Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

I love everything about this sandwich. Goat cheese is one of my favorites and these marinated roasted peppers with the basil are nothing short of scrumptious. They add such a great freshness that is kind of lacking in the winter months. It's as close to having a plump, fresh tomato as you can get in March. Add some salty capers and chewy ciabatta and I was in sandwich heaven.

ROASTED PEPPER AND GOAT CHEESE SANDWICHES

Yield:  4 to 6 servings

4 large red or yellow bell peppers, preferably Holland

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (increase if omitting capers)

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons drained capers

For assembling:

1 large ciabatta bread, halved horizontally

11 oz. garlic-and-herb or plain goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet) at room temperature

8 to 10 large basil leaves

3 thin slices red onion

1.      Preheat the oven to 500º F.

2.      Place the whole peppers on a sheet pan and place in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until the skins are completely wrinkled and the peppers are charred, turning them two or three times during roasting. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Set aside for 30 minutes, or until the peppers are cool enough to handle.

3.      Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

4.      Remove the stem from each pepper and cut or rip them in quarters. Remove the peels and seeds and place the peppers in a bowl along with any juices that have collected. Discard the stems, peels, and seeds. Pour the oil and vinegar mixture over the peppers. Stir in the capers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

5.      To assemble the sandwiches, spread the bottom half of the loaf with the goat cheese. Add a layer of peppers and then a layer of basil leaves. Separate the onions into rings and spread out on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with the top half of the ciabatta and cut into individual servings.

barely adapted from Ina Garten

red peppers

roasted red peppers

marinade ingredients

I added extra garlic because I was using plain goat cheese.

roasted red peppers with marinade & capers

marinated roasted peppers

spreading goat cheese on ciabatta

I didn't use the whole loaf - I was
only making enough for two people.

marinated roasted pepper layer

topped with basil and red onion

roasted pepper and goat cheese sandwich

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Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese

If you're looking for a special occasion mashed potato, this is a good contender. Especially if you're a freak for caramelized onions and goat cheese like I am (one of my all time favorite food combinations). It's kind of sweet & tangy...so good. As a matter of fact, I'm realizing now that I have some in my freezer (I purposely made extra last time so I would). Correction: it was in my freezer and is now defrosting in the fridge awaiting tonight's dinner.

MASHED POTATOES WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND GOAT CHEESE

Serves 4

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ pounds yellow onions (approx. 2 large onions), thinly sliced

kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

3 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 ½ cups half and half

1 clove garlic, smashed

1 bay leaf

3 ounces goat cheese

black pepper

1.      To make the caramelized onions, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and stir them to coat with the fat. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 30-40 minutes. If the onions get too dry, add a small amount of water to deglaze the pan. Set aside.

2.      Place potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender.

3.      While the potatoes are cooking, heat the half and half, garlic, bay leaf, and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

4.      Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot, dry pot. Stir them over low heat for 2 minutes until they are dry. Pass the potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl. Gently stir in the hot cream mixture a little at a time until the potatoes are smooth and creamy (discard the garlic and bay leaf). You may not need to use all of the liquid. Set aside a small amount of the caramelized onions for garnish and stir the remaining onions into the mashed potatoes. Crumble the goat cheese into the potatoes and stir to combine well. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

5.      Spoon the mashed potatoes into a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining caramelized onions. Serve hot.

from food52.com (added by Sonali aka the Foodie Physician)

onions

caramelized onions

I really pushed them to their limit (I  probably had
them on the stove for like an hour and 20 minutes).

potatoes in water

riced potatoes

If you don't have a ricer, you can obviously just mash them,
but the ricer gives them a really great, smooth consistency.

mixing in the half 'n half mixture

super smooth

mixing in the ultra caramelized onions & goat cheese

I didn't save any onions for garnish -
I just tossed them all in there.

mashed potatoes with caramelized onions and goat cheese

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Wild Mushroom Pizza with Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese

I can't be objective when it comes to this pizza. Because I love the combination of caramelized onions and goat cheese so much, I think I would eat it spread on a piece of cardboard. Cold. So all I can say is, if you feel the same way and you like mushrooms - booyah! This is your new favorite pizza. You're welcome. Side note: if you have any toppings leftover, use them to make your new favorite omelet. Again, you're welcome.

  WILD MUSHROOM PIZZA

WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS & GOAT CHEESE

Yield: 6 (8-inch) pizzas

Onions:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 onions, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise (about 6 cups)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mushrooms:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 lb. assorted wild mushrooms (crimini, oyster, chanterelle, shiitake), cut into bite-size pieces

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced shallot

2 cups dry white wine

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 Kontos pocketless pitas (whole wheat or plain)

olive oil (for brushing)

8 oz. soft goat cheese, crumbled

Onions:

Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until golden, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Mushrooms:

Melt butter with oil in another heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, garlic and shallot. Sauté 4 minutes. Add wine and simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 13 minutes. Add rosemary; season with salt and pepper.

Can make toppings ahead—bring to room temp. before adding to pizza dough on the grill.

1.      Preheat grill.

2.      Brush the top side of each pita with olive oil.

3.      Place pita oiled side down on hot grill. When the bottom is lightly browned and has nice grill marks, turn the pita over.

4.      Working quickly, sprinkle the pita with goat cheese and top with mushrooms and onions.  Close the lid, and cook until the pita has browned on the bottom and the cheese is warmed through.

adapted from Woodfire Grill (Atlanta, GA)

raw chopped onions in the pan

I decided to chop mine, instead of thinly slicing them. The flavor
is the same, but the pizza looks a little more elegant with the onions
sliced (it's me that looks way less elegant when I'm eating and
the long, thin onions slide off my pizza and onto my chin).

caramelized onions

shallots

rosemary

raw mushrooms

adding wine

adding rosemary

cooked mushrooms

Kontos pocket-less pita (whole wheat)

You can, of course, make your own pizza dough from scratch.
I just really like this for a short cut. Since I made my toppings the
day before, making this pizza with these pitas took all of
10 minutes to assemble and 10 minutes to cook.

goat cheese sprinkled on pita

I usually grill these pizzas, but it's was hot and rainy out
there. So I preheated my oven to 400º F. and cooked these
on the bottom rack (for crispier crust) for about 10-11 minutes.
(There's no need to oil the pita if you're baking them.)

mushroom layer

caramelized onions on top

baked & sliced

wild mushroom pizza with caramelized onions and goat cheese

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