Muffaleta Sandwiches: SHV

Back in 2010? 2011? I was in a series of cooking classes at NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology for those of yous ootside of the area); this is one of the first things we made. After several litres of mayonnaise. Anyway, I haven't made it since, because I am the only one in my house that loves olives like we should all love air. HOWEVER, if you've read this blog before (Mom), you know that this day of the week is also known as Vegetarian Wednesday or HusbandisoutsoIgettocookweirdfoodday! Yay for unusual food!

Once I started messing around with the ciabatta bread, I couldn't get these sandwiches out of my head. You can also use an Italian loaf, or even just whatever bread you have kicking around. The cheese is similarly customizable by your fridge, as is the meat. Use whatcha got!

You will need:

1/2 c large green stuffed olives
1/3 c unstuffed sliced black olives
2 tsp capers
1 Tbsp EVOO (Yes! Finally the extra-virgin olive oil!)
1/2 tsp fish sauce (or anchovy paste)
4 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Black pepper
70 g light cheddar or marble cheese (you know, a little over 2 ounces, enough to cover two sandwiches)
90 g fat-free chicken kolbassa (sounds disgusting, tastes delish), about 12 rounds
4 slices ciabatta bread (or Italian loaf)

This recipe is basically all prep, no cooking. Chop all the olives up niiiice and tiny, start filling a large stainless steel bowl.

Mince the garlic really finely, along with the capers, dump along with the rest of the ingredients into the bowl. Give it a good stir, cover and refrigerate while cleaning up and prepping the bread, cheese and meat.

Lay out your bread on top of a large piece of plastic wrap. Spoon a quarter of the olive mixture on each slice, gently press down with your spatula. You were totally using a spatula, right??

Place one full layer of cheese across one side, top with the kolbassa (honestly! It tastes so.good!) and top with the other half of the sandwich. Carefully. Pick up the olives that fell out and push them in the sides. Or eat. I did both.

 

Wrap as tightly as possible, refrigerate for at least half an hour.

This makes two large sandwiches, and the filling, including meat and cheese, comes to 297 calories per each. I didn't include the bread, because I didn't work out the nutritional information for the ciabatta bread. I didn't work that out because it is too tricky to figure out how many / what size each piece would be. So just add in your bread and Bob's your uncle! I wonder if a pita would work...

Enjoy!

Gottahaveit Ciabatta

This is an overnight bread dough, similar in that way to sourdough, but doesn't take quite as long. It is amazing, so few ingredients and tools, comes out gorgeous every time. Since I am a whole grain girl, I will be doing original recipe and my whole wheat grain version.

Turkey Parmesan Meatballs with Rose Sauce: SHV

It's Wednesday! Which means it's odd food night. I wanted to do another pasta with a cream sauce, mostly so I could use another finishing salt, but was also obsessed with the ground turkey I picked up the other day. Throw in some parmesan cheese and blammo! Supper! Using ground turkey and whole wheat pasta means I get to call this a Somewhat Healthier Version, yay!

 

You will need:

2 tsp olive oil (NOT ever EVOO)
360g ground turkey ( I would suggest 1/2 lb, but that's what I used)
1 lg slice stale whole grain, whole wheat bread
1/3 c 1% milk
1 tsp thyme, divided
Salt, pepper, basil
4 cloves roasted garlic (you know, if you have some kicking around), optional
1/2 oz parmesan cheese - about 14 g if that helps. I know, not really.
1/2 red onion
1/2 red pepper
4 garlic cloves
1/2 c wine
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 c chicken stock
1 c homogenized milk
170 g whole wheat spaghettini (about half a small box)

Not pictured: stock. Dang it

Prep! Breaking with my usual prep-absolutely-everything-in-advance style, I like to get the meatballs started right away, as they take a little while and afford all kind of time to get everything else prepped.

First, soak your stale bread in the 1/3 c of 1% or skim milk. Throw the turkey, the roasted garlic if using, 1/2 of the parmesan cheese (so 1/4 ounce. I know), 1/2 of the thyme, salt, pepper an some basil into the bowl of a stand mixer.

When all of the milk is absorbed into the bread, add it to the mixer bowl and blend with the paddle for 2 minutes. This style of making meatballs with milk-soaked bread is called using a panade, and I usually prefer it to using an egg and crackers as binding agents. Not always! But today.

After two minutes, start rolling the mixture into teaspoon-sized balls, basically bite-sized. Ish. It's your mouth, judge yourself accordingly. When you are about half done, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large saucepan (NOT non-stick. sticky) and drop them into the hot pan in a single layer. No crowding! Crowding means steaming and stewing and we just want luscious browning. On all sides, please!

While the meatballs are doing their thing, go ahead and finish your prep. Chop your onion and red pepper into a large dice, mince your garlic.

Heat the second teaspoon of oil, brown the second batch of meatballs; set all aside somewhere relatively warm. Add in the onions and red peppers. Ignore the mushrooms, I only had two so they don't really count. I bet a couple of cups worth would have been magic, though.

Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until almost softened. Add in the 4 cloves of minced garlic, cook for just one more minute. Just one! I mean it! Deglaze with the 1/2 of wine, stirring to scrape up delicious brown bits on the bottom

When the wine is just about gone, stir in the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, some salt, pepper, the rest of the thyme and some basil.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the paste turns dark and starts to stick. Add in the cup of chicken stock. This is a good time to start boiling water for your pasta! I wanted to use angel-hair, but I couldn't find any whole wheat stuff, so I went with the finest whole wheat noodle I could find: spaghettini.

Scrape! Cook until reduced by half. Start adding in milk, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring all the while.

When all the milk is incorporated, let reduce until you can make a full trail across the middle with your spoon, about 7-10 minutes.

Add your meatballs back in, cover and warm through, about 5 minutes.

Drain your pasta! Plate and cover the pasta with the sauce. Finish with a little of the rest of the parmesan cheese and a wee dram of finishing salt. I am using Wild Porcini Sea Salt tonight, but any kind would work, I am sure.

 

Including the pasta, this works out to 4 servings at 430 calories each, which is on the high side, but still puts us within the recommended 400 - 500 per meal. Add a small salad! Yay us!

 

Enjoy!

Sausage & Bean Soup

I've made variations of this soup over the years; I typically use lentils but a friend mentioned Cannellini beans (white kidney beans) one day, so I immediately decided to give them a shot. Yes, I am just that suggestible. I only wish I was kidding. Also, any reason for beans AND sausage!

You will need:

2 tsp oil (not EVOO ever for cooking!)
1 lb hot Italian turkey sausages, (or mild, should you be a baby. or be feeding a baby)
1/4 tsp chili flakes (see above note re: feeding babies); optional
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, about 1 1/2 c
2 stalks celery
1 c carrots, about 2 medium
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp tomato paste
900 ml chicken stock - I am using no-salt-added
1 540 ml can Cannellini beans (aka white kidney beans)
5 c kale (about a small bunch
Salt, pepper, 1 tsp thyme
2 c water

First, prep! Should you have sausages that have a casing, remove it. Otherwise, it's easier to cook them whole and slice up after. Dice your celery, chop your carrots, mince your garlic. To prep your leeks, first you want to slice off the dark green tops (save for stock!) and cut the white and light green parts into 3 inch chunks, about like zo:

Slice them lengthwise and rinse the layers under running water. You would not believe the crud that gets in there. King Crud of Crudtown has set up shop there, you need to wash that crud right out of your food. Crud.dy.

Cut each half lengthwise three to four times, depending on width, and dice finely.

People always ask why leeks instead of onions (okay, my mom always asks); I just like the different nuances of flavour that leeks have. Milder, but warmer. Man, I sound like a food hippie. Namaste, betches! Cut your kale into ribbons; I find the easiest way to get the spine off the leaves is to run a paring knife along the hardest part.

Prep all done!

Now we begin: heat the oil in a large Dutch oven, add in the sausages, breaking apart into bite-sized chunks as you go. Unless you have the casing-less sausages, then cook them whole and slice after, reserving juices. I suggest using a flat-edged wooden spoon, but then of course I do. I love them. This is when you could add in the chili flakes, should you want to spice things up.

When the sausages are all browned, remove and set aside somewhere relatively warm. Add the leeks, carrots and celery into the pot, stirring to scrape up any browned sausage bits. Drool. After about 5 minutes, when they feel pretty much softened, add in the garlic and cook for one more minute. Just one!

Stir in the 2 Tbsp tomato paste, salt and pepper. Cook until it darkens and starts to stick to the bottom, 2-3 minutes. Ish.

Dump in the chicken stock, using your flat-edged spoon to scrape any brown stuff off the sides. Oh yes, we want ALLS the fond and flavour in our pot.

Add in the rinsed Cannellini beans, sausages, kale and 1tsp thyme. I read somewhere that the beans won't break down if there is too much salt, I hold off on adding any more s&p until the end. If it seems as though there isn't enough liquid, add up to 2 cups of water, until all is covered. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Check about halfway through, see how the flavour is developing and if the beans are starting to soften. After 20 minutes, add salt and pepper, check your beans. Should be lovely.

This breaks down into 6 big servings, at 262 calories each, which is toadilly awesome. You could add some bread, a glass of milk and be right at or under the recommended 400 - 500 calorie per meal guideline.

Enjoy!