Don’t we all need a quickie now and then? A quick snack, a quick dinner, you know what I mean. I love to run into the kitchen when the mood is high and for just a moment, you think you might starve if you don’t eat something RIGHT NOW, and be able to pull a snack or dinner out of the fridge or the pantry. Something delicious, something satisfying and hopefully something unique.
We’ve all had our moments when Ritz crackers, cold cheese and mustard have had to sit in for a snack attack. I’m talking about something a bit more lavish, but equally simple. Enter the Culinary Quickie. You’ll know you’ve achieved the status of a true Culinary Quickie by the level of pure, almost animal satisfaction that will follow.
A true Culinary Quickie will satisfy, but not stuff – it will always leave you wanting more. Curiousity piqued. You will most likely have recurrent thoughts about the foray. Your mind might drift in and out, visiting adaptations, what ifs. When can I have this again? How might I change it? Was that as good as I thought it was? Did my husband enjoy it as much as I did? What will my other foodie friends think?
New Year’s night, while the chicken was roasting, and the potatoes simmering, it hit me! Rosanne Roseannadanna might say “I thought I was gonna die!” Starving! Pulling from some leftovers from the dinner I prepared the previous evening, I began executing my quickie. Lavash round made at Baban Bakery(available at Paul’s and Lotsa Pasta). Old Forest salami from Lotsa Pasta. Toasted Walnuts. Olive oil. Honey. Freshly ground black pepper. Fresh rosemary.
Put together and slid into the oven where the chicken was roasting. In less than 5 minutes, my husband and I were noshing on an utterly divine slice of culinary magic. The moans, the groans, eyes rolling, teeth gnashing, lips smacking. This, my friends was a true culinary quickie. We were working on a bottle of White Bordeaux, 2007 Bellechasse, which added to the experience.
You too can achieve this level of satisfaction. Follow the list below, or dream up your own little bit of heaven. I’m sure you have all the ingredients you need, if not for this particular version, something equally as satisfying. Let yourself go.
Gorgonzola flatbread ready for the oven
Gorgonzola and Salami Flatbread
1 round of soft lavash
olive oil
4-5 slices Old Forest salami
2-3 oz crumbled gorgonzola cheese
a handful of toasted walnuts, broken
honey
black pepper
a few rosemary needles
Heat the oven to 400 degrees, or just bake at the temperature of whatever is in the oven.
Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the lavash; smear it around with your hands. Space out the salami over the bread. Sprinkle on the cheese and walnuts. Drizzle with honey, then grind black pepper over the top to your liking. Chop or tear up the rosemary needles, sprinkling them over sparingly.
Using a peel or your hands, place your creation directly on the oven rack and watch very closely. Crisping up the lavash and melting the cheese just slightly will take only a few minutes.
A word to the wise – etiquette when experiencing a new culinary creation requires that the chef recieve adequate praise. Don’t assume that your purveyor of bliss will know that you enjoyed the experience. Be sincere, but be sure to convey your appreciation.
Enjoy!
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