Mini Croques-Monsieur

"Fromage S'il Vous Plait!" (Cheese If You Please), the theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). I've made Mini Croques-Monsieur, which according to Jacques Pepin, these mini sandwiches can be prepared ahead and baked as needed for a large party or wedding reception. Well, I made this for our afternoon light lunch.

Ham slices and cheese are sandwiched between two slices of white bread, which is buttered and toasted till brown and crispy.  I've used yellow cheddar cheese.

Cut into mini squares to serve. My kids rather enjoyed these cute little mini sandwiches.

Mini Croques-Monsieur
(adapted from "More Fast Food My Way", Jacques Pepin)
makes 6 mini sandwiches

Arrange 2 thick slices white bread next to one another on the counter and cover 1 slice completely with slices of cheese. Add 1 slice ham to cover the cheese and then add another layer of cheese and ham before finishing with the other slice of bread. Spread about 1 teaspoon butter on each side of the sandwich and arrange it on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for about 12 minutes, or until the croque-monsieur is brown and crusty on both sides. Cool for about 5 minutes. Trim off the crust if you like and cut into 6 small rectangles. Serve hot with toothpicks.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week 

"Fromage S'il Vous Plait!" (Cheese If You Please)

Italian BBQ Chicken Burgers

During the Big Bad Wolf book sale last December, I bought Rachel Ray's "The Book Of Burger". I have been eyeing this book ever since it was published more than a year ago, and I was all smiles when I've spotted the only copy that nobody seems to notice or maybe nobody wants it! Lucky me! There was only one copy of this book, and I guess it was meant to be mine!  Big smile!

There are lots of burger recipes (127 recipes), as well as sandwiches and dogs (27 recipes), sliders (29 recipes), sloppies (19 recipes), which are divided into chapters for meat, poultry, seafood, veggie, and there are separate chapters for sides and sauces. There's even a chapter where other chefs like Bobby Flay, Michael Symon and others, share their burger recipes. A lovely book!

My first recipe from this book is Italian BBQ Chicken Burger which I've made for one of our weekend night dinner, using my homemade buns.

You would first need to make the BBQ sauce, which has bacons in it. The recipe calls for pancetta, since this ingredient is not available, I've used bacon instead. The ingredients for the sauce are bacon, onion, balsamic vinegar, light brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce. Cook till the sauce thickens. Very delicious sauce, though I've got to add in a little more brown sugar to balance out the sourness. 

Another ingredient for the garnish is giardiniera, an Italian hot pickled vegetables, which is new to me. I have however used my Homemade Jalapenos, drained and chopped to pieces.

The chicken burger patties uses fennel seeds which are toasted before mixing into the minced chicken together with chopped thymes, rosemary, chilli flakes, cheese, garlic, poultry seasoning and season with salt and black pepper. Very fragrant from the fennel seeds and these patties are moist and delicious. 
Tip : to ensure that the patties are adequately seasoned, cook half a teaspoon of the mixture to test. Adjust the seasoning to the patties mixture accordingly, if needed.

Assemble the burger! I have used fresh lettuce leaves and added a slice of cheese, place one chicken patty burger, spoon the BBQ sauce over and sprinkle some pickles and sliced onions over. Enjoy!
I like my burger with more Pickled Jalapenos and sliced fresh onions!

For the burger buns, you may refer to my previous post, Hamburger Rolls.

For the pickled Jalapenos, you may refer to my previous post, Pickled Jalapenos.

