TUNA CLUB SANDWICH

  Union Square Cafe's Tuna Club Sandwich By Julia Reed

YIELD 4 servings

45 minutes

This update on a workaday sandwich takes time and work, it’s true. But the result, Julia Reed says, is the best old-fashioned tuna salad sandwich you’ve ever had in your life. You’ll need one pound of yellowfin tuna, which you’ll poach with aromatics, cool and then mix with a few chopped peppers, fennel seed, onion and herbs. If you plan ahead, you can make the tuna salad without the herbs, refrigerate it overnight, and add them in before assembling your sandwiches. Layer it on toasted bread with a lemon-pepper aioli, slab bacon and arugula. This is picnic food for the gods.

TIME

 INGREDIENTS

FOR THE LEMON PEPPER AIOLI:

2 egg yolks

1 1⁄2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons finely minced garlic

1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1⁄2 cups olive oil

3⁄4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

FOR THE POACHED TUNA:

1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped onion 1⁄3 cup coarsely chopped carrot 1⁄3 cup sliced celery

1 bay leaf

PREPARATION

Step 1

Make aioli: Combine egg yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, garlic and salt in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream through the feed tube until all the oil is absorbed and the mixture has the consistency of mayonnaise. Add pepper and mix 10 seconds. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Step 2

Combine 4 cups water, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf and peppercorns in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add the tuna pieces and simmer until they are barely cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Remove the cooked tuna from the cooking liquid to a bowl using a slotted spoon. While the fish is still warm, flake it into small pieces with a fork or your fingers. (The fish firms up as it cools and will not flake as nicely.) Cover loosely and let cool.

Step 4

 3 whole black peppercorns

1 pound yellowfin tuna, skinless, cut into 2-inch pieces

FOR THE TUNA SALAD:

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons diced yellow bell pepper

1⁄4 cup minced red onion

1 tablespoon julienned fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon finely chopped mint 3⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Fresh lemon juice to taste

FOR THE SANDWICH:

12 slices sourdough, white or whole wheat bread, lightly toasted

2 1⁄2 cups arugula, trimmed, washed and dried

8 ( 1/4-inch-thick) slices slab bacon, cooked until crisp

Crush the fennel seeds between two sheets of waxed paper; dry fry in a small skillet until fragrant. Place in large bowl; add 1/2 cup aioli, the red and yellow peppers, onion, herbs and salt and set aside.

Step 5

Mix the flaked tuna into the fennel mixture. Combine well and taste for seasonings, adding salt, pepper and lemon juice as needed. (The tuna salad can be made ahead to this point without the herbs and refrigerated until the next day; stir in the herbs just before using.)

Step 6

Spread a slice of sourdough bread with the aioli, then with a spoonful of the tuna salad. Top with a few leaves of the arugula and one slice of bacon. Repeat with a second slice of sourdough. Stack one layer on top of another and finish by topping with a third slice of sourdough. Repeat to make three more club sandwiches. Slice each sandwich into halves or thirds and secure each piece with a toothpick.

CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Union Square Cafe Chocolate Biscotti

(Source: New York Times)

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 3/4 cups lightly packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon double-strength brewed espresso

3 large eggs

7 1/2 ounces (1 rounded cup) small milk chocolate chips

1 large egg, beaten and mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

2 tablespoons raw sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12- by 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick liner. Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda; set aside.

Using a heavy-duty electric mixer, cream together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter for 3 to 5 minutes at medium speed. Add vanilla extract and espresso. Mix for 10 seconds. Add eggs one at a time, mixing for 10 seconds at medium-low speed after each addition. Add sifted flour mixture and mix at low speed until dough comes together, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chocolate chips and mix just until chips are evenly incorporated, 15 to 20 seconds.

Transfer dough to a work surface and divide in two, shaping into balls. Form each ball into a log 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Transfer logs to prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly. Brush tops of logs with egg wash and sprinkle each log with 1 tablespoon raw sugar. Bake until biscotti have spread, have a few cracks and bounce back slightly when pressed with fingertips, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut logs into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch slices. Place each slice with a cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or nonstick liner. Bake until firm, crisp and slightly dry, about 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or freeze for up to three months.

