Ham and Cheese Bread

...a delicious savory quick bread featuring a soft, moist interior under a crackled and crunchy crust.

A last-minute tweak to the Sunday brunch menu left piles mountains of sliced ham and cheese hanging out in my fridge. "No problemo," I thought since these basic deli ingredients are incredibly versatile. We love loaded chef's salads, open-faced smorrebrod sandwiches, decadent Monte Cristos or Croque Madames, mac 'n cheese minis with ham... and the list goes on. Initially a few late hour snack attacks partnered the ham and cheese with crackers, mustard and pickles. Impromptu nibbles are the best! but we didn't make a dent in the leftovers. It was time to get serous.

Carb cravings kicked in when I ran across a Patricia Wells quick bread recipe, found in her book, Salad as a Meal. Yes, it would be Ham and Cheese Bread to the rescue! 

Wells called for chunks of ham and French comte cheese cut in 1/4-inch dice, but I worked with the slices of Black Forest ham and smoked gouda cheese already on hand. A rough chop of the presliced ingredients substituted for the specified cubes. It worked. Kalamata olives added some welcome salty, savory notes on day one, a tasty match for za'atar flavored chicken thighs and a Greek salad, but the olives were too dominant the next morning on the toasted slices. Was it the contrast with my mixed fruit breakfast smoothie? maybe. I'll try milder olives in the next loaf, or swap in nuts instead. 

The original recipe called for a 25-30 minute cooking time, but it took 45 minutes in my oven for the center to cook through and a cake tester to come out clean. By then the crust was well past golden, but I really do prefer breads with a crunchy, browned crust. Why so long a cook? was it my oven temperature? was it the glass pan? Some quick online research indicated it might be both, or either, or neither. Sigh. Use the listed cooking times as suggestions, checking often with a tester until the interior is done. 

We loved thin slices from the still warm loaf, without butter or any other accompaniments (like fig jam). Cooled to room temperature the slices offered less of a flavor punch, but still made delicious snacks and led me to thoughts of a savory bread pudding. Toasted breakfast slices were less well-received; I'll blame it on those assertive olives. Nonetheless the entire loaf disappeared in less than 24 hours. Now it's time to plan some flavor and ingredient tweaks for the next loaf, maybe four mini loaves with two for appetizers and two for the freezer. 

Ham and Cheese Quick Bread

recipe largely from "Salad as a Meal" by Patricia Wells

5 TBS extra-virgin olive oil 
1 cups All-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour   
2 level tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
5-oz cheese, chopped or cubed (Fontina, gruyere or swiss)
5-oz cooked ham, chopped or cubed
1/3 cup olives, pitted & halved (Kalamata or pimento-stuffed green)
additional olive oil or cooking spray to coat the loaf pan

1. Place an oven rack in the center; preheat the oven to 400 F. Generously oil bottom and sides of the loaf pan.
2. Use a large bowl and combine thoroughly the first 7 ingredients, olive oil through yogurt. 
3. Add the cheese, ham and olives and stir to incorporate but don't overmix.
4. Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven until the crust is a rich golden color and a cake tester comes out clean. This takes roughly 30 minutes in a metal pan. (It took 45 minutes in my oven using a glass pan)
5. Remove from the oven and place the bread pan on a wire rack to cool. After the loaf cools, tilt it out of the pan to slice and serve at room temperature.

*Patricia Wells notes the loaf can be stored "at room temperature wrapped in foil for up to 3 days."

Orange, Fennel and Olive Salad

One lone fennel bulb remained in the crisper, it's green-grocer partners already used in German potato salad (link), potato hash with sprouts and fennel (link), and a seafood soup (link). One fennel bulb... now what? Fennel has a pronounced anise-like flavor, one that takes center-stage in most dishes, but one small bulb wasn't much to work with. The Flavor Bible lists oranges, black olives and coriander among suggested pairings with fennel so I went with those ingredients to whip up a fast fennel salad. It was a good decision; we loved that flavor combination and the crunch. Salty olives, licoricey fennel and the sweet-tart tang of citrus play well together.   

Orange, Fennel, and Olive Salad

Serves 4        

1 fennel bulb, trimmed, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons fronds

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 oranges (or 4 clementines)

1/4 cup small olives, pitted and halved 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coriander 

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Red-pepper flakes (optional, but recommended)

Directions:

Halve, core, and thinly slice bulb (preferably on a mandoline). In a bowl, toss fennel with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. 

Slice away peel and pith of oranges and cut flesh into segments. Add to bowl with fennel and stir in small olives such as Nicoise, reserved fennel fronds, and extra-virgin olive oil. Season with coriander, coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, and (optional) red-pepper flakes.

