Is there anything more comforting than a grilled cheese? Every time I make a grilled cheese, I'm like why don't I eat these ALL THE TIME?!? and then I remember that balance and not eating all the carbs and fat is important blah blah blah. But since my last post was a kale/quinoa salad and my next post will be a broccoli soup, I figure a little grilled cheese is fine.
I used to spend my summers working in French deli. For three months every year, I ate like a queen. Café au lait, macaroons, pain au chocolate, madeleines, baguette.... and that was usually before lunch. When lunch hit we would grab a loaf of bread, some ham or pâté, mustard, whatever cheese we fancied and feast. We had a panini press but the deli owner firmly believed that melted cheese was for children, so we never used it... except when he was gone. I firmly believe that melted cheese is for everyone and I'm pretty sure this sandwich proves it.
Steps
Slice the sourdough and spread one side with mustard. Slice the apple and the cheese. Arrange apple and cheese slices on the sourdough.
On a low-medium heat, melt a knob of butter in a pan. Place the sourdough in the pan and toast the sandwich for 2 - 3 minutes or until golden brown, pressing down with a spatula (or use the bottom of a smaller pan to squash the bread). Flip and repeat, adding more butter if needed.
I'm on a sandwich kick at the moment. There's just something so satisfying about looking in the fridge at the end of a long day and saying, 'fuck it, I'm having a sandwich for dinner.' In addition to my goatcheeseaddiction, I also have a salmon obsession and a weird need to eat green leaves with most of my meals--so I tend to keep those things in the fridge. I also eat a bag of lemons every week.
The point is, this sandwich came about because it combines all my favorite foods in a delightful (classy, even?) pita pocket. I eat it for lunch almost every Saturday and it goes down a treat with a midday glass of wine and a handful of kettle chips.
No one really needs a recipe for a sandwich, but I wrote one anyway. YOU'RE WELCOME WORLD.
Stuff
pita bread
smoked salmon
goat cheese
cucumber slices
arugula
mustard
lemon wedge
salt & pepper
Steps
Cut the pita in half and toast each half. Cut open each half and spread one side with goat cheese and the other side with mustard. Layer in the salmon, cucumber, and arugula. Squeeze the lemon wedge over everything and season with salt and pepper.
Summer vacation is over and I'M BACK! After one hell of a summer spent hoping about between Boston, Vermont, Norway, the Outer Banks, New York, Montreal, and the swift Potomac, I am settled back in DC and ready to face plant into fall.
Here's the thing, when the season starts to change I have an urge to begin cleaning and sorting... It doesn't happen in spring (why would you clean your entire house when you're about to spend every waking moment outside)? But fall starts and I begin going through my wardrobe, clearing out the fridge, and cooking as if the apocalypse is nigh.
While I was on a fridge cleaning mission, I found a couple winter brews from last year (my roommate and I have a thing for seasonal beer and last year we maybe went a little overboard...) I figured I better use them up before they hit the shelves again in a couple of months. Plus, in my freezer was 2lbs of pork shoulder that had been sitting there since April. I thought surely there's a way to use the beer and the pork, clear some fridge and freezer space, and have delicious lunches all week? So Christmas Beer Pulled Pork became a thing.
I reckon you could do this with another beer, you'd maybe want one that was on the sweeter side or was spiced similarly to winter ales (I bet fall beers would work a treat). You could also do it without the beer, for a more traditional pulled pork dish.
Stuff
2lbs pork shoulder
1 seasonal beer
2 tbsps brown sugar
1 tsp hickory salt
1 tsp chipotle chili
1 tsp black pepper
pinch coriander
apple cider vinegar
maple syrup
hot sauce
Steps
Preheat oven to 300F. In a small bowl mix together the dry ingredients. Line a baking tray with foil. Score the skin of the pork, but not the meat. Season the pork on all sides with the spice rub. Place in the tray skin side up. Pour in the beer and roast for 3 - 4 hours.
Once cooked through (internal temp 160F), remove from the oven and remove the crispy skin. Shred the pork, mixing in juice from the pan and bits of the crispy skin as you go.
Season pork with apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and hot sauce to taste.
Fun fact: I pickled the pickles for this sandwich and I'll share that recipe shortly!