Italian BBQ Chicken Burgers
(adapted from "The Book of Burger", Rachel Ray)
Sauce :
2 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), plus more for drizzling
1/4 pound pancetta, chopped (I use bacon)
1 small onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup or 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

Burgers :
2 pounds ground chicken
2/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese (a couple of generous handfuls) (I use Cheddar)
4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

4 crustry rolls, split
thinly sliced red onions
chopped giardiniera (Italian hot pickled vegetables) (I use Homemade Pickled Jalapenos)
1-1/2 to 2 cups greens (such as arugula, endive and radicchio), chopped

Make the sauce :

Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and season with salt and lots of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato sauce. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

Make the burgers :

In a large bowlk, combine the chicken, Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic, rosemary, thyme, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and poultry seasoning; season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Score the mixture into 4 equal portions and form them into patties slightly thinner at the center than at the edges for even cooking and to ensure a flat surface (burgers plump as they cook). Drizzle the patties with EVOO.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the burgers, flipping once, 10 to 12 minutes, or until the juices run clear.

Place the burgers on the roll bottoms and top with the sauce, red onions, giardiniera, and chopped greens. Set the rolls top in place.

CB3/14

I'm linking this with :

Cook-Your-Books #8 hosted by Kitchen Flavours

and

See Ya In The Gumbo @ Ms. enPlace

Souper Sundays @ Kahakai Kitchen

Ham and Green Coral Blini Sandwiches : IHCC

"Sandwich Sensations!", our theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). I think most of us love sandwiches, burgers or wraps. They make a great meal for breakfast, lunch, and even dinner. I was looking through Donna Hay's website, and found this wonderful blini recipe that makes a delicious sandwich.

The original name of this sandwich is Smoked Chicken and Fennel Blini Sandwiches, which uses smoked chicken slices and young baby fennel. I do not have both these ingredients and have replaced with sandwich ham and green coral leaves instead. 

First, make the blinis. Very simple and easy, these are actually a thicker and bigger version of pancakes. The recipes uses plain flour with a little amount of buckwheat flour, but I have used all plain flour instead. Mix the dry ingredients, flour, salt, yeast in a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and sour cream (I used homemade yoghurt) until lukewarm and whisk in the egg yolks. Stir into the dry ingredients, and keep covered with a damp tea towel in a warm place for 30 minuts until bubbles appear on the surface. The egg whites are then whisked to soft peaks and stirred into the mixture to combine. Grate two garlic cloves and add that to the mixture, mixing it well. Heat a saucepan, lightly greased, and scoop about 1/3 cup, spreading the batter into a round. Cook until bubbles appear on surface, flip blini over, and cook the other side. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

I have made double the amount of recipe for the blinis, and got me 5 large blinis (about 18cm diameter).

Prepare the mayonnaise spread. Mix the mayonnaise (I use the regular mayonnaise) with grated lemon zest in a bowl. Both my kids and myself, love this mayonnaise-lemon zest mixture! It is so good, I would use this combination when I use mayonnaise for sandwich the next time! Smells so lemony nice!

To assemble the blini sandwiches : Spread a generous amount of the mayo-lemon mixture on one blini, place some salad greens over, top with some sliced deli ham, and sprinkle some shredded basil leaves over. Top with another piece of blini over.

Ham and Green Coral Blini Sandwiches

Slice to quarters and serve. This is so delicious! If you have not tried the combination of mayo-lemon zest, do give it a try. The blinis are soft-tender, very tasty and has a light fragrance from the garlic, which is really very pleasant, a great addition for a savoury touch. Though I have not used any fresh fennel, as it is not always available here, the green coral works very well, I guess, any green veggies that works in a salad would be great. I wanted to add some sliced cucumbers, but I have forgotten to buy them, only realised that when I reached home from the supermarket!

Overall review : A delicious blini sandwich. My kids and myself, we had a most delicious lunch! Yum!

note : my changes in blue
Smoked Chicken and Fennel Blini Sandwiches
(adapted from Donnahay.com)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 quantity basic blini mixture, (see basic blini recipe)
1/4 cup (75gm) whole-egg mayonnaise
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
1 baby fennel, thinly sliced (green coral leaves)
1/2 cup basil leaves
1x160gm smoked chicken breast fillet, sliced (sandwich ham slices)
1/4 cup chopped chives
lemon wedges, to serve

Fold the garlic through the blini mixture. Heat a lightly greased non-stick 18cm-frying pan over medium heat. Spoon half of the blini mixture into the pan and spread to cover the base. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until golden. Repeat with remaining blini mixture. Allow to cool.

