Corned Beef Sandwich

There are days in summer when I simply do not want to enter the kitchen; not even to scramble an egg, but, when something as yum as Corned Beef beckons, how can I resist the lure. I was not planning to pen this recipe, but a friend, Jim, messaged at Instagram saying he’s never found a recipe simple yet yum enough and would like to give mine a try. If you try this simple recipe and it turns out well, remember, you have Jim to thank for getting me to publish this. 😁

Does this pic feel like a promo? That's coz it is, and it's because they so deserve the coverage for the utterly fabulous stuff they bake.

I’m more of a white bread person but just this once I decided to go with Artisan Whole Wheat bread and Multigrain bread from my favourite café, Le Flamington. It was a decision I did not regret at all. In fact, if the breads are from LeF, I’ll happily opt for the healthier option. *cheeky grin* Yes, they turned out to be ‘that’ good!

Ingredients:

12 slices bread ( I used 6 slices of whole wheat and 6 slices multigrain)

1 tin (425 grams) Corned Beef, sliced as thinly or thickly - as preferred

Garlic & Pesto Monterey Jack Cheese, sliced

Butter, as desired

Mayonnaise, as desired

4 onions, sliced

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1½ tablespoon Barbeque Sauce (optional)

2 tablespoons oil

Prep In Advance:

1. Add oil to a nonstick pan and heat for merely 15 to 20 seconds. Lower heat. 
2. Add the sliced onions, salt and pepper, give the onions a mix, cover the pan with a lid and allow the onions to sweat.
   
   
3. Intermittently, stir the onions, re-cover and continue cooking until the onions go limp and translucent.
   
   
4. Add the Barbeque Sauce and mix well; cover and cook for a minute more.
   
   
5. Take the onions off the heat and remove into a bowl. Keep aside until needed for the sandwiches.
   
   

Layering The Sandwiches: 

1. Apply a thin layer of mayonnaise to one slice of bread.
2. Arrange the slices of corned beef over the mayo’d slice.
3. Top with cheese slices and over the cheese slices arrange the prepped BBQ onions.
   
   
4. Cover with a second slice of plain bread (this one had no mayo). Keep the sandwich aside on a plate and repeat the 'sandwich-layering' process until all Corned Beef and 12 bread slices are used up.
   
   
5. When all the sandwiches are layered and ready, heat the grill. When it beeps to ‘ready mode’, apply butter to the outer sides of the bread (i.e: both slices) and place the sandwich on the grill. (Remember to repeat the buttering process with each sandwich)
6. Grill until done to desired colour - I prefer a deep golden hue.
   
   
7. Continue the 'buttering and grilling' process until all sandwiches are done.
   
   

Chef’s Notes:

1. This quantity made 6 sandwiches. 
2. Please note, the process of sweating onions is always done on very low flame. The intent is to sweat the onions until they go limp without allowing them to fry or turn colour; they thereby retain their sweetness. Having said that do note that the added black pepper will give the onions a warm hue, as will the BBQ sauce. 
3. If you do not have BBQ sauce merely salt and pepper will suffice. 
4. I used Delmonte mayo; it’s one mayo in the market that does not have a ‘sour-mayo’ flavour. (I hate ‘sour mayo’) 
5. Yes of course, you may use any bread but if you can lay your paws on a good whole wheat or multigrain, trust me, the results are fabulous. 
6. I used Monterey Jack cheese but feel free to go with any cheese that melts well. 
7. The amount of butter you apply on the outside of each slice of bread, before grilling, will determine how ‘golden’ your grilled sandwich turns out. While I urge you not to be stingy with the butter, don’t overdo it either or you’re going to spend an awful lot of time cleaning the grease off the grill at the end of the cook. 
8. I’m an owl, I sleep pretty late which is why I chomped on a cold sandwich in the middle of the night. If you’re a ‘middle of the night cold pizza eater’, then you simply must try this one cold. It was amazeballs! 🙈😁 
9. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.
   
