The Purple Foodie

My Favourite Egg Sandwich

December 8, 2011

Egg Sandwich

I’ve never liked eating an egg more than I’ve liked it in this egg sandwich.

This sandwich is absolutely simple to make, and the return that you get on the time and ingredients invested is manifold. I’ve been eating an egg sandwich this way since I discovered it a little while ago, and I recently introduced Arjun to it. It’s pretty much become a staple that we snack on every now and then, when it’s not quite dinner time yet.

The egg sandwich is basically chopped up boiled eggs, a few olives and a squeeze of mayo, mixed together (maybe some fresh herbs if you’ve got them around) and spooned over toasted bread slices or in a baguette layered with crispy lettuce. That’s it.

What’s critical here is to boil the egg right. We don’t want to end up with unappetizing greenish yolks. Also, we don’t need the yolks to be very firm – they need to mash easily and lend to the creaminess on mixing with the mayo. For this, place the eggs submerged in water and boil it for five minutes over a low heat, and then turn off the heat and let it continue to sit in there for another five minutes.

I’m also a bit finicky about how I toast my bread. I don’t like putting it in the toaster where it gets crispy on both the sides. Instead, I place two slices one on top of another and pop them in the toaster oven for five minutes, so just the outer surfaces of the bread get crispy, while the inner sides steam up a bit and soften. Once the bread has browned a little, it’s ready for making the sandwich.

Egg Sandwich Recipe

Loosely adapted from 101 Cookbooks
Serves: 2

4 eggs, boiled and chopped
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp kalamata olives, chopped
4 slices of multigrain bread
A handful of lettuce
A slice or two of chicken, turkey or bacon ham. Thin slices of smoked meat taste fabulous.

In a bowl, mix together the chopped eggs and mayonnaise. Mash it a bit as you go, but don’t over do it. Stir in the olives.
For assembling the sandwiches, first place the lettuce on the toasted bread, then spoon over the egg mixture and finally top it with a slice of whatever meat you’re using.
Eat up!

{ 27 comments }

Rosemary, Walnut and Brown Sugar Cookies

December 3, 2011

Rosemary and Walnut Cookies

It’s weird that just when I get pots of fresh herbs, I stop using them in my cooking. Suddenly, I don’t need them all that much. And when I don’t have them, I keep getting smacked in the face recipe after recipe that calls for ‘a sprig of thyme’ (which doesn’t warrant buying an entire packet) or a teaspoon of marjoram (that’s not always available at the supermarket).

I bought two pots of herbs recently: basil and rosemary. The basil keeps getting plucked for the tomato basil sauce while rosemary is used off and on to make pan roasted potatoes. Lately, I’m trying to put my herbs to use more than usual because I’m afraid they won’t survive the winter.

Today, I made cookies with rosemary. Buttery crisp and not too sweet, speckled with fresh rosemary and toasted walnuts. I do think that rosemary and walnut is a match made in heaven (but then I discovered that a while ago) and thrown together with soft brown sugar makes for a winning recipe. Because they’re not overtly sweet, you can even indulge with a bit of the best caramel sauce on top (sorry, I’m kinda obsessed).

Some pointers:

The cookies are unleavened – so all the volume the we need needs to be whipped into it when mixing the butter and sugar followed by the eggs.
Bake the cookies until they’re golden-brown on the edges… they’ll be soft so you might think you need to bake them longer, but they are going to firm up on cooling. If after cooling, they’re still a tad soft in the centre, then you can pop them into the oven for a couple more minutes.
When you add the rosemary to the butter, beat it for a minute of so for the flavour of rosemary to really meld into the butter. Alternatively, you could also rub the rosemary with the sugar together so that the heat from your fingertips released the oils into the sugar and makes the cookies that much more fragrant.

Rosemary, Walnut and Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe

120g butter
75g brown sugar
1-2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 egg yolk
50g walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely ground
180g flour
1 tsp salt|
Sea salt flakes for sprinkling on the cookies

Equipment: Silico ne baking mat (USA | UK)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170C.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the chopped rosemary and continue to beat for a minute before you add the egg yolk.
Once fully combined, fold in the flour along with the walnuts and salt until it forms a dough.
Transfer to a work surface, roll into a log and wrap it up with cling film. Refrigerate for 2 hours or so.
Next, cut the log of dough into discs and place them on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Bake for 9-12 minutes. The baking time may vary based on the size of the discs, so keep an eye on that oven door. This time is for cookies that are 1.5 inches in diameter and 1/4th-15/th of an inch thick.
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.

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Book Giveaway: Ferran

December 1, 2011

Ferran: The Inside Story of El Bulli and the Man Who Reinvented Food.

Ferran by Coleman Andrews is a biography of the man who pretty much changed how food is perceived – the man at the helm of the world’s best restaurant, El Bulli (2006 through 2009). This book was first released in October 2010, and is now updated with facts that everybody knows: Noma being No. 1, and the doors of El Bulli now closed and what I quite enjoyed- the last day at El Bulli.

