Staving Off the Hungries: Radish and Butter Sandwich

Sometimes when I'm on a cooking spree-- perhaps making ribs, potato salad, and rhubarb tarts-- I get a little too caught up in the task at hand and I forget to eat.  With all of those food smells wafting around the kitchen and the occasional taste to check for seasoning, it feels like I've had a meal when, in fact, I'm running on empty.  Then I might find myself starting to lean against the counter a bit.  Perhaps stirring a little more slowly?  Suddenly the pot feels heavier, the knife feels duller, and the cat is much more likely to get stepped on.  Yes, I've come down with a case of The Hungries.

The Hungries can be the downfall of many a cook.  Other symptoms include snappishness towards kitchen helpers, (cats included), careless measuring, forgetting to set timers, and loud crashes followed by louder cursing.

The only solution to The Hungries is a quick, light snack.  Yes, putting together another dish sounds like a terrible idea at the time, but making the small effort to create a quality snack instead of reaching for a bag of salty mc'crispins will pay off when you aren't filled up on junk food and you can enjoy the fruits of your day-long labor later on.

A delightful spring snack, radish and butter sandwiches can make an excellent cure for The Hungries.  For this open-faced version I topped a slice of good bread with a smear of butter, some arugula fresh from the balcony, sliced French breakfast radishes, and a sprinkle of sea salt.  The whole thing took maybe four minutes to put together.  Making myself take a pause and sit down to mindfully eat this snack was certainly worth the slight delay in my prep work.

Enjoy!

Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Sometimes the simplest meals can be the most satisfying.

Thin slices of a quality white bread to keep things light.  Generous slices of delicious brie and a hearty spread of fig jam.  Toast it in the oven until crisp outside and warm and melty inside.

Serve alongside a mix of fresh sprouts, dressed lightly with a wholegrain mustard vinaigrette.  Add a few green olives for the perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Finish it off with a glass of rose or a square of gourmet dark chocolate.  Sit back and smile.

Mushroom Grilled Cheese

Within the past year or so, I have developed an intense love for mushrooms, particularly cremini mushrooms.  They have become an automatic addition to my grocery basket.  As such, I've begun adding them to all kinds of usually basic dishes.  In a grilled cheese, they add meatiness and substance, as well as a more complex flavor.

• Slice up your mushrooms.
• Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet, then add the mushrooms, stirring frequently as they begin to brown.
• After about a minute, add a dash of white wine.  This is optional, but tasty.  The amount will, of course, depend on how many mushrooms you're cooking.  You just want enough for flavor and it should quickly cook off.  You don't want a lot of excess liquid in the pan.
• While those cook, prepare your bread.  I used a nice, mild sourdough to give just a bit of tang.  Don't cut the slices too thick or it will slow down the cooking later.  Lightly butter one side of each piece.
• Finely grate some gruyere cheese.  Use a microplane or a fine grater so it will melt faster.
• When the mushrooms are browned, spoon them onto one slice of bread (the buttered side should be on the outside of the sandwich).
• Top with cheese and the other slice of bread.
• Place the sandwich in a shallow pan and put under the broiler.  I prefer using the broiler as I find it melts everything together better than in a skillet, but you can use either.
• Flip once after the top begins to brown.
• When it's done, the cheese should be completely melted and both sides beautifully browned.

I served the sandwiches with a simple pile of mache with my favorite home made vinaigrette: a combination of olive oil, white wine vinegar, whole grain mustard, and herbs.

Enjoy!
- Rori