpernickel bread

1 tsp butter, at room temp

Procedure: Place bacon into skillet and turn on a medium flame. Cook, flipping once halfway, for about 5 min or until sufficiently crispy. Remove bacon and drain on a paper towel. Discard some of the bacon grease, leaving about 1 tbsp of it in the skillet. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned - 4-5 min. Then butter one side of each bread slice and place buttered-side down. Place a slice of cheese, the mushrooms, bacon and more cheese on one slice (in that order) and cover with the other bread slice. Place sandwich into the same skillet over medium-low heat and cook for 3-4 min per side, occasionally pressing down on the sandwich with a spatula.

Bacon and mushroom grilled cheese

Do you feel that your palate has matured through the years?

What did you hate eating as a child that you love eating now?

 

Introducing the Sandwich of the Month series with a classic - pulled pork!

Lately, I’ve been trying to think of ways to enhance my blog content. I want to challenge myself - to broaden my cooking horizons, if you will - and I want you, my readers, to have something to look forward to. (Way back when, I had a short stint with soups but quickly grew sick of making them, especially since I insisted on posting one recipe each week). The answer came to me in a rather organic way and it excited me much more than soup. I love sandwiches and chances are you love sandwiches, so why not write about some fricken’ sandwiches?!

Pulled pork sandwiches

Pulled pork has been on my “recipes to try” list for several years now. Seriously. I put it there because it is one of my very favorite foods ever, but it has remained there so long for two reasons. The first being that every recipe I seemed to come across called for a slow cooker, which I don’t have. The second being pure fear. Because I love it so, I was afraid to mess it up and be forever disappointed in myself (I do not take failure lightly). But alas, a ray of hope appeared, by the name of Melissa Clark, no less. A few weeks ago, a recipe and video for pulled pork was featured on the New York Times’ Diner’s Journal blog. Clark made it look for easy and delicious, and I just knew my time had come. And the best part - no slow cooker needed!

Inspired by this Melissa Clark recipe from The New York Times

(Yield: 6 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

2 lb pork butt

Store-bought barbecue sauce

6 hamburger buns or potato rolls

Dry rub:

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3/4 tsp cumin seeds

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Procedure: Rinse pork, pat dry with paper towels and place into a roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine the dry rub ingredients. Massage the meat generously with dry rub and let stand at room temperature for one hour.

Pulled pork sandwiches

Heat oven to 300F and roast pork for 3 hours. Remove from oven. When the meat is cool enough to handle yet still warm, shred it using two forks or your fingertips.

Pulled pork sandwiches

Toss the pulled pork with about 1/2 cup (or more if desired) of your favorite barbecue sauce.

Pulled pork sandwiches

Divide the meat evenly amongst the rolls and serve immediately.

Pulled pork sandwiches

Now tell me, what is your favorite sandwich?