What do you do when you have a stale loaf of baguette, a bag of mizuna hanging by a moment and have found out that you’ve landed in the Internal Medicine department, set for a 12-week rotation?
You make a damn good sandwich, that’s what you do.
If your bread has gone stale, then have no fear. That stick is not only limited for french toasts and/or bread puddings (although there isn’t anything wrong with those options at all, mind you).
Just wrap it up with a damp cloth and stick it in a 200C oven for 5 minutes and it will be as good as new; well, almost - at least good enough to make a sarnie with.
STEAK SARNIE (slightly adapted from the recipe by Jamie Oliver)
[ A piece of steak, about 300g + 1 loaf of ciabatta or baguette + a small handful of store-bought or home-made jarred roasted peppers + a couple of sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley + mayonnaise + yellow mustard + a large handful of rocket or mizuna leaves ]
Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Rub the flavours into the meat, then flip over and repeat on the other side. Pound the steaks once or twice with your fists to flatten them a little, then put them into the screaming-hot griddle pan to cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side for medium rare, or longer if you prefer.
This depends on the thickness of your steaks, of course, so use your instincts and cook them to your liking.
Put the ciabatta or baguette loaf into the bottom of the oven at 200C.
Finely chop the peppers on a large clean board. Move the steaks to the board and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Let the steak rest for 3-5 minutes.
Finely chop a few parsley leaves, mixing them in with the peppers and all the steak juices. Scrape the pepper mix to one side of the board. Slice up the steaks at an angle.
Get the ciabatta or baguette out of the oven and slice it open. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Spread over the mayo and mustard, then arrange the rocket or mizuna leaves on one half. Lay the steak slices on top.
Mix and scrape the peppers and juices from the board and scatter over the meat, then top with the other slice of bread, pressing down slightly to keep it intact.
STEAK SARNIE:
[A piece of steak, about 300g + 1 loaf of ciabatta or baguette + a small handful of jarred roasted peppers + a couple of sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley + mayonnaise + mustard + a large handful of rocket or mizuna leaves]
- Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Rub the flavours into the meat, then flip over and repeat on the other side. Pound the steaks once or twice with your fists to flatten them a little, then put them into the screaming-hot griddle pan to cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side for medium rare, or longer if you prefer. * This depends on the thickness of your steaks, of course, so use your instincts and cook them to your liking.
- Put the ciabatta or baguette loaf into the bottom of the oven.
- Finely chop the peppers on a large clean board. Move the steaks to the board and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Let the steak rest for 3-5 minutes.
- Finely chop a few parsley leaves, mixing them in with the peppers and all the steak juices. Scrape the pepper mix to one side of the board. Slice up the steaks at an angle.
- Get the ciabatta or baguette out of the oven and slice it open. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Spread over the mayo and mustard, then arrange the rocket or mizuna leaves on one half. Lay the steak slices on top.
- Mix and scrape the peppers and juices from the board and scatter over the meat, then top with the other slice of bread, pressing down slightly to keep it intact.
Enjoy!
I sat through a grueling midterm yesterday and was looking forward to sleep in on the weekend when I remembered that earlier during the week I agreed to take some food pictures for Graha. I had to make the puff pastry from scratch. At 10PM. He owes me big and he knows it. I’m thinking lunch at our usual Korean BBQ place will cover for this favour very nicely indeed.
So angst aside, this is Jamie Oliver’s recipe for banana tarte tatin. You can always swap the bananas for any other fruits; stone fruits, strawberries, or go for the classic by using apples. If you have frozen puff pastry available then this recipe; the prep and cooking will take about 30 minutes. And it’s unbelievably good served warm with ice cream.
Banana Tarte Tatin:
Caramel & Banana:
[ 60g unsalted butter + 160g caster sugar + 1 teaspoon zest of orange + 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder + 4 bananas ]
Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4
Cut your butter into cubes and put into a sturdy deep-sided baking tray approximately 19 x 30cm
Place the tray on a low heat, let the butter melt, then add the sugar and stir constantly until completely combined
Continue to cook for about 5 minutes or until the sugar has all dissolved and the mixture is golden and caramelized. By the time this happens the mixture will be roasting hot so be very careful and whatever you do, DON’T be tempted to put your fingers in the mixture as you’ll give yourself a nasty burn
Meanwhile, peel the bananas, halve them lengthways, and lay them carefully on top of the golden caramel
Remove from the heat, then sprinkle over the cinnamon and finely grate over the zest of half your orange
ASSEMBLY:
Dust a clean work surface and rolling pin with flour
Roll out your puff pastry (homemade or store-bought) until you have a rectangle shape (or any other shape) about the same size as your tray and about 0.5cm thick.
Drape your pastry over your rolling pin and carefully lay it on the baking tray, gently tucking it around the bananas to make sure they’re well covered, with no gaps
Using a knife or fork, prick the pastry a few times
Place the tray at the top of the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden
Serve warm with some ice cream, crème fraîche or any other fluffy dairy product you like. I served mine with some whipped cream and honey with an extra pinch of cinnamon.
Enjoy!