Place the mayonnaise and lemon rind in a bowl and stir to combine. Spread one of the blinis with the mayonnaise mixture and top with fennel, basil, chicken and chives. Sandwich with the remaining blini, cut into wedges and serve with lemon. Serves 4.


Basic Blini
(adapted from Donnahay.com)
2/3 cups (100gm) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
1/4 cup (35gm) buckwheat flour, sifted (plain flour)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
1/3 cup (80gm) sour cream (homemade yoghurt)
1 egg, separated

Place the plain and buckwheat flours, salt and yeast in a bowl and stir to combine. Place the milk and sour cream in a saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until lukewarm. Add the egg yolk and whisk to combine. Gradually add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Cover with a clean, damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.

Whisk the egg white until soft peaks form, add to the mixture and stir well to combine. Heat a lightly greased, large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook teaspoonfuls of the mixture for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool. Makes 30.

To see what everyone are having for breakfast, drop by IHCC. You might just be inspired to join us! For more details about joining in, click here.

And I'm sharing this post with :
See Ya In The Gumbo @ Ms. enPlace
Souper Sundays @ Kahakai Kitchen

Rachael's Burger and KAF's Buns

Another winning recipe from Rachael Ray! This is a delicious burger with a fantastic sauce and a wonderful drizzle! I had this for dinner on the weekend as it was only me and the kids. It does take a little extra work but they are simple and the end result is just fabulous! I first saw this gorgeous burger from Brenda's Canadian Kitchen, before I bought Rachael's book Look+Cook, and I knew that I will make this sooner or later. This delicious burger together with homemade buns makes a satisfying meal!

The Bun :
This bun recipe is from one my favourite site, King Arthur Flour. Again, the first time I came to know of this recipe  from Brenda's Canadian Kitchen! (Hi Brenda! thanks!). As what Brenda says, and I totally agree, you will never buy buns from the store again! This is the best burger bun there is! It is soft and everything what a burger bun should be. Buying burger buns from the bakery will only be a last resort for me now! I have bought burger buns from the bakery before and it is not always fresh and soft. Read all the great reviews of this bun here.

I'm submitting this to Aspiring Bakers, hosted by The Sweetylicious where the theme for the month of June is "Bread Seduction". 

Beautiful Burger Buns
(source from King Arthur Flour)
Yield : 8 large buns
3/4 to 1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons butter
1 large egg
3-1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (I use 2 cups bread flour + 1-1/2 cup AP Flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast
3 tablespoons melted butter (for glazing)
* For best results (a smooth, slightly soft dough), use the smaller amount of water in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate), and something in between the rest of the time.

1. Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients - by hand, mixer, or bread machine - to make a soft, smooth dough. (I use the bread machine)
2. Cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until it's nearly doubled in bulk. (My dough took about an hour).
3. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball, flatten to about 3" across. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about an hour, until noticeably puffy. (My buns took about 30 minutes!)
4. Brush the buns with about half of the melted butter. 
5. Bake the buns in a preheated 375F oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Remove them from the oven, and brush with the remaining melted butter. This will give the buns a satiny, buttery crust.
6. Cool the buns on a rack.

***************

The Burger : 
Sirloin Burgers with Garlic-Black Pepper-Parmesan Sauce & Roasted Tomatoes with Basil & Balsamic Drizzle.

That's a long name for a burger! This burger does take a little extra steps to prepare, but it is worth the effort. I used ground pork instead of ground sirloin. While the burger itself is just seasoned with a little salt and pepper, the sauce and drizzle is just fantastic. The sauce is prepared by cooking the milk, garlic, and black pepper with a little flour until thickens and the cheese is stirred in. Really good! The balsamic vinegar is cooked by mixing with a little brown sugar and boils until thick and syrupy. This makes a lovely drizzle on the burger. If you are a burger fan, this is a must-try!  