FOOD SHARK’S PIMENTO CHEESE

 Food Shark's Pimiento Cheese

Yield

Makes 6 cups

Food Shark's Pimiento Cheese delivers an herby Lavor thanks to the fresh parsley and dill. Pepperoncini salad peppers and horseradish give this cheese mixture of sharp Cheddar and Havarti cheese its punch.

Ingredients

  1 (12-oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and finely chopped 1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard   

 2 tablespoons chopped jarred pepperoncini salad peppers

1 tablespoon liquid from pepperoncini salad peppers

1 teaspoon grated fresh horseradish

4 cups (16 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

3 cups (12 oz.) shredded Havarti cheese

Garnish: pepperoncini salad peppers

and fresh dill

Stir together roasted red bell peppers, mayonnaise, red onion, parsley, 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill, Dijon mustard, pepperoncini salad peppers, liquid from pepperoncini salad peppers, and horseradish. Gently stir in Cheddar cheese and Havarti cheese until well blended. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Garnish, if desired.

 

                         

      

PICKLED GREEN TOMATOES

 Pickled Green Tomatoes

 Active

Time Time

15 Mins 24 Hours

By ROBBY MELVIN

Total Time

24 Hours 15 Mins

May 2020

Yield

Serves 8

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Chill

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  Enjoy tomatoes well past summer with a few jars of these tangy Pickled Green Tomatoes stored in your pantry. All it takes is a quick and easy brine and a little bit of jarring time. Made with six simple ingredients, this homemade vinegar mixture works magic in a canning jar to create a tomato pickle that would make your Grandma proud.

The tomatoes you select for canning are just as important as the brine. With farmers’ market stands drowning in tomatoes it’s important to bring home the right batch. When purchasing green tomato selections for pickling, choose ones that are about the size of a baseball or smaller. Larger tomatoes tend to be tough and

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 bitter and won’t absorb he brine as well.

If we’re being honest, the hardest part of the recipe may be portion control. Once your pantry is stocked, it’s almost too easy to pop open a jar and upgrade an everyday recipe. Toss them into a potato salad, turn them into a relish, mince them into a homemade salad dressing, or layer them into a sandwich or burger. Or, keep it simple and snack on them straight from the jar. As long as you’re actually using a clean fork, not your fingers, to fish them out of the jar, we won’t even judge if they don’t make it to a plate.

Ingredients

1 1⁄4 cups rice vinegar

1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

How to Make It

Stir together 1 cup water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring

  

 2 tablespoons kosher salt

3 basil sprigs

1⁄4 cup thinly sliced shallot (from 1 medium shallot)

1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound small green tomatoes (about 4), cored and cut into 1/3- inch-thick slices (about 4 slices each)

to a boil over high, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes. Place basil, shallots, crushed red pepper, and green tomatoes in a 32- ounce canning jar. Pour vinegar mixture over green tomato mixture in jar. Cover with a tight-fitting lid; chill 24 hours. Store in refrigerator up to 2 months.

    

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BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

 Bread-and-Butter Pickles

 Hands-on Time

55 Mins

Total Time

4 Hours 25 Mins

Yield

10 (1-pt.) jars

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  By SOUTHERN LIVING August 2019

When you’re craving a snappy bite or a couple of fresh slices to add some zip to a sandwich, you’ll want to reach for bread-and-butter pickles. While we’ve been known to shell out for a jar at the store, it’s much more cost- effective, delicious, and fun to make your own.

Once you try a bite of a crisp and flavorful homemade one, you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff. Let us convince you: This easy pickle recipe will ensure you have a store of pickles ready to go for whatever occasions arise. Whether you’re packing sandwiches for a picnic, throwing together a quick dinner, or making a bite at lunchtime, these bread-and-butter pickles will be the

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 perfect complement for all your snacking this season and all year round. The recipe requires just a couple of steps and only eight ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand. It will also use up all your leftover summer cucumbers, ensuring none go to waste. Hands-on time for this recipe is about an hour, and the pickles will be ready to nibble in just over four. This recipe makes a great summertime activity for the whole family—round everyone up in the kitchen and get to pickling today!

