Let’s All Toast Picnic Season!
June is such a marvelous month. After a L O N G winter and a persnickety spring, we can finally look forward to some wonderful barbecues and picnics! Yay!
Speaking of picnics, a favorite site, www.food52.com just shared their “Pocket Picnic Guide.” Read on for some truly good ideas.
A couple things that this guide immediately suggests is including a good dip or two along with some soft pretzels. They’re easy to pack, easy to eat, and don’t take much space.
And if you’re opting out of the traditional barbecue/hotdog roasting approach to your meal at the park, then you might want to consider an unusual sandwich. The food editors at Food 52 have a recipe for a doozy. It’s a sheet pan frittata sandwich on Ciabatta bread. Doesn’t this sound yummy?
These sandwiches are ideal for a big gathering. The frittata—which can be customized with different accoutrements of your choosing—is baked all at once on a sheet pan (which also creates perfect portions for each sandwich), and each sandwich can be individually packaged to hand out to your hungry picnickers.
When making, don’t feel limited by the add-ins that are listed in the recipe; this frittata is endlessly customizable. Think of the recipe as a list of suggested ingredients and use whatever produce is fresh, seasonal, and available to you. Bell peppers, asparagus, and spinach would all be delicious, but choose your favorites. Your preferred cheese can also be used—consider replacing the Monterey Jack cheese with dollops of ricotta or goat cheese. The frittata is the star of the sandwich, so pack it with delicious flavor and your sandwiches will be sure to impress.
2 medium zucchini halved and sliced into ¼-inch-thick pieces
5 green onions trimmed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil divided
12 large eggs
3/4 cup half and half
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
6 ounces sliced prosciutto (optional)
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese (or fontina or other mild melting cheese), grated
FOR PICKLED MAYONNAISE
1 cup pickled peppers such as Mama Lil’s
2 cups mayonnaise
FOR SANDWICH CREATION
12 ciabatta buns (or other crusty sandwich bread)
3 to 4 ounces baby arugula
Directions:
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The Food 52 approach is the perfect mashup cookie, you get the best of both worlds: a buttery, crumbly, tender shortbread, spiced with cinnamon, and coated in a sparkly cinnamon-sugar crust. Food 52’s pros say, “To get said crust, all you have to do is grease and sugar your pan (just like grease and flour, but better). You’ll love how the cinnamon toasts in the oven, becoming a bigger-personality version of itself. A little bit of vanilla underscores the snickerdoodle vibe.”
So make your favorite shortbread recipe, but add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough and then sprinkle a sugar/cinnamon combination atop the dough before baking.
When done, be sure to cut the shortbread into bars right after you take it out of the oven. This ensures neat, even squares (if you cut it when it’s cold, its crumbly tenderness will work against you).
Lastly, if you’re excited about going picnicking too, then you might want to check out a very helpful little book designed just for this purpose.
If you have any suggestions for picnics (recipes or how to pack it, for instance), please do share. Meanwhile, let’s raise a can of ice cold La Croix® to the long-awaited arrival of picnic season!
Speaking of picnics, a favorite site, www.food52.com just shared their “Pocket Picnic Guide.” Read on for some truly good ideas.
A couple things that this guide immediately suggests is including a good dip or two along with some soft pretzels. They’re easy to pack, easy to eat, and don’t take much space.
And if you’re opting out of the traditional barbecue/hotdog roasting approach to your meal at the park, then you might want to consider an unusual sandwich. The food editors at Food 52 have a recipe for a doozy. It’s a sheet pan frittata sandwich on Ciabatta bread. Doesn’t this sound yummy?
These sandwiches are ideal for a big gathering. The frittata—which can be customized with different accoutrements of your choosing—is baked all at once on a sheet pan (which also creates perfect portions for each sandwich), and each sandwich can be individually packaged to hand out to your hungry picnickers.
When making, don’t feel limited by the add-ins that are listed in the recipe; this frittata is endlessly customizable. Think of the recipe as a list of suggested ingredients and use whatever produce is fresh, seasonal, and available to you. Bell peppers, asparagus, and spinach would all be delicious, but choose your favorites. Your preferred cheese can also be used—consider replacing the Monterey Jack cheese with dollops of ricotta or goat cheese. The frittata is the star of the sandwich, so pack it with delicious flavor and your sandwiches will be sure to impress.
