Sandwiches named 鈥渕elts鈥� are just sliced bread with a filling or topping flavoured with cheese that鈥檚 melted. Melts can be closed-faced or open-faced sandwiches.
As you鈥檒l see by today鈥檚 recipes, I prefer the latter because I like to听show off the items I鈥檝e made my melts with.
My Cal-Mex-style shrimp and听avocado melts are made by听setting those ingredients on听cream-cheese spread bread topped with spinach and tomato. On goes a second hit of cheese, grated jalape帽o-flavoured Monterey Jack. The melts are baked until the Monterey Jack is听melted, and听then garnished with听cilantro.
You start making my second melt by removing the casing from听Italian sausages, pulling the听meat into small pieces and cooking them. Cook onions and bell peppers. Assemble the melts by spreading Italian bread with passata (strained tomatoes). On go听the vegetables, sausage and two types of cheese, fresh mozzarella and Parmesan. Once baked, these divine melts are finished off with fresh oregano or听basil.
My last melts are Reuben sandwiches each made with one slice of bread, not the usual two. Mounded on the bread are items normally sandwiched inside a Reuben 鈥� tangy Russian-style dressing, sauerkraut, corned beef and Swiss cheese. Once cooked, the melts are topped with pickle slices.
In my recipes, I serve one melt per person. That鈥檚 because I put a fairly generous amount of toppings on thick slices of bread wide enough to accommodate them. Each slice of bread is about 10-cm wide and 15-cm long.
If you鈥檙e a hearty eater, though, you could serve the melts with a听side dish. For example, a cup of听corn and black bean soup would go nicely with the shrimp and avocado melts, Caesar salad pairs well with the sausage melts, and coleslaw goes with Reuben sandwich melts. The melt recipes could also be doubled.
Shrimp and Avocado Melts
These Cal-Mex-style melts are easy to make, yet full of flavour.
听
Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes
Makes: four servings
听
2 tsp lime juice
1 medium ripe avocado
4 (2.5-cm thick) slices French bread
1/3 cup cream cheese
1 to 1 1/2 cups baby spinach
8 to 12 slices ripe tomato
1 cup cooked salad shrimp, patted dry
1/2 to 3/4 cup grated jalape帽o-flavoured Monterey Jack cheese
鈥� fresh cilantro leaves, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spread lime juice on a wide plate. Quarter the avocado lengthwise, pull it听apart and remove the peel and听pit.听Cut each quarter piece of听avocado, lengthwise, into three听to four slices. Set avocado on the plate and coat with the lime听juice.
Spread cream cheese on one side of each bread slice and set on听a baking sheet or shallow baking pan. (If desired, for easy cleanup, first line the pan with parchment paper.) Now divide and mound each bread slice with spinach, tomato, avocado and, finally, shrimp. Top all those items with the grated cheese.
Bake melts for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bottom of the bread is lightly toasted. Garnish with cilantro and听serve.
Italian Sausage Melts
The flavour of the Italian sausage on these melts is complemented by a range of other tastes, including tomato, onions, peppers, cheese and fresh herbs.
听
Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking time: About 22 minutes
Makes: two servings
听
2 tsp olive oil
2 (each about 85 to 100 grams) mild, medium or hot Italian sausages
1/2 medium white or red onion, sliced
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, diced
4 (2.5-cm thick) slices Italian or olive bread
1/3 cup passata (see Note)
75 grams fresh mozzarella, pull into thumbnail-sized nuggets (see Note)
鈥� freshly grated parmesan to taste
鈥� small fresh oregano leaves or sliced fresh basil, to taste
Remove casing from sausage and听pull meat into small, two-cm pieces. Place the oil in a 25-cm wide skillet and set over medium, medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, about five minutes. Lift the bits of听sausage out of the pan, drain on听paper towels and set aside.
Add peppers and onions to the skillet and cook until tender, about five minutes. Remove pan from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spread passata on one side of each bread slice and set on a baking sheet or shallow baking pan. (For easy cleanup, first line the pan with parchment paper.) Mound each bread slice with onions, peppers and sausage. Now add nuggets of mozzarella cheese.
Sprinkle melts with Parmesan cheese, and then bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bottom of the bread is lightly toasted. Top each melt with oregano (or basil) and serve.
听
Note 1: Fresh mozzarella, also called mozzarella fresca, is a soft, pliable form of this cheese that melts wonderfully. It鈥檚 sold at some supermarkets and some European-style food stores. I used Galbani brand. If you can鈥檛 find it, top the melts, to taste, with regular grated mozzarella cheese.
Note 2: Bottles of passata, a smooth mixture made from ripe, flavourful tomatoes that are cooked and strained, can be found at most supermarkets and European delis.
听
Reuben Sandwich Melts
This version of the classic sandwich is made with only one bread slice, not two. I used rye bread made by Portofino Bakery (portofinobakery.ca), which is sold at many supermarkets. I like it because you can buy it unsliced and cut it to the size you desire.
听
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes
Makes: two servings
听
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp green relish
1 Tbsp ketchup
鈥� pinch paprika
鈥� splash Worcestershire sauce
鈥� splash red wine vinegar
2 (2.5-cm thick) slices dark rye bread
100 grams thinly sliced corned beef
1/2 cup well drained sauerkraut
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
鈥� sliced dill or other pickles, to taste
听
Make Russian-style dressing by听combining first six ingredients in a small bowl.
Spread dressing on one side of each bread slice and set on a baking sheet or shallow baking pan. (For easy cleanup, first line pan with parchment paper.)
Divide and top each bread slice with sauerkraut, corned beef and then grated cheese.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bottom of the bread is toasted. Top each melt with pickle slices and serve.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His latest is The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