Ingredients

6 1/2 pounds small pickling cucumbers, cut into 1/4- inch slices (about 33 cucumbers)

How to Make It

Step 1

Combine cucumbers and onions in a very large Dutch oven; sprinkle with salt, and add water to cover (about 18 cups). Cover and

 

 4 large sweet onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup pickling salt

5 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)

4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons mustard seeds

1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

let stand 3 hours. Drain well. Rinse with cold water.

Step 2

Combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, turmeric, and cloves in Dutch oven; cook over medium heat 5

minutes. Add cucumbers and onion; bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

      Step 3

Pack hot

cucumber mixture into hot jars, filling to 1/2 inch from top. Remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands. Process, in 2 batches, in boiling-water bath 12 minutes; cool. Chill pickles before serving.

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THE SILVER PALATE APPLE CAKE

The Silver Palate Apple Cake

The Famous Silver Palate Apple Cake Recipe ~ Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso are the dynamic duo that wrote the definitive cookbook of the 1980s, The Silver Palate.  The Silver Palate Apple Cake is one of the most beloved recipes from the book, and it just screams Fall.

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 15 mins

Course: DessertCuisine: American Servings: 20 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground mace I used nutmeg
• 1 1/4 c. walnuts chopped
• 3 tbsp. Calvados I used brandy because they didn't have one of those cute tiny bottles of Calvados at the liquor store
• 2 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 c. whole wheat flour sifted
• 3 1/4 c. coarse chunks of peeled apple

glaze

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons Calvados or brandy
• 1/4 cup sweet cider
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325F
• Grease a 10" round cake pan and set aside.
  
• In a large bowl, beat the vegetable oil and sugar until thick and opaque. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Sift together all-purpose flour, cloves, cinnamon, mace, baking soda, and salt, then stir in whole wheat flour.
• Add the dry ingredients to the oil mixture and blend. Stir in walnuts, apple chunks, and apple brandy. Stir to distribute pieces evenly.
• Pour into a greased 10 inch round cake pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake rest for 10 minutes, then unmold and pour glaze over warm cake or cut cake and pour glaze over slices. (note: I used a 9 inch spring-form pan and cooked it almost 10 minutes longer)
• To make the glaze, mix the ingredients together in a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly, and cook 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Pour while still warm over warm cake.

SILVER PALATE GINGERBREAD

Silver Palate Gingerbread 

1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsps baking soda

1 1/2 tsps ground ginger

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.

Sift dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl. Add egg, sugar, and molasses. Mix well.

Pour boiling water and the oil over mixture. Stir thoroughly until smooth.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Set on the middle rack of oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top springs back when touched and the edges have pulled away slightly from the sides of the pan.

Lemon Glaze

2/3 cup confectioner's sugar, and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.  Mix together (don't cook) and pour over warm cake.

 If you're not a fan of lemon glaze, dust your cake with confectioner's sugar and a dollop of whipped cream.

Or, if you want to take this to the ultimate level, candy some lemon zest, and top the lemon glazed cake with a dollop of whipped cream and some candied lemon zest.

Here's Martha Stewart's recipe for Candied Lemon Zest

Ingredients:

• 6 lemons, scrubbed
• 2 cups sugar

Directions:

• Using a vegetable peeler, peel zest from lemons. Use a knife to remove any white pith; cut zest as thinly as possible.
• Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add zest; blanch for 1 minute, drain, and rinse under cold water.
• In another medium saucepan, combine sugar and 2 cups water; bring to a simmer. Cook until sugar dissolves completely, about 2 minutes. Add lemon zest. Simmer until translucent, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat; let zest cool in syrup. When cool, transfer zest and syrup to an airtight plastic container.

Makes 1 cup

Can be rolled in sugar for sparkly zest.