Pear and Prosciutto Sandwich

As I mentioned in one of my earlier post, I will be posting more sandwich recipes...so here goes another one...

This one is made with fresh pear and prosciutto as well as wild arugula and percorino romano cheese.  I also spread one side of the bread with dijon mustard and the other side with pear jam.  The result is a perfect combination of sweet and savory goodness bursting in my mouth...



I would never have dreamed of using both dijon mustard and jam in one sandwich until I found this wonderful recipe from myrecipes.com (original recipe here).  I modified it liberally to make use of ingredients that are readily available or I have on hand.  Well, that and the fact that fresh is not yet available on the market.

I was talking to the produce guy at WholeFoods and was told that it might be a couple or so weeks before they will get a batch of fresh figs...Oh, I cannot wait since I like them a lot. I wonder if they are already available at Costco...hmmm... I do dread going there though because I always end up with a lot of things that I really do not need, such as a huge container of canola oil...thinking out loud again...lol



The sandwich is perfect as it contains a lot of ingredients -bread, pears, cheese, cold cuts, veggies...a balance and complete meat...hehehe....not sure about it being a balance meal but it sure does taste good...hehehe

I used prosciutto di Parma which were thinly sliced by the deli guy at Monsieur Marcel's. This particular prosciutto is made in the city of Parma, Italy which is very famous not only for their prosciutto but also parmigiano reggiano cheese.  Prociutto di Parma is one of the most reknowned prosciutto variety but also pricier than others but not that much though.  If I am not mistaken, the difference is only a little over a dollar per pound.  I am not too sure though as I always buy di Parma.



The bread that I used for this sandwich is a rustic panini bread but feel free to use any bread of your choice.  Just lightly toast it and then spread dijon mustard on one slice and jam on the other slice.  Speaking of jam, I used St. Dalfour gourmet pear jