Tartine Margherita and a Classic French Vinaigrette

The Café is having a bit of an identity crisis today! You see, I have been featuring tartines for the past few days which are French-inspired open-face sandwiches. I got excited about these when I had them in London last week, since I realized that the variation possibilities are endless! Tartines are also a wonderful go-to lunch or dinner when you're in a pinch for time. As I was trying to decide a tartine for today's post, I was somehow reminded of one of my all time favorite pizza's, Pizza Margherita.

Pizza Margherita is probably one of the simplest, yet tastiest pizzas I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. The origins of it go back to Italy in the late 1800's. The story is told that in 1889, Queen Margherita Teresa Giovanni visited Naples. Don Raffaele Esposito, a local chef, was asked to prepare a special dish in honor of the Queen's visit. He developed a pizza which featured tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil; not by accident representing all the colors of the Italian flag! He named it Pizza Margherita and the Queen absolutely adored it! Over the years Pizza Margherita's fame has spread and this simple, delicious pizza is now enjoyed around the world.

Now you understand what I mean about the "identity crisis". Legendary Italian toppings on a classic, distinguished French sandwich? I might get myself in a bit of international trouble for this, but trust me, this is an amazing combination!! Because this tartine features just a few very simple ingredients, try to use the best you can find; fresh Mozzarella, fresh basil, juicy red ripe tomatoes, a sprinkle of  good Parmesan and a drizzle of quality olive oil.

 In order to keep in sync with the identity crisis theme I served this lovely tartine with a salad featuring Italian ingredients and a classic French vinaigrette! The vinaigrette is nothing like the American bottled dressing that is reddish-orange in color. It is more like the type of dressing you would receive on your salad at a charming cafe in Paris. In France (and England!) they almost never ask you what type of dressing you would like on your salad. The salad just arrives with a lovely, light, yet delicious dressing that compliments all the components. Authentic French Vinaigrette is a simple oil and vinegar combination. Usually it has a bit of good mustard, some shallot or garlic and might include various fresh herbs. I put together some beautiful fresh greens, sun-dried tomatoes and a perfectly ripe avocado along with sauteed Portobella mushrooms and lots of fresh basil - a delicious compliment to the Tartine Margherita - despite the nationality confusion. I guess this is what they call "fusion" cooking!

P.S. This is my last tartine post, but think of this once again as template cooking; taking a basic recipe and changing it to suit your taste and/or what you might have available.

Tartine Margherita

4 thick slices rustic bread

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, cut in half

8 ounces fresh Mozzarella, buffalo, if possible

about 20 grape or cherry tomatoes, or thinly sliced regular tomatoes, best quaility you can find

1/4 cup or Parmesan cheese, finely grated

extra virgin olive oil, your best, for drizzling

fresh basil, very thinly sliced or torn

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted*

1. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of each slice of bread lightly with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and set under the broiler for about 1 minute or until golden brown, flip bread slices to other side and repeat. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Remove baking sheet from oven. Rub each tartine with the garlic cloves on both sides.

2. Top each with 1/4 of the fresh Mozarella, sliced and roughly torn. Nestle the cherry or grape tomatoes amongst the cheese and sprinkle liberally with Italian seasoning. Finish by sprinkling each tartine with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese.

3. Place back under broiler for a further 1-2 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and melted.

4. Drizzle each tartine with 1 teaspoon of olive oil . Season lightly with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with pine nuts and fresh basil.

*To toast pine nuts; place in a small pan and bake at 300-325 for 10 min or so.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

 Classic French Vinaigrette

3 tbsp. white wine vinegar

2/3 c. olive oil

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1-2 tsp. honey

1 tbsp. grainy mustard

1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Add all ingredients into a wide mouth mason jar or dressing bottle and shake well. Try to let the dressing sit for 24 hours before serving so the flavors can meld. Store in the fridge for up to 2 months.

*Feel free to add fresh herbs to the recipe if you choose; a sprig or two of thyme,  rosemary or a few basil leaves finely chopped work best.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Tartine with Pesto, Prosciutto and Asparagus Salad

I am featuring tartines the last three days of this week, which I discovered on my recent trip to London. I could go on and on about all the fun variations and deliciousness of these open-faced French-inspired sandwiches, but you'll have to trust me, try them just once and you'll see what I mean. They're simple to make, extremely tasty and can be adapted to whatever you might have in your pantry and refridge. Paired with some fresh fruit or a simple salad,  I have a feeling that tartines will become a favorite at your house too!

My husband found some beautiful asparagus on sale at the market this week and I knew as soon as I laid eyes on it that it would find its way into a yummy tartine one evening this week. I looked online for tartine recipes that included asparagus and found some interesting and delicious variations. I combined a few of the ideas I saw, added some of my own and came up with Tartine with Pesto, Prosciutto and Asparagus Salad.  Instead of serving a salad on the side, I just piled up the thinly shaved asparagus and juicy tomatoes on top of the toasted tartine and drizzled it with  bit of extra virgin olive oil and white balsamic reduction. I tried it out for lunch today and then served it to my husband for dinner. It was so delicious that I might just have it for breakfast tomorrow morning!

Tartine with Pesto, Prosciutto and Asparagus Salad

4 thick slices rustic bread

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 teaspoons pesto

8-12 slices proscutto, sliced paper thin

1 cup Fontina or Gouda cheese, grated

1 pound asparagus, shaved into thin ribbons**, leave tips intact

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup grape (or cherry) tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup Asiago or Parmesan cheese, finely grated

extra virgin olive oil, your best for drizzling

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

fresh basil, very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted*

1. Place balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan over medium high heat. Bring vinegar to a boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer until syrupy and reduced to 1/4 cup. Set aside to cool down.

2. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of each slice of bread lightly with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and set under the broiler for about 1 minute or until golden brown, flip bread slices to other side and repeat. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Remove baking sheet from oven.

3. Spread 1 teaspoon pesto on each bread slice, top each with 1/4 cup of the Fontina or Gouda cheese (try to cover as much of the bread as possible). Drape with 2-3 slices prosciutto and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan or Assiago cheese.

4. Place back under broiler for a further 1-2 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and melted.

5. Pile shaved asparagus and grape (or cherry) tomato halves on top of each slice. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic reduction to taste. Season with freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle with pine nuts and fresh basil.

**To shave asparagus; wash and dry the asparagus and trim off the woody ends, then with a sharp vegetable peeler shave thin ribbons starting at the stalk end. I like to do this early in the day and place in a bowl of ice water. I keep this in the refrigerator until I'm ready to prepare tartines; then I drain and dry on paper towels. The ice water actually helps the asparagus to curl a bit and makes it look really pretty.

*To toast pine nuts; place in a small pan and bake at 300-325 for approximately 10 minutes or until golden. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Applewood Bacon, Fig and Fontina Tartines

If you had asked me what a tartine was before my recent trip to London, I might have guessed and told you it is a small fancy tart or if my imagination was working overtime a bit, I might have even told you that it is a rather sour-faced teenager........ and just you might have believed me. But guess what? We would have both been wrong! Tartine is simply a fancy French name for an open-faced sandwich. With England being in such close proximity to the European continent, many classic French foods have "crossed the Channel" and gained great popularity in the United Kingdom; tartines being one of them.

One morning during our visit to London we strolled for an hour or more along the Thames River, people watching and enjoying the warmth of springtime in Britain. When we had worked up a hearty appetite, our daughter suggested lunch at a fun little restaurant close by called  Le Pain Quotidien (French for "daily bread" and  pronounced luh paN koh-ti-dyaN). Le Pain Quotidien is actually a wonderful chain that started in Belgium and has spread all over Europe and now in the United States. They offer fantastic fresh salads, soups and pastries, but one of their specialties is tartines. Their menu boasts an interesting variety of these open-faced sandwiches. I was very intrigued by these delightful tartines and realized that the combination possibilities are endless. The only common denominator is a slice of rustic bread brushed with olive oil and toasted to perfect crispness before being topped. 

I have a feeling that this will become one of my favorite "go-to meals" on the days I don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen. With a well-stocked pantry, a tartine dinner can be on the table before I'd have time to pick up a take-out order! I have already thought of a ton of tartine variations and will be sharing some of them over the next three days along with some of my favorite salads. Pair them together for a yummy lunch or casual dinner!

The Applewood Bacon, Fig and Fontina Tartine recipe that I am sharing today is honestly, crazy-delicious. I loosely adapted it based on a recipe from Gourmet Magazine. The crispy bread, fig butter and gooey melted cheese combine for an unbelievable taste sensation! I served it with a  simple salad of mixed greens, dried cherries, dry roasted pistachios and Honey-White Balsamic Dressing (recipe below). This is one of my all time favorite salads. Try these two together, I don't think you'll be disappointed: you might even think you died and went to heaven! :)

Applewood Bacon, Fig and Fontina Tartines

4 thick slices rustic bread

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter, softened

4 tablespoons fig preserves

12 slices apple wood smoked bacon

4 slices Fontina cheese

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

fresh basil, very thinly sliced

1. For bacon, preheat oven to 400 degrees, line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil and place bacon on top.. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bacon is crisp. Drain on several thicknesses of paper towels.

2. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of each slice of bread lightly with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and set under the broiler for about 1 minute or until golden brown, flip bread slices to other side and repeat. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Remove baking sheet from oven.

3. Mix together butter and fig preserves. Spread equal amounts of fig butter on each bread slice, top each with 3 strips of bacon. Finish by adding cheese, try to cover as much of the bacon as possible with cheese. Season with freshly ground pepper.

4. Place back under broiler for a further 1-2 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and melted. Sprinkle with basil. Serve immediately.

4 servings

Loosely Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Honey and White Balsamic Dressing

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small shallot, minced

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

2-3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients in a glass jar. Shake well to blend.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Couscous Salad with Hummus and Pita

It's good to be back home after what seemed like a whirlwind trip to England to visit family. I love to travel, so it was not only awesome to be with loved ones, but so fun to discover more of London and the surrounding countryside. Being an innate "foodie" at heart, I get incredibly inspired by new and interesting culinary delights I get to experience in other parts of the world. I know that often Bristish food has a reputation as dull and boring, but my husband and I have found quite the opposite to be true, especially in London. My head is still spinning from all the fresh, fun new foods we tried and you can be sure that I will be re-creating many of them for the blog over the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

There is a charming little coffee shop/cafe just a short walk from my daughter's house in London called Local Hero. We love to stop there for a cappuccino before we get on the bus to go downtown or to Hyde Park or wherever we are headed that day. They have melt in your mouth croissants and pastries to go along with the coffee, but at lunch time, their menu includes deliciously fresh salads, huge toasted sandwiches and fabulous quiche selections.

I had this wonderful Couscous Salad with Hummus and Pita from Local Hero one day during the visit. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered it again a few days later so that I could use my "crazy chemist" skills (this is what my husband calls it) to deconstruct and  figure out how to recreate this delicious salad.  I think I've come fairly close and hope that you will love this salad too! I served it tonight with an herb grilled chicken, but it is equally delicious for a lunch or dinner on it's own. Enjoy a bit of London!

Couscous Salad with Hummus and Pita

1 ½ cups Couscous

2 cups Chicken Broth

2 medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped and drained on a paper towel

½ cup seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped), finely chopped

½ medium red onion, finely chopped

½ cup Feta cheese, crumbled

¼ cup fresh herbs, finely chopped - It really is up to you what type of herbs you use. I used about 1/2 fresh parsely and 1/4 fresh thyme and 1/4 fresh chives. This is what I had, but experiement with other herbs. Basil would be delicious as would fresh oregeno.

¼ cup Greek salad dressing, I use our House Dressing that I shared in an earlier post for Greek Salad.

Sea salt , to taste, I didn't need any salt as the dressing and Feta cheese is salty, try salad before adding salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Put couscous in a medium bowl. Pour hot chicken broth over and stir. Cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

2. Add chopped vegetables and herbs and stir to mix. Add salad dressing and stir once again.

3. Serve couscous with a handful of your favorite greens, a scoop of your favorite hummus, some  pan grilled pita (check out the technique here) and a lemon wedge or two for squeezing. I drizzled the greens with a bit more of the House Dressing!  That's it! Enjoy!

Yum - Thanks Local Hero!

House Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup canola oil

2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 teaspoons dried oregano

3 teaspoons fresh minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon fresh mint leaves, chopped fine*

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (or to taste)

*the mint leaves are optional but they add a delicious, unique, authentic flavor to the dressing, not minty at all!

1. Place all salad dressing ingredient in a glass jar. Cover and shake well.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Butterhorns with Vanilla Bean Icing - Here, There and Everywhere!

We had a party at work one night not long before I left for England and I made these old fashioned Butterhorns. For me, they bring back sweet memories memory of my dear Mom who recently passed away. With six hungry children, Mom never cooked anything in small quantity. I have vivid memories of coming home from school with wonderful fragrances greeting me before I even stepped into the house. As I walked in the kitchen, it was a sight to behold! The entire kitchen counter would be covered with homemade bread or rolls or these most delicious Butterhorns. I made a single batch and, as you can see from the photos, this recipe makes a ton, but Mom never did anything small - she more than likely made a double or triple batch of these; not that we would complain about that!!

The recipe is from a cookbook that was put together by the ladies of the Lutheran church in West Bend, Wisconsin, the small German/American community where I grew up. The first edition of Our Favorite Recipes came out in 1949 as a fundraiser for the new church they were planning to build.  You can read more about this interesting story and these ingenious, industrious women here. The recipes are fantastic; the proof of that is the sales of the cookbook continue strong after sixty-two years! All the recipes are still published in the original handwriting of the sweet homemaker/authors and the pictures on the cover and with each recipe are classic 1940's caricatures. When I was growing up, this was a standard (and prized) gift to received for a wedding shower. No one was allowed to venture out into "real life" without a copy of Our Favorite Recipes!

                                                                                                            

This is a great recipe not only because the finished product is incredibly delicious, but you make the dough the night before, it requires no kneading, and it is ready to form into flaky, buttery, sweet delicacies when you wake the next morning. The Butterhorns freeze well so it's a great do-ahead recipe if you're planning a brunch or breakfast party. I adapted the recipe just a tiny bit however.......... some things are simply timeless! Enjoy!

Butterhorns

½ cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons dry yeast (1 package)
1 cup milk, 105-115 degrees
2 sticks cold butter
4 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
powdered sugar icing (recipe below)

1. Stir yeast and sugar into warm milk until dissolved. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until foamy.

2. Mix flour and salt and cut in butter with a pastry cutter or by hand until pea-sized (like pie crust dough). Or place dry ingredients in food processor, add butter and pulse until pea-sized. Do not over-process.

3. Add beaten eggs to yeast mixture. Make a well in the middle of the flour/butter and add the liquid. Mix by hand just until all flour in incorporated. Place in refrigerator overnight.

4. In the morning, allow dough to warm up sitting at room temperature for 1 hour. Divide dough into 4 balls. On a generously floured surface, roll each ball into a 14 inch circle and spread with 1 tablespoon softened butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the sugar/cinnamon. Cut into quarters like a pie. Cut each quarter in half. Beginning at the broad end, roll each piece up into a crescent shape. If you want tiny butterhorns, just cut each eighth in half one more time.

5. Place on lightly greased pans. Let rise until double in bulk and bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool or frost with powdered sugar frosting

Powdered Sugar Icing

2 cups of powdered sugar

3 tablespoons milk
1 vanilla bean, cut in half and beans scraped out with knife (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste)

1. Mix ingredients together until well blended. Mixture should be quite thick - it will thin out when you spread it on the rolls. If it is too thin, add a little milk or if too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. You can also just sprinkle these with powdered sugar when they are cooled.