   

French Loaves with Garlic Herb Butter

French Loaves with Garlic Herb Butter 

Never ventured into the kitchen?? Want to try your hand at cooking something truly simple?? Here's a recipe that will help you take those baby steps in the kitchen with great ease, the end result of which will be beautiful and drool-worthy.

Ingredients:

French Loaves / Baguettes

Garlic Herb Butter (Get the recipe here)

Method:

1. Diagonally slice the French loaves/baguettes.
2. Apply the garlic herb butter to one side of each slice.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Wrap each loaf separately in aluminum foil.
4. Place them under a hot grill.
   
   
5. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes. Please check intermittently to ensure they don't burn.
   
   

Chef Notes:

1. The Garlic Herb Butter can be prepared three days ahead and refrigerated.
2. You can also shape the butter into logs/roll/s, wrap the logs individually in plastic cling film and freeze the herb butter logs for up to a month.
3. For the Garlic Herb Butter, I chose parsley as my primary herb but feel free to go with any herb of your choice.
4. Please adjust the lemon juice according on your taste buds. 
5. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.
   
   

Chicken Fiesta Pizza with Homemade Pizza Sauce

Chicken Fiesta Pizza with Homemade Pizza Sauce

I haven’t tried my hand at baking bread/s hence I usually buy readymade thin crust bread base for my pizzas. I’m sharing this recipe is because the pizza sauce, that I make from scratch, is delicious. This pizza sauce is courtesy my sis-in-law Khorshed. She taught me how to make this sauce years ago. For me, no other pizza sauce compares to this. As for the toppings, feel free to use whatever suits your fancy.

Ingredients for Sauce:

4 large onions, finely chopped

100 grams mushrooms, sliced

20 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste

1 teaspoon red chili-garlic paste

½ -1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder

3 packets tomato puree

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon chili sauce

2 medium sized green capsicum, finely chopped

4 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)

Salt, to taste

¾ -1 tablespoon vinegar (or to taste)

2–3 tablespoons corn flour mixed in ¼ cup water

Extra Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, boiled and cut into small cubes

6 chicken frankfurters, lightly sautéed and cut into diagonal rings

6 to 8 slices of chicken salami, lightly sautéed and cut into pieces

1 onion, sliced for garnishing

1 medium capsicum, chopped for garnishing

100 grams mushrooms, sliced for garnishing

400 grams Mozzarella cheese (if you’re a health/diet conscious person please use less)

6 six inch pizza breads

Oil

Butter, to dot

Method for Pizza Sauce:

1. Heat some oil and fry the finely chopped onions till translucent. Throw in the garlic and sauté.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste, red chili-garlic paste, and red chili powder and fry well.
3. Add tomato puree, soya sauce, chili sauce and let it cook till the tomatoes change to a darker color and lose the raw taste n smell.
4. Add the cubed chicken pieces, finely chopped mushrooms, capsicum pieces and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the vinegar, sugar and salt. (Adjust all three according to your taste.) Allow to cook for a minute more.
6. Gradually (one tablespoon at a time) add the corn flour mixture to the tomato gravy. It should be of thick, spreadable consistency. 

Method for Pizza:

1. Take a pizza bread, spread the chicken pizza sauce, layer with mushroom slices (I prefer to put the mushroom on the sauce instead of putting them on top coz on grilling the pizza they tend to turn dark and look very ugly if you are planning to click a picture).
2. Top the mushrooms with mozzarella cheese and then top the cheese with sausage, salami, capsicum and onion pieces.
3. Dot the top of the pizza with a wee bit of butter and grill for about 15-20 minutes or till done and cheese melts and bubbles. 

Chef Notes: 

1. This quantity makes six 6” pizzas.
2. I have given the exact amount of sugar and vinegar as used by me but I advise you to add both, sugar and vinegar, little by little, and adjust the flavor to your liking when you use it.
3. I have chosen chicken as the topping. Feel free to use whatever topping you prefer.
4. I put the mushrooms on the sauce instead of putting them on top (because on grilling they turn dark and spoil the look of the pizza, more so if you are planning to click a photo of it.
5. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.