Thick slices of ripened tomatoes are drizzled with olive oil, season with a little salt and pepper, and baked in the oven for 45 minutes until caramelized! Beautiful!

Delicious burger. We did top it up with more lettuce, lovely!

I'm linking this with Saturdays with Rachael Ray at Taste and Tell

Sirloin Burgers with Garlic-Black Pepper-Parmesan Sauce & Roasted Tomatoes with Basil & Balsamic Drizzle
(adapted from "Look+Cook" by Rachael Ray)
Serves 4
3 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
2 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), plus more for drizzling
salt and pepper, plus 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 pounds coarse-ground sirloin
3 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (I use cheddar cheese)
Balsamic drizzle, store-bought, or reduce 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar with 3 tablespoons brown sugar over medium heat until thick and syrupy, a couple minutes
7 to 8 red leaf or red romaine lettuce leaves, shredded
4 kaiser rolls, toasted
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, 8 to 10 leaves, thinly slice

Preheat the oven to 325F. Place a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the tomatoes on the rack, then drizzle with a touch of EVOO and season the tomato slices with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for 45 minutes, or until tender and caramelized. Set aside.

When the tomatoes are about ready, place a large skillet over a medium-high heat with the 2 tablespoons of EVOO. 

While the pan is heating up, combine the sirloin with some salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 4 patties thicker at the edges and thinner in the centre for even cooking and to ensure you end up with a flat burger (the burgers will bulge up during cooking). Cook the patties for 10 minutes for medium-rare, turning once. Cook for 12 minutes for pink centers and 14 minutes for well-done.

While the patties are cooking, place a small pot over medium heat with the butter. Add the garlic to the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute. Add the flour to the pan and cook for 1 minute more. Season with salt and the coarse black pepper. Whisk the milk into the butter-flour mixture and bring up to a bubble. Simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the grated cheese. Prepare a balsamic drizzle in a small pot if not using store-bought.

To assemble, place some lettuce on each bun bottom and top it with a burger patty. Pour garlic-black pepper-parmesan sauce over the top, set the roasted tomatoes in the sauce, scatter basil over the tomatoes, and garnish with balsamic drizzle. Set the bun tops in place and serve.

  ******

Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise

This chicken burger is delicious. Why shouldn't it be? Because this recipe is from the famous, Giada De Laurentiis, taken from www.foodnetwork.com. Rosemary, garlic and mayonnaise work out great together, both in the burger as well as on the buns. The addition of this mixture in the burger makes it really moist, tender and absolutely delicious! Even though the recipes calls for the burger to be grilled, I fry it in very little oil in a non-stick pan. Drain on paper towel, then toast the burger buns a minute or two in the pan, and it's ready to be enjoyed.

This is so simple and so easy that it takes only minutes to prepare, and really delicious! My kids are already asking me to make this again!

This is the first Giada's recipe that I tried. Check out the great reviews from foodnetwork on this burger recipe.  Now I'm really looking forward to her other recipes.  No idea what to prepare for your weekend lunch? Try this!

Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise
(source from : www.foodnetwork.com courtesy Giada De Laurentiis)
Prep. Time : 20 min
Cook Time : 15 min
Serves : 4 servings (I got 5 good-sized burgers)

Ingredients :
Mayonnaise :
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 clove garlic, minced

Burgers :
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 sandwich rolls or burger buns
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup arugula, divided

Directions :
For the mayonnaise: In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, garlic and rosemary. Set aside.

For the burgers : Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or place a grill pan over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture. Using clean hands, gently combine the ingredients and form the chicken mixture into 4 patties. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes.

Brush the cut side of each roll with the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden.

To assemble the burgers : Spread a dollop of the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns. Place the chicken burgers on the bottom halves of the buns. Top each with 1/4 cup of arugula and finish with the top half of the buns.