Thank all the gods ..it's Friday!! Eat Panini!!

Good morning , my foodies, food porn stars, et al, 

Sic hoc legere scis nimium eruditiones habes!

     We are ignoring Thursday on purpose...la la la la la la ..it never happened.  I am amazed at all the confusion and miscommunication and insanity around me lately...and it's not just me....It's that damn Saturn Retrograde!! 

 

     Because Saturn definitely brings lessons into our lives, then you can say that these lessons are karma working in our lives. Retrograde motion pulls back and gives you an opportunity to take care of your past (old business). The past that needs to be resolved is directly related to the planet involved.

    When Saturn is retrograde, he is sending you back to your room to think very carefully about what you are doing, goals you have started working towards and the commitments you have made.  A sane person is well justified in asking: what is the purpose of such arduous experience? The answer is to comprehensively teach, develop, and empower us toward becoming a perfected spiritual being. For those who do not rebel against Saturn’s lessons ennobled character, spiritual refinement, and invaluable life wisdom become the most notable rewards. While in Libra Saturn is teaching us to develop exemplary levels self-discipline, diplomatic ability, relationship strength, selflessness, and patience. It is also teaching us profound lessons about the nature of time, peacemaking, and maintaining internal equilibrium. To truly test and develop these qualities we are thrown into the fire so-to-speak, alchemical fire, which manifests through the various life trials we have and will experience. Saturn operates in an environment of extreme discomfort but in this way its lessons are life lasting. In truth, some lessons are only learned, as it were, the hard way. The “School of Hard Knocks” belongs to Saturn. 

   There are typically two kinds of response to a Saturn retrograde: one may feature the famous change to what we thought was solid and sure, basically a replacement of what was sure with what’s uncertain, or we may be freed-up from restrictions or containment–it can be a time of realizing that our reality is not bound in quite the way we thought it was. So, we can see either of these basic approaches (or both, as some people experience one internally, one externally) applied to difficult-but-smart communications, a reality or materially-based relationship or earning/ financial situation, and perhaps a challenge: those ambitions and desires you’ve been working to solidify just might happen (or dissolve once and for all into dust) at this point–are you ready to get what you want? Or do you believe something will be taken away from you?

 *  Ok if you say so..it sure as hell was unique and special..Good news...It's over! woo hoo hoo.  UMM what lessons did I learn?  NEVERMIND.

 

I am not particularly enamored of cooking indoors in summer heat...correction I dont do it unless corerced..and feeling guilty.  Me? I like sandwiches and salads and grilled foods. 

     Now basically I am a simple person (and lazy, I fear)- foodwise anyways.  When I was a kid lived on american cheese sandwiches (sometimes with sweet pickle relish) and sandwich spread sandwiches (a commerical preparation of mayonaise, and sweet pickle relish), amd lettuce and tomato sandwiches...you though I was kidding when I said I didn't eat meat, I bet.  I also didn't like store bought cookies, but I LOVED potato chips which I never got for lunch (go figure)...and yes, NO ONE ever wanted to trade lunches with me.,..surprised?   I was always so jealous of the kids whose mom gave the little plastic baggies of Nestle's Quick Powder to mix in their milk cartoon.. spoiled, rich kids..pfft!. 

    Now my sandwich fillings have gotten more exotic..I have move into the world of turkey and chicken..and about once a year I lose my senses completely and eat a genoa salami sandwich with provolone cheese. 

   One of my favorite places to eat is Panera Bread... ohh the delights..soups of many varieties and even more salads to fantasize about and sandwiches and paninis...and of course hot baked BREAD!  We wont even discuss the pastries and bagels...

   So, I thought, since no one want my cheese sandwich recipe (2 slices of white bead, one slice of american cheese and eat... my mother had it so easy..my brother was the same way..2 slices of white bread and one slice of weaver's chocken roll  no comdiments.... we were basically a condimentless family)  I would post some intersting sandwiches I do like to eat (look for themes).

1) Chicken and Pancetta Panini with Fontina, Arugula and Provençale Mustard

(sounds daunting ..is easy)

Serves 6 (or 3 really hungry people)

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon olive oil plus additional oil for brushing grill

12 thin slices pancetta**

2 cups shredded Italian Fontina***

1 bunch arugula leaves****

6 teaspoons Provencale or tarragon or any herbed mustard (I will add a simple recipe after)

6 (4" x 4") squares focaccia (any kind), split horizontally

Heat a panini grill or grill pan over a low flame.

Place each chicken breast between two sheets of waxed paper; gently pound with a meat mallet or the bottom of a small heavy saucepan until evenly thick. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat one teaspoon olive oil over a medium flame. Cook pancetta in batches until golden. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, lightly brush grill or grill pan with olive oil. Working in batches, grill chicken, covered, just until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

To assemble the panini, place a chicken breast on the bottom half of each square of focaccia. Top with 2 slices pancetta, 1/3 cup Fontina, and 3 or 4 arugula leaves. Spread one teaspoon mustard on other half of bread and place on top of arugula. With the palm of your hand, press down gently. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

Place one or two panini on grill or in pan; cover and cook until cheese melts and bread is toasted, about 5 minutes. Slice each sandwich in half. Repeat with remaining panini.

( no panini pan or grill?  fear not..heat a heavy fry pan..just about a tsp of olive oil..spread it around a paper towel on the bottom..put sandwich in, my nonna used a plate on top and push down..cook a few min and flip and repeat)

(I often will but a bunch of boneless chicken breasts and cook on the outside grill and ziploc into the fridge for easy meals)

**Panchetta (pronounciation pan - CHET- uh)...Pancetta is often called Italian bacon. That's a true enough description, but unlike American bacon, which is most often smoked, pancetta is unsmoked pork belly that is cured in salt and spices such as nutmeg, pepper and fennel. It's then dried for a few months. Outside of Italy, pancetta most often comes rolled (rotolata) so that the fat and muscle spiral around each other. Rolled pancetta is normally cut into circular paper-thin slices before being fried, while slab pancetta is usually chopped or diced before being added to a dish.

***Fontina Cheese -  is a classic Italian cheese. Fontina can be semisoft to firm in texture, with a range of flavors from mild and creamy to more intense and pungent. The cheese is quite popular in Italian cuisine, especially in the region around the Alps where the cheese originates.  All fontinas must be made from cow's milk. As a general rule, the milk is usually raw, and the best fontina cheese is made from milk which is as fresh as possible. The interior of the cheese tends to be a rich straw yellow to pale cream in color, and it is classically riddled with very small holes. The milkfat content is usually around 45%, so the cheese tends to be very rich and creamy, with a nutty flavor which gets stronger with aging. The cheese also melts very well.

**** Arugula ( pronounciation /əˈRUːɡjʊlə/)-  Arugula is a spicy green leafy plant, which some describe as bitter and others characterize as having a "peppery-mustardy" flavor. It is also known as rocket, roquette, rugula and rucola, and is popular in Italian cuisine. I like it, but I prefer it "tamed" in flavor by having it with other foods, like on a sandwich with fresh mozzarella and tomato! It's tasty in salads, too.

***** Focaccia (pronunciation: fo-KA-cha) The word Focaccia refers to a type of Italian yeast bread baked in flat sheet pans. Focaccia dough is flavored with olive oil and sometimes topped with herbs and other vegetables.  Focaccia bread is made using a strong flour, such as bread flour which is high in gluten. The dough is rolled out, placed into the sheet pan and then brushed with a generous amount of olive oil. After the dough proofs, the baker will use fingertips to press little dimples into the focaccia dough. The focaccia dough is then topped with coarse salt and herbs, frequently rosemary, and any other toppings. Common focaccia bread toppings include olives, mushrooms, green onions or tomatoes.


Simple Recipe For Provençale Mustard:


1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon white wine
1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
freshly ground black pepper


In a medium bowl, combine purée, mustard, wine and herbs. Season with black pepper to taste. Chill until ready to use.

2) Roast Turkey Panini with, Pesto, Roasted Red Peppers and Fontina

1/4 cup prepared basil pesto

8 slices ciabatta bread or other rustic Italian white bread, thinly sliced

8 ounces very thinly sliced roast turkey breast

1 roasted red bell pepper, stemmed, skin and seeds removed, cut into thin strips

6 ounces fontina cheese, thinly sliced, to cover the bread slices

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Arrange the slices of bread on a flat work surface and, using a small spoon, divide the pesto evenly among 1 side of each of the bread slices.

Divide the turkey, roasted pepper strips, and fontina equally among 4 of the bread slices. Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread, pesto sides down, to form 4 sandwiches.

Brush the outsides of each sandwich lightly with some of the olive oil.

Heat a large skillet, griddle, or grill pan over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the sandwiches and cook until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted, pressing occasionally with a large metal spatula or the bottom of a small heavy saucepan, about 4 minutes per side. Remove sandwiches and transfer to a cutting board. Slice in half on the diagonal and serve immediately.

this one is from Emeril Lagasse, nice Massachusetts boy

my recipe for easy pesto:

 

How to Make Pesto like an Italian Grandmother

One key to perfect pesto is chopping all the ingredients by hand, preferably with a sharp mezzaluna or knife. This pesto will keep a bit in the refrigerator, but it really hits its peak when served soon after it is made. The technique here is: chop a bit, add some ingredients, chop some more. I think part of the reason she does it this way (instead of chopping everything all at once) is because some things get chopped into oblivion, while some not as much - it encourages specturm of cut sizes throughout the pesto contributing to the overall texture. All told, the chopping took me a leisurely twenty to thirty minutes, I wasn't in any particular rush.

You'll notice this recipe doesn't have any added salt (just the saltiness from the cheese), make sure your pasta water is well salted if you are going to use this pesto on pasta or the overall flavor profile will fall flat. Also, be sure to adjust for seasoning before serving. With food this simple, you need to get the seasoning right.

Recipe for Pesto

1 large bunch of basil, leaves only, washed and dried
3 medium cloves of garlic
one small handful of pine nuts
roughly 3/4 cup Parmesan, loosely packed and FRESHLY GRATED
A few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

Start chopping the garlic along with about 1/3 of the basil leaves. Once this is loosely chopped add more basil, chop some more, add the rest of the basil, chop some more. I scrape and chop, gather and chop. At this point the basil and garlic should be a very fine mince. Add about half the pine nuts, chop. Add the rest of the pine nuts, chop. Add half of the Parmesan, chop. Add the rest of the Parmesan, and chop. In the end you want a chop so fine that you can press all the ingredients into a basil "cake".  Transfer the pesto  to a small bowl. Cover with a bit of olive oil, it doesn't take much, just a few tablespoons.
You can set this aside or place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Just before serving give the pesto a quick stir to incorporate some of the oil into the basil.

NB..this is wonderful on cooked pasta too...mm you can add some cooked panchetta for more flavor.