In this book, we do get a closer look at Ferran Adrià’s professional life, although I would have loved to read about the thought process involved in coming up with menus, recipes and all the other thousand thoughts in his head about food. Maybe I’ll just have to watch the El Bulli movie for that. Who would have though that the man that made molecular gastronomy (or avant garde cuisine, as he calls it) fashionable and is deemed to be the best chef in the world is so humble: ”Every time he came to town he like to stay at a little thirty-euro hotel in Montparnasse.”

Colman Andrew almost idolizes Ferran, and statements like “from the time he first gave this project his blessings” lead to the thought that this is not an unbiased biography. I mean, of course one has to be in utter awe of a person to actually invest two years of their life to such a project. But sometimes it just sounds too mushy.

Thanks to the good folks at Gotham books, one copy of the new book is up for a giveaway. Just leave comment below to enter. Giveaway open to all until 8th December. A random winner will be selected and announced on 9th December.

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24 Hours of Eating in Brussels

November 29, 2011

Fall in Brussels

The best part about living in mainland Europe is that a new city is never too far, making it especially conducive to impromptu weekend trips. Like this one in Brussels.

Brussels gave me the quirky vibe. I love it for the random art installation on the streets, the soothing Beethoven playing on the metro speakers, the chocolate shops at every street corner, the energy and the friendly people.

Brussels is a small city, but a little hard to pack into a weekend even if you skip the touristy things like Little Europe and what-not. Luckily, I stumbled from one item in my list to the next by sheer coincidence… Like walking down to the Grand Place, I spotted Dandoy Biscuiterie (Dandoy!) or when walking to Fredrick Blondeel for waffles and ice cream, I made a pitstop for Kibbling at Mer du Nord. I even happened to chance upon a Belgian food tasting event where I had my fill of sausages, cheese, frites and Speculoos dipped in melted chocolate.

Frites
Speculoos

And really, what’s not to like when you’re in the land of Speculoos – the buttery, addictive cookies. Speculoos truffles. Speculoos chocolate. Speculoos ice cream. Speculoos tiramisù!

Chocolatier Mary
73 Rue Royale, Brussels 1000. Metro: Bibliotheque.
Founded in 1919, Mary is one of the oldest chocolateries around. Step in, and you’re transported to a time that will remind you of a Louis XV era, with a clientele that reflects royalty (the place has been a chocolate supplier to the royal Belgian family.) If you plan ahead of time, it’ll be fun to take a guided tour or attend a class at their atelier.

Mary, Brussels

Dandoy
31 Rue au Beurre, B – 1000 Brussels. Metro: Bourse.
The biscuiterie that you have to go to when in Brussels. I went to one of the 7 outlets that’s a stone’s throw away from Grand Place on Rue au Beurre (literally means butter street – how cute is that). The place was packed with people queuing up to get their share of a taste of Belgium to take back home. I bought a small pack of Speculoos.

Dandoy Biscuiterie

Les Brassins
36 Rue Keyenveld ,1050 Brussels (Ixelles). Metro: Porte de Namur.
I read about how fantastic the rabbit in cherry beer stew here is in New York Times. Of course, I had to eat here. We walked through a few dark back streets before we finally reached Les Brassins. For a tiny place that sits in such an obscure location, this place was surprisingly busy with locals. More people with reservations walked in. We’d never get a table here. So I did what I had to *cough* faked a reservation *cough*. That got us a seat in 20 minutes. I ordered their famous rabbit stew made in Kriek (Belgian cherry beer) with a side of stoemp (mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables) and a Speculoos tiramisù for dessert. Both were absolutely superb. I also bit into the duck breast in pepper sauce that my friend was having, and that was lovely too. Must visit; just make sure you have a map handy. Also, get some cash from the ATM – they don’t accept cards here. Read this lovely blog post by Emily of The Petit Four on Les Brassins.

Les Brassins

Duck in Pepper Sauce

Rabbit in Kriek

Speculoos Tiramisu

Le Pain Quotidien
Place du Grand Sablon 11, 1000 Brussels. Metro: Grand Sablon.
Brussels is where it all began for Le Pain Quotidien. When I was traveling alone in NYC, I walked into LPQ because I spotted the communal table – I figured I wouldn’t feel all that awkward eating alone. When it opened its doors in Bombay, I loved going there for tartines after a morning of French class. We went to the one at Sablon – the place was bustling and we seated ourselves on a table in the white greenhouse-esque patio. I ordered their Tuscan platter: basil pesto, olive tapenade, melon, proscuitto, ricotta and sun dried tomatoes. Not very Belgian, but delicious nonetheless.

