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To celebrate Labor Day Weekend in leisurely style, transform your patio or backyard into a charming French bistro.
The French work a maximum of 35 hours a week and are guaranteed at least five weeks of vacation, which is in addition to a dozen public holidays. Similarly, these delectable sandwiches don’t require a lot of work.
GRILLED FRENCH GARDEN SANDWICHES
Serves 4 to 6
1 batard, halved lengthwise
Olive oil for brushing
½ cup Four-Herb Pistou (below)
9 ounces soft goat cheese
4 plum (Roma) tomatoes, sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup roasted red bell pepper strips (see note below)
½ cup chopped drained canned or marinated artichoke hearts
¼ cup pitted and sliced green olives
2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
Prepare a medium-hot indirect fire in your grill.
Hollow out about one-third of the top half of the bread. Lightly brush the inside of both halves with olive oil. Spread Four-Herb Pistou on the top half and goat cheese on the bottom half. On the bottom half, layer with tomato slices and season with salt and pepper. Layer with roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, green olives and walnuts. Cover with the top half. Brush the sandwich all over with olive oil and wrap in foil.
Grill the sandwich over the fire for about 5 minutes per side, turning once, until heated through. Move to the indirect side, close the lid and grill for 10 minutes.
Cut sandwich into four or six slices and serve warm or at room temperature.
FOUR-HERB PISTOU
Makes 2 cups
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup fresh basil
½ cup packed fresh mint or lemon balm
½ cup snipped chives or garlic chives
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a food processor, pulse garlic, parsley, basil, mint and chives until finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil through the feed tube. Add the cheese and pulse until you have a coarse-grained green sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Note: To roast peppers, preheat the broiler or your grill to high. Broil or grill whole peppers until blackened, blistered and tender. Place peppers in a brown paper bag and close the top. Set aside for about 5 minutes, until cool. Slice the peppers open to remove the core and seeds. Rub excess char off the skins. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Our assessment: I enlisted the help of my friend Nancy Forsthoefel of Kettering to make the sandwiches. When I recited the ingredients out of the cookbook, she said, "You had me at pistou." Pistou is similar to pesto.
Nancy cooks from scratch and most of the time follows her intuition rather than a recipe when she whips up a delicious meal. In this case, however, she faithfully followed the recipe and measured all the ingredients precisely, including the chives and basil she gathered from her garden.
“Is everybody getting along in there?” Nancy asked the ingredients as she pressed down slightly on the top side of the batard (similar to a baguette but shorter). Sometimes I talk to my food, so it was reassuring to know I’m not the only cook who does this.
Just as we were about to take the sandwich off the grill, Nancy’s son, Dan, arrived. He was planning to polish off some leftover lasagna, but quickly changed his mind when he saw what was happening on the patio. Fortunately, the batard was long enough to cut into three generous portions. Working in the restaurant business, Dan said, “The flavors blend extremely well. I love the new take on pesto.”
“It is very fresh-tasting and so easy!” Nancy added.
For a non-vegetarian version, add some slices of your deli favorites.
From the book: "BBQ Bistro: Simple, Sophisticated French Recipes for Your Grill" by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig; 224 pages, $20. Published by Running Press, 2015.
What you get: This collection of main entrees, sides, small plates and sauces will help you enjoy casual French cuisine. The recipes all sound mouth-watering. I want to try Tenderloin and Shaved Parmesan, French Garden Radish Tartines, Tarragon-infused Grilled Turkey Breast and Grilled Pound Cake with Strawberry Compote.
In the words of the authors: "We have both enjoyed many a bistro meal on our travels, especially when we have lived and cooked in France … as women who barbecue outdoors and cook indoors, we have thought about how we could translate the bistro dishes that we have enjoyed to food on the grill." — Karen Adler and Judith Fertig
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