Note: this pairs well with fish, as a side dish or as the flavorings in a fish-in-parchment entree.

Watermelon and Feta Salad

Some food memories are more about location than they are about a specific entrée or dining event. The Cow Bay Café in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada fits that description. Years ago we enjoyed a celebration dinner there, memorable for actually being in port to dine out on a birthday or anniversary date as well as for a curry dish of some sort that was both unusual and delicious. Cruising friend Margie O. reported the café was closed but owner Adrienne Johnston had published a cookbook, and I knew I needed to revisit that food memory via the book “no more secrets: recipes from cow bay café”.

Margie delivered a copy to the boat (thank you, girlfriend!) and we’re all set to cook together from the book each month, taking turns choosing which recipe to prepare. She had already tried the watermelon salad so that's the first choice. Ooh, it was gorgeous! How could it miss with the eye-catching red of the watermelon offering a beautiful base for the contrasting creamy white feta, fresh green parsley and purple-black olives?

 The actual taste was a surprise… but not in a good way. The original recipe called for sun-dried black Moroccan olives, a missing ingredient in the boat pantry. I substituted Kalamata olives, not a good choice since even after rinsing they were too assertive to use in this dish. Salty olive was the only flavor our taste buds registered. Brother Mike suggested substituting dried cranberries, the Capt suggested fresh cherries, and I’m still thinking about a less-salty something other than fruit.  Drat! That was one gorgeous plate of red that I was prepared to love. It’s good I only made a half-recipe, that left us the rest of the small watermelon to enjoy for dessert. The Capt. loves watermelon by itself, I prefer it with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Either way watermelon means summer and we're ready to enjoy watermelon for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack - watermelon any time. Bring on the watermelon, but hold the olives.

Watermelon and Feta Salad

with black olives, red onion and parsley

recipe from Adrienne Johnston’s cookbook, “no more secrets, recipes from cow bay café”

4-6 servings

1.5 pounds watermelon, peeled & cut into thin slices

½ small red onion, slices into very thin slivers

¼ cup Italian (flat leaf) parsley, rough chopped

¼ cup Kalamata olives, rinsed & rough chopped**

½ cup feta cheese, cubes or crumbles

Dressing

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon hot sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1. Whisk together the dressing ingredients ahead of time and let the mix chill in the fridge to blend flavors.
2. Place the watermelon slices on a rimmed platter or individual serving plates and scatter the onion, parsley, feta cheese and olives (or fruit) over the top. Drizzle the dressing over the top and enjoy this unusual mix. 

**Note: We found the olives to be too salty & aggressive a flavor; the combination seemed out of balance. In the future I’ll substitute juice-soaked dried cranberries, or in season fresh cherries or strawberries, plus some fresh lemon zest to better highlight the taste of the watermelon.

Fish in Parchment

Fish en Papillote... Take 3

The morning schedule today was chock-a-block full of errands and appointments that had me running all over town, from the south end to downtown and some in-betweens. By lunch time I was ready to either pick up take-out or drive home to pick up the husband and head for the local pub. Food... fast... right now... ran through my mind, repeating over and over like the moving banner on an animated ad. 

STOP! Mutual Fish was on the route home and provided a much healthier solution. I recall that happening once before, when H and I created some delicious variations of fish en papillote (link). My first experience with this technique came in 2012 (link), participating in a cooking challenge with The Daring Cooks, and it has become routine on board the boat. I don't often buy seafood ashore, but when I do it is guaranteed to come from Mutual.

Lunch at home was fast, easy and fabulous, a much better choice today than either take out or eating out... and more affordable even  than splitting a sandwich at our favorite local eatery.

Fish Baked in Parchment

For the fish package:
1 lemon, sliced
1 fat sturgeon steak (or other firm, white fish), roughly 3/4 pound
2 tablespoons tapenade (homemade olive spread)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (mixed Italian parsley and basil today)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 scant tablespoon olive oil 
parchment paper to wrap 1 or 2 bundles

Serving suggestions:
cooked spaghetti or other long strand pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
sprinkle of garlic powder
additional chopped fresh herbs for topping
1/4 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Layer the first 6 ingredients, lemon through olive oil, in the order listed on 10x12-inch piece of parchment paper.
3. Double-fold the long edge to seal; double-fold the ends and tuck under.
4. Place on baking sheet.
5. Repeat with other fillet. (Refrigerate until ready to bake if you make this ahead).
6. Place baking sheet on middle oven rack and bake approximately 12 minutes, depending upon thickness of the fish. At this temperature my oven takes 12-15 minutes per inch of thickness. 
7. Open one parcel to check for doneness; the fish should be opaque and flake easily. Remove the fish from the oven before it is completely done - it will continue to cook for several minutes while out of the oven. Be careful not to overcook your seafood - ever!
8. Serve parcels immediately, still wrapped so each diner can enjoy the fragrant steamy flavors as they open their individual serving. 

