Cowboy Sandwich (Ultimate barbecue)

 

                    This brisket sandwich is a twist on the traditional French dip, minus the jus. It gets its kick from the pepper Jack cheese and pickled jalapenos.

4 sandwiches

• 8 thick bread slices
• 4 (1-oz.) pepper Jack cheese slices
• Smoked Beef Brisket, click for recipe
• Pickled jalapenos slices

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet.
3. Top 4 bread slices with pepper Jack cheese slices.
4. Bake at 400F for 5 minutes or until bread toasted and cheese is melted.
5. Top cheese-covered bread slices with warm Smoked Beef Brisket and remaining bread slices.
6. Serve sandwiches topped with pickled jalapenos slices.

BON APPÉTIT

Smoked Beef Brisket with El Sancho Barbecue Sauce (Ultimate BBQ)

 

                    Look for a brisket with a lot of fat and plenty of marbling, and always cook it to medium-rare.

10 to 15 servings

• 1 (12- to 14-lb.) beef brisket, trimmed
• ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup beef rub (recipe below)
• 3 to 4 pecan, hickory, or oak wood chunks
• 15 lb charcoal briquettes
• El Sancho Barbecue Sauce (recipe below)

1. Brush or rub brisket generously with Worcestershire sauce ; coat entire brisket with Beef Rub and chill 1 to 4 hours.
2. Remove brisket from refrigerator, and let stand 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile prepare charcoal fire in smoker ; place water pan in the smoker and regulate temperature with a thermometer to 250F for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Place brisket, fat side down, on top food grate and close smoker ; smoke 5 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the brisket where the point and flat meet registers 165F.
5. Remove brisket from smoker, and wrap tightly in wax-free butcher paper ; return brisket to smoker.
6. Cook 3 to 5 hours more, checking temperature each hour until meat thermometer inserted into the center o the brisket registers 200F.
7. Remove brisket from the smoker, open butcher paper, and allow steam to escape for 2 to 4 minutes ; re-wrap and let brisket stand in butcher paper 2 hours.
8. Remove brisket rom butcher paper, and place on a cutting board, reserving ¼ cup drippings in butcher paper.
9. Slice meat across the grain into ¼-inch-thick slices ; combine drippings and El Sancho Barbacue Sauce, and serve immediately.

Beef Rub

About 2¼ cups

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1 cup coarse tellicherry black pepper
• 3 tablespoons granulated garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground red pepper

1. Stir together all ingredients until well blended.
2. Store in airtight container up 1 month.

El Sancho Barbecue Sauce

                    This Texas-style barbecue sauce is sweet and spicy and ideal with smoked brisket, pulled pork, or even beef ribs.

About 3 cups

• ¼ cup tomato paste
• ½ cup ketchup
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup yellow mustard
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon granulated onion
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon coarse tellicherry black pepper
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup honey

1. Stir together all ingerdients in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat ; simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.
3. Rerigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

BON APPÉTIT

Greek Turkey Burgers

 

                Traditional Greek flavors like feta, red onion, yogurt, and mint make this burger a real winner.

4 servings

• 1½ lb ground turkey breast
• 1 (4 oz) package crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Vegetable cooking spray
• ½ cup grated English cucumber
• 1 (6 oz) container fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 French hamburger buns, split and toasted
• Toppings : lettuce leaves, tomato slices, thinly sliced cucumber, sliced red onion rings

1. Stir together first 6 ingredients ; shape 4 (½-inch-thick) patties.
2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
3. Coat grill pan with cooking spray ; add patties and cook 5 minutes on each side or until done.
4. Stir together cucumber, yogurt, mint, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
5. Serve burgers on buns with cucumber sauce and desired toppings.

BON APPÉTIT

Artichokes, Oven-Roasted Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese

 

                    In this sandwich, the sweetness of oven-roasted tomatoes contrasts beautifully with the acidity of the goat cheese and earthiness of the artichokes.

Makes 2 sandwiches

• 3 ounces fresh goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
• 1½ teaspoons olive oil
• Two 6-inch lengths baguette
• 10 oven-roasted tomato halves 
• One 6-ounce jar quartered marinated artichoke hearts, drained

1. Heat a panini or sandwich press.
2. Combine the goat cheese, basil, and olive oil in a small bowl and mash and stir until the cheese is softened and well combined with the other ingredients.
3. Slice the baguette pieces in half lengthwise and spread some of the goat cheese on the bottom half o each baguette.
4. Arrange the tomatoes and artichokes on top of the goat cheese ; top each sandwich with the top half of the baguette.
5. Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down, and cook until they are browned and crisp, 4 to 7 minutes, depending how hot your machine is.
6. Carefully remove from the press and serve immediately.

BON APPÉTIT

Nutella French Toast

 

                    Serve them for a special breakfast or decadent dessert, may be with some raspberries, sliced strawberries, or sliced bananas and sweetened whipped cream on the side.

                    If your panini press is not reliably nonstick, spray with cooking spray or brush it with melted butter before putting the sandwiches in.

Makes 2 sandwiches

• Four 1-inch-thick slices brioche
• ¼ cup Nutella
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup half-and-half or milk
• 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat a panini or sandwich press.
2. Spread 2 pieces of bread with the nutella ; top each piece with another piece of bread.
3. Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla in a shallow bowl.
4. Place one of the sandwiches in the bowl and then turn it to completely coat it with the egg mixture ; transfer to a platter and let stand for a few seconds.
5. Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down, and cook until the are golden and crisp, 4 to 6 minutes, depending how hot your machine is.
6. Carefully remove from the press, dust with confectioner's sugar et accompagner avec des petits fruits ou des tranches de bananes.

BON APPÉTIT

Catskills Cubano

 

Makes 2 sandwiches

• 2 ciabatta rolls or Italian rolls or 6-inch lengths of soft italian bread
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 4 thin slices (about 2 ounces) Swiss cheese
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped pickled jalapenos or more to taste
• 4 thin slices (about 2 ounces) Serrano ham, prosciutto, or cured ham
• 4 thin slices (about 2 ounces) roast pork

1. Heat the panini or sandwich press.
2. Split the rolls in half ; spread 1 tablespoon of mustard over the cut side of the bottom half of each roll.
3. Place a slice of cheese on top of the mustard ; sprinkle with the pickled jalapenos.
4. Lay 2 slices of ham over the jalapenos ; arrange the pork on top of the ham and top with the top halves of the rolls.
5. Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down, and cook until the are browned and crisp, 4 to 7 minutes, depending on how hot your machine is.
6. Carefully remove from the press and serve immediately.

BON APPÉTIT

Ham, Brie, and Apple French Toast

 

                    This is a great sandwich for the fall, when local apples are available and you start to crave something warm and filling. Dipped in egg, it makes a terrific weekend breakfast or brunch sandwich.

Makes 2 sandwiches

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Pinch of salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Four ½-inch-thick slices brioche
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 6 thin slices (about 3 ounces) Black Forest or other ham
• ½ apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 3 ounces Brie, thinly sliced

1. Heat a panini or sandwich press.
2. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat together the eggs, salt, and pepper, and carefully dip the brioche slices in the egg to coat.
3. Carefully place the slices on the panini press and pull te top down ; cook until they are evenly browned, 2 to 3 minutes, remove to a work surface.
4. Spread a teaspoon of mustard on each slice of French toast ; arrange the ham on top of two slices.
5. Arrange the apples on top of the ham ; arrange the cheese on top of the apples.
6. Top the sandwiches with the remaining bread slices, mustard side down.
7. Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down, and cook until they are browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, depending on how hot your machine is.
8. Carefully remove from the press and serve immediately.

BON APPÉTIT