Fritatta Sandwich on Ciabatta Bread
Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini halved and sliced into ¼-inch-thick pieces
5 green onions trimmed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil divided
12 large eggs
3/4 cup half and half
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
6 ounces sliced prosciutto (optional)
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese (or fontina or other mild melting cheese), grated
FOR PICKLED MAYONNAISE
1 cup pickled peppers such as Mama Lil’s
2 cups mayonnaise
FOR SANDWICH CREATION
12 ciabatta buns (or other crusty sandwich bread)
3 to 4 ounces baby arugula
Directions:
Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the zucchini and green onions on a half sheet pan and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss to coat the veggies in the oil and place in the oven. Roast for about 15 minutes or until the zucchini has softened and is beginning to brown.
Meanwhile, make the egg mixture: Combine the half and half, eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.
Place the frozen peas in a medium bowl and cover with 2 to 3 cups of boiling water. Let sit for about 2 minutes before draining in a colander.
If using prosciutto, place a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, drizzle in the remaining olive oil. Working in batches, place slices of prosciutto into the pan in a single layer. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until browned and crisp. Remove to a cutting board. Roughly chop it into ½-inch pieces. Repeat with remaining prosciutto.
MAKE THE FRITTATA: Reduce the oven heat to 375°F. Scatter the drained peas evenly on the sheet pan. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies, then top with the chopped prosciutto. Scatter the cheese evenly over the top and return the pan to the oven. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the frittata is set and the top is beginning to lightly brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before assembling sandwiches. The frittata can be baked and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before serving.
MAKE THE PICKLED PEPPER MAYONNAISE: Finely mince the pickled peppers and add them to a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise and stir until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use—up to 4 days.
ASSEMBLE THE SANDWICHES: Slice the frittata into 12 equal pieces. Lightly toast the buns and spread the insides of each one generously with the pickled pepper mayonnaise. Place a slice of the frittata on the bottom slice of each roll and top it with a generous handful of arugula before closing the sandwich.
Besides dips, soft pretzels, and a killer sandwich, Food 52 picnic experts also suggest an easy to make and easy to pack dessert. A picnic isn’t the best time for pie and ice cream, in other words. A knockout cookie is always a good choice. We all have our favorites, but one that consistently pleases is a snickerdoodle shortbread.
Meanwhile, make the egg mixture: Combine the half and half, eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.
Place the frozen peas in a medium bowl and cover with 2 to 3 cups of boiling water. Let sit for about 2 minutes before draining in a colander.
If using prosciutto, place a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, drizzle in the remaining olive oil. Working in batches, place slices of prosciutto into the pan in a single layer. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until browned and crisp. Remove to a cutting board. Roughly chop it into ½-inch pieces. Repeat with remaining prosciutto.
MAKE THE FRITTATA: Reduce the oven heat to 375°F. Scatter the drained peas evenly on the sheet pan. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies, then top with the chopped prosciutto. Scatter the cheese evenly over the top and return the pan to the oven. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the frittata is set and the top is beginning to lightly brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before assembling sandwiches. The frittata can be baked and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before serving.
MAKE THE PICKLED PEPPER MAYONNAISE: Finely mince the pickled peppers and add them to a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise and stir until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use—up to 4 days.
ASSEMBLE THE SANDWICHES: Slice the frittata into 12 equal pieces. Lightly toast the buns and spread the insides of each one generously with the pickled pepper mayonnaise. Place a slice of the frittata on the bottom slice of each roll and top it with a generous handful of arugula before closing the sandwich.
Besides dips, soft pretzels, and a killer sandwich, Food 52 picnic experts also suggest an easy to make and easy to pack dessert. A picnic isn’t the best time for pie and ice cream, in other words. A knockout cookie is always a good choice. We all have our favorites, but one that consistently pleases is a snickerdoodle shortbread.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
The Food 52 approach is the perfect mashup cookie, you get the best of both worlds: a buttery, crumbly, tender shortbread, spiced with cinnamon, and coated in a sparkly cinnamon-sugar crust. Food 52’s pros say, “To get said crust, all you have to do is grease and sugar your pan (just like grease and flour, but better). You’ll love how the cinnamon toasts in the oven, becoming a bigger-personality version of itself. A little bit of vanilla underscores the snickerdoodle vibe.”
So make your favorite shortbread recipe, but add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough and then sprinkle a sugar/cinnamon combination atop the dough before baking.
When done, be sure to cut the shortbread into bars right after you take it out of the oven. This ensures neat, even squares (if you cut it when it’s cold, its crumbly tenderness will work against you).
Lastly, if you’re excited about going picnicking too, then you might want to check out a very helpful little book designed just for this purpose.
If you have any suggestions for picnics (recipes or how to pack it, for instance), please do share. Meanwhile, let’s raise a can of ice cold La Croix® to the long-awaited arrival of picnic season!
Alice Osborne
DVO Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
Sources:
- www.therecipecritic.com
- www.food52.com
- www.cookiebouquets.com