OR serve the contents of each parcel (including the juices) on warm plates atop cooked pasta sauced with olive oil and garlic powder. Sprinkle with fresh herbs (and Parmesan and capers if you choose). Serve immediately.

Notes: 

 * If you serve the packages still wrapped, provide a bowl of cooked rice, quinoa or couscous for diners to spoon inside their opened bundle. The juices are too good to leave behind.

 * RL reports a final squeeze of fresh lemon juice is essential, no matter how you serve the fish! 

Pesto Tapenade... or Tapenade Pesto

Artichoke Pesto Tapenade in a Grilled Cheese Sandwich - SRC Reveal

Salty, savory bites are my favorites, no question about that, so those flavors were the drivers in my search for this month's Secret Recipe Club choice. I enjoyed browsing through nearly 4 years worth of Corina's posts at my assigned site, Searching for Spice, a UK blog packed chock full of sweet and savory items. Some sweets, like Rocky Road Squares, did tempt me, and I'll revisit them for the holidays. Corina's Cardamom and Pistachio Ice Cream sounded divine too, but this month I focused on her many savory recipes. Two fish preparations were strong contenders, one a Jamie Oliver recipe for white fish cooked with spinach, olives and tomatoes, and another for fish baked en papillote with olives and lemon. Olives drew my attention again in a tapenade. I sense a pattern there. Unable to decide between recipes for pesto and tapenade, I took the easy route and combined elements of both, adding a few extras along the way. It sounds a bit random, but it worked.   

What's the difference between pesto and tapenade? I Googled both terms and found the following at PoshGourmet:

Pesto [PEH-stoh] — This uncooked, herbal sauce comes from Genoa. Classic method is to combine crushed or chopped fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and olive oil. 

Tapenade [TA-puh-nahd; ta-pe-AHD] — This tasty thick paste comes from Provence. The ‘classic’ ingredients are capers, anchovies, ripe olives, olive oil, lemon juice, and seasonings. It is classified as a condiment.

First up was the tapenade, a chunky mix of green and black olives, capers, fresh basil, lemon zest and juice plus a lot of garlic. Anchovies are traditional, and I do love them in dressings and on pizza, but the saltiness of this mix was already over the top. So I skipped the anchovies and added a dollop of Dijon mustard and a sprinkling of dried Italian herbs instead.

  

After a few quick pulses in a food processor the tapenade was almost what I was looking for - tangy with a bit of a bite. More fresh basil, some toasted pine nuts, a jar of marinated artichoke hearts and a cloud of grated Parmesan cheese joined the party, followed by a few drizzles of olive oil. Mix. Taste. Smile. Adding those traditional pesto ingredients moved the flavors along to a brighter result, less of a one-note, overly-salty, olivey taste. Oh yes, this final combination was seriously delicious!

So what do I call this merging of recipes - pesto or tapenade? Is it a sauce or a condiment? Italian or French? My Artichoke Basil Olive Pesto Tapenade is definitely not a classic...  anything. Who cares?! It is deliciously habit-forming, an assertive, flavorful treat. Yesterday it starred as a quick and easy Pesto Tapenade Sauce for pasta at lunch. Delicioso!

Today it was a Tapenade Pesto Spread that lifted an ordinary grilled cheese sandwich to a whole new level. Scrumptious! 

Use Artichoke Pesto Tapenade to build a muffuletta sandwich, or top a cracker or liven up some crostini. Try it as a pizza topping or ... well, whatever, be adventurous and try it in your galley. 

Artichoke Pesto Tapenade

inspired by 2 recipes from Corina at SearchingforSpice

3 oz pitted green olives
5 oz pitted Kalamata olives
2 Tbs capers, drained & rinsed
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
zest and juice of 1 small lemon 
large handful of fresh basil, roughly torn or chopped
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted in skillet until fragrant
1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained & roughly chopped
a generous pinch of dried Italian Seasoning (blend your favorites)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 - 3 Tbs olive oil (more or less as needed)

Place all ingredients except cheese and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the pieces are roughly the same size, adding olive oil as needed to hold the mix together. Stir in the cheese with a spoon or spatula. Be careful not to overprocess or you will end up with an olive paste, still tasty but really ugly.

Taste and adjust to suit your palate. 
Note: To sauce pasta you may want to add more olive oil to loosen it up, perhaps add some hot pasta water to the tossed pasta and tapenade if you like it even saucier.