Le Pain Quotidien Brussels

Mer du Nord / Noordzee
45, Rue Sainte Catherine , Brussels 1000. Metro: St. Catherine.
When you see people flocking to a place which only serves food outdoors even when it’s 7 degrees C, you know it’s a place that won’t disappoint. You eat by the tall tables that encircle the restaurant corner getting a peek of the action indoors. I had a serving of Kibbling (deep fried cod fish fingers served with tartare sauce) – that blew my mind. We also ordered the croquettes (quite possibly the creamiest I’ve ever eaten) and a plate of plump prawns in a light sauce that you dunk bread in. They even had escargot on the menu, but I chickened out.

Mer du Nord

Fredric Blondeel
Brussels Fish Market, Quai aux Briques 24, B-1000 Brussels. Metro: St. Catherine.
My apartment host insisted I visit this place that got everything under one roof – waffles, hot chocolate, ice-creams. I ordered Venezuelan hot chocolate laced with chilli and waffles with hazelnut ice cream. The folks at Fredric Blondeel were very kind in offering us an extra waffle because their iron makes two at a time and we’d ordered an odd number. I really appreciated them being gracious about photography – they’d actually take a detour when they saw me photographing something! Adorable little place.

Fredrick Blondeel

Madagascar Hot Chocolate and Venezuelan Hot Chocolate

Fredrick Blondeel

Other than hopping from one eatery to another, I visited Grand Place, walked down the busy Avenue Louise, popped into Musée René Magritte and bought a postcard to write to my sister, browsed through the Flea Market at Sablon and bought gorgeous tea cups to add to my travel souvenir collection.

Note to self: Places to eat at (next time)

Chez Antoinne for frites
Moeder Lambic
Chocolate Making at Mary or Zaabar
Au Vieux Bruxelles for Moules Frites
Wittamer
Chocolate Walking Tour and Chocolate Museum
Chez Marie (Is it true that this Michelin starred restaurant does a prix fixe for €17?!)
L’Ogenblik

Grand Place Brussels

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Hot Chocolate Heaven

November 23, 2011

Hot Chocolate at Angelina

A little while ago, I had hot chocolate at the famed Angelina in Paris. It was the most expensive hot chocolate of my life at €7.20. Served in a pitcher with a small pot of whipped cream, the hot chocolate is what dreams are made of.

The hot chocolate at Angelina (L’Africain) is rich and smooth, and what I really appreciated: served at just the right temperature. If it were any thicker, it’d be melted chocolate. The marble topped tables, the Rococo interiors, the immaculately dressed waitresses, the flashlights on every other table (people recording one of their most important days in Paris) make the Angelina experience a memorable one. And while you’re at it, an order of Mont Blanc won’t hurt.

Hot Chocolate

I can’t afford to drink hot chocolate at Angelina everyday, so I began making my version of rich hot chocolate every time the craving stuck (which is often, now that it’s getting cold and grey). It’s thick, dark and wonderfully creamy. Like all things sinful, it’s best to use the richest milk and cream. I even indulged with an inch of vanilla in the milk. Use chocolate that’s upwards of 55%. I didn’t add any sugar, but you might want to sweeten it a bit if you’re using 70% chocolate. The key here is to be liberal with all the ingredients, and then once ready, serve them in the prettiest cups you own.

Hot Chocolate

Thick and Velvety Hot Chocolate Recipe

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 7 minutes

Yield: 2

Ingredients

200ml / 1 cup milk
100ml / 1/2 cup cream
1 inch vanilla, split and scraped (optional)
100g the best chocolate you can get 55% upwards (I've used 70% callebaut and 50 something Valrhona)
whipped cream to serve

Cooking Directions

Heat the milk and cream together in a pan with the vanilla. Once it comes to a simmer, turn off the heat and cover the pot for the vanilla to infuse into the milk. Let it sit for 20 minutes or so.
Reheat the milk to bring it back to a simmer. Take it off the heat and whisk in the chocolate and stir until the chocolate has completely melted.
Pour into cups and serve with whipped cream.

Hot Chocolate

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Quince Crumble

November 16, 2011

It seems I have an affinity for hard-to-cut things. The last time I picked up a new (to me) vegetable at the farm, I wrestled it into submission, and finally got wedges of creamy butternut squash tossed with pine nuts and parmesan. This time, I spotted a misshapen guava like fruit. I had an inking [...]

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The Best Caramel Sauce. Ever.

November 10, 2011

A few days ago, when we were checking-out at the super market, I noticed that my husband (it still feels a bit weird calling him that) slipped in a bottle of caramel sauce, which actually was nothing more than an overdose of corn syrup with artificial vanilla and half a dozen chemicals. If that weren’t [...]

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Love Thy Fromager

November 4, 2011

You know how they say that that the French are loyal to their boulangerie and fromagerie? I found that a little hard to understand because you wouldn’t expect that in a country where you’re never too far away from good bread and cheese. That was until I figured out just how important it is to [...]

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BBC Good Food India

November 4, 2011

It’s here. It’s finally here. In my hands. The launch issue of BBC Good Food India. It launched in India on 21st October and since then, I’ve been checking my mailbox every day hoping to find it in sitting in there for me. I’ve done a feature on easy Mediterranean food as well. If you haven’t [...]

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