Simple Sandwiches and Salads on a Budget
Are you looking for simple, delicious and budget-conscious meals for your family?
As fall kicks into high gear, family schedules get busy and budgets get tighter, so pressed sandwiches and side salads may make an ideal menu for a light family dinner or a pack-and-go lunch. Melissa Perello, owner and head chef of the about-to-open Frances restaurant in San Francisco, shared on "The Early Show" Monday some of her favorite recipes for making tasty Panini sandwiches and accompanying salads for your table.
Don't have a panini maker? Perello shared a way to get around the appliance by putting an aluminum-covered brick on top of your pan for weight.
Perello also shared several diverse flavors of a panini sandwiches. But according to Perello, and the similarities in ingredients in her recipes will help you make the most of your grocery dollar.
As for taking your meal on the go, Perello said for lunch, all you need is the right type of Tupperware and a toaster or toaster oven to get the fresh-toasted taste back into your dish. As for the salad, Perello recommended packing the greens and ingredients separate from the dressing. And when it's lunchtime, Perello said you can just toss everything together and eat.
RECIPES:
Grilled Triple Crème Cheese Sandwich with Walnut Raisin Levain
1 loaf levain bread; 8 slices, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Extra virgin olive oil
6-8 oz triple crème cheese, preferably a mix of cow-sheep or cow-goat (Melissa prefers Adante Dairy's Melange or La Tur mixed milk; St Andre is a commonly found brand)
Brush one side (grill side) of each piece of bread with EVOO; on the other side of four of the slices, slice or smear about 1.5-2 oz of cheese, making sure it's evenly distributed. Top with clean slice of bread, making sure the oil-brushed sides are facing outward.
On a pre-heated Panini press, grill the sandwich on medium hear about 3-4 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. If using a cast iron pan, toast the sandwich on medium heat a few minutes on each side until the bread is nice and golden; you want the cheese to ooze out a bit. Gently press down on the sandwich with a small/light brick or spatula but do not disturb the sandwich while cooking.
Watercress Salad with Muddled Tomato Vinaigrette & Fresh Ricotta Salata
1 large heirloom tomato, (brandy wine, black prince, red preferable) - approx 1 pound, peeled and roughly chopped
Juice and zest of one lemon
4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
2-3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Mixed salad greens (approximately 2-3 oz/person) - watercress, picked parsley and mint leaves
Wedge of fresh ricotta salata, about 4 oz
Muddle tomato and lemon zest in a pint glass with generous pinch of sea salt until thoroughly incorporated. Add 4 Tbsp good EVOO, 2-3 Tbsp Balsamic vinager (to taste) and coarsely ground black pepper to taste.
Shake with a martini shaker to incorporate; season to taste.
Toss greens with tomato vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste. Use a box grater to shave the ricotta salata over finished salad. Keep the ricotta in the freezer for easy grating.
Grilled Peach Salad with Arugula and Pancetta
1 handful fresh mint, picked
12-16 oz arugula or other market greens
2 large "free stone" varietal peaches - firm but ripe
6-8 Tbsp good quality EVOO
2-4 Tbsp Pedro Ximenez (or Oloroso) Sherry
4-6 Tbsp Sherry vinegar
3 Tbsp chopped, toasted Marcona almonds
8-12 slices of pancetta; pan fried or baked until crisp; reserve fat
Wash and split the peaches; remove pits. Quarter and brush each with EVOO, season with salt and black pepper. Grill lightly on a hot, pre-heated grill until caramelized and golden. Drizzle with PX sherry, sherry vinegar and hold in a dish to reserve juices.
Wash greens and combine with picked fresh mint leaves. Drizzle with peach marinade and remaining EVOO, pancetta renderings and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange greens on a dish with peaches on top. Crumble pancetta and sprinkle chopped almonds on top. Serve.
For a grilled panini recipe, go to Page 2.
Grilled PLT (Pancetta, Lemon and Fresh Herb Aioli, Heirloom Tomato Sandwich)
Loaf rustic multi-grain bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices (whole wheat will work well, too)
1-2 ripe heirloom tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Pancetta (3-4 slices/sandwich)
Lay out pieces of pancetta on cookie tray and heat in broiler (or oven) until warm and crisp; reserve fat.*
Lemon and fresh herb aioli:
1 egg yolk
Small clove of garlic, minced
Pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
1/2-cup canola oil
1/2-cup EVOO
Zest and juice of one lemon
Fresh herbs, minced: Sprig thyme, Pinch fresh oregano, 2 leaves mint
In a food processor, pulse garlic, yolk, salt and sugar until frothy; add lemon zest and juice and pulse. Slowly pour in the oils until desired thickness. *for an extra burst of flavor, incorporate some warm rendered pancetta fat into the aioli at this point, and pulse until well-incorporated. Use additional lemon juice or a few drops of warm water to thin, if necessary. Fold in fresh herbs and taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
To assemble, brush one side of each slice of bread with EVOO; spread the other sides of the slices with aioli. Layer two pieces of pancetta on four slices of bread, top with a few slices of tomato and top with two additional slices of pancetta.
On a pre-heated Panini press, grill the sandwich on medium hear about 3-4 minutes. If using a cast iron pan, toast the sandwich on medium heat a few minutes on each side until the bread is nice and golden. Gently press down on the sandwich with a small/light brick or spatula but do not disturb the sandwich while cooking. Slice and serve.