Roast beef, gouda and sauerkraut panini

by Sarah Steimer

Bill and I love making awesome sandwiches. An old roommate of Bill’s once even said that he’s never seen someone make a sandwich that looked so good.

Note: I did not include specific ingredient amounts for this recipe because it really depends on how many sandwiches you’re making, how big the bread is, etc.

• ciabatta bread
• roast beef
• gouda (we used a non-smoked gouda)
• sauerkraut
• spinach
• Dijon mustard

Layer the roast beef, sauerkraut and spinach on the bread – if you work in this order, the spinach acts as a barrier between the sauerkraut and the bread so the bread does not get mushy.

Heat the sandwich in a panini press (I use my small George Foreman machine) or in the oven until the bread is browned. Remove the sandwich’s lid and add the Dijon mustard.

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Merry and Bites: Twice-baked fingerling potatoes

by Sarah Steimer

These potatoes are stuffed with gouda, roasted red pepper and caramelized onions. By the way - those dots on the napkin aren't grease, it started raining while I was shooting.

•  20 fingerling potatoes
• 1/2 cup shredded gouda
• 1 small-medium roasted red pepper, diced small
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 3 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
• olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Pierce the skins of your potatoes and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft enough to easily insert a knife. Do not turn off the oven.

While the potatoes are in the over, caramelize the onions in a pan with olive oil. Set aside.

Once the potatoes have cooled so you can touch them, slice off the top 1/4 of the spuds, length-wise. Scoop out enough potato from the remaining 3/4 so you are left with about /14-inch before you reach the skin. Careful not to scrape all the way through. I found it’s actually easiest to sort of stab the insides of the potato with a fork to loosen it up before scooping.

Place what you cut off/scooped out of the potatoes into a bowl. Add the cheese, yogurt, peppers, onions, salt and pepper. Mash together using the tines of a fork.

Scoop the filling back into the potato “shells” and bake in the oven for another 15 minutes, or until the top is golden.

Everything can be assembled  – except for the last baking – the day before the party and kept in the refrigerator. Right as the party starts, place the potatoes in the oven for their final 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Serves 10 if everyone takes two.

*Throughout December, “Merry and Bites” will feature finger foods with seasonal flair. All of them can be found here. Happy holidays!

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That’s Amore: Squash, broccoli, spinach and corn pizza

by Sarah Steimer

How did I come up with this? The ingredients were fresh and in the fridge.

• pizza dough here (I only used half)
• 1 small squash – zucchini, patty pan, etc.
• 1 small head of broccoli – just the florets
• 2 roma tomatoes, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1 cob of corn, cooked and kernels removed (about 3/4 cup canned or frozen)
• 1/2 cup Gouda, shredded
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon  chives, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Follow these directions for the dough.

Stole the idea of a vinaigrette from Caitlin!

Steam the broccoli until tender.

While the dough begins to brown in the oven, whisk together the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, chives, salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables – except for the spinach and tomatoes – in the vinaigrette.

When the crust is ready, distribute the spinach then sprinkle with most of the cheese. Evenly distribute the mixed vegetables, followed by the tomatoes. Top with the rest of the cheese and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the vegetables and crust are browned.

Serves about four.

Recipe: Sarah Steimer

Photos: Sarah Steimer

*Throughout August, “That’s Amore” will feature our favorite pizza recipes using farmer’s market ingredients — all of which can be found here.

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Cranberry bean and green bean salad with cherry tomatoes

by Sarah Steimer

Maybe not the fanciest salad, but I bought cranberry beans and had to try something.

For the dressing

• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

  It's sort of a shame you have to cook the cranberry beans, because they lose their very cool red speckles and turn sort of... mauve-y.

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

For the salad

•  cups cooked and cooled cranberry beans – either soak them overnight and cook them according to package directions, or cook fresh cranberry beans… of course you could also substitute other beans
• 2 cups fresh green beans, stemmed
• 1 quart cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup diced Gouda, or another soft cheese
• 1 small red onion, diced

Toss the salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing and mix with the salad.

Recipe adapted from: Marcus Samuelsson

Photos: Sarah Steimer

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Grilled, Please: Gouda with rosemary grapes on focaccia

by Sarah Steimer

This Gouda, grape and rosemary grilled cheese tasted like a wine and cheese sampler.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup (or more) seedless red grapes, cut in half
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary or 3/4 teaspoon dried
• salt and pepper
• 4 pieces focaccia (about 4-by-4 inches) cut in half
• 8 ounces Gouda (whatever, eyeball how much you’d like)

Heat olive oil in a pan over low heat. Add grapes and rosemary and cook, stirring constantly, until the grapes begin to brown and the skins start to slip off, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Please taste the grapes before you use them all on the sandwiches, they taste phenomenal. Cooking them really brings out some of the flavors you traditionally find in wine.

Pull out some of the center of each piece of bread to create a well. Brush a small amount of olive oil on the slices and add cheese, grapes and rosemary. Cook either on a pan or in a sandwich maker until browned. This is obvious. Everyone has made a grilled cheese before.

Recipe adapted from: Great Grilled Cheese (See if you can find it at your library! Lots of great recipes.)

Photo: Sarah Steimer

*During the month of February, we’ll post six grilled cheese recipes as part of Grilled, Please — all of which can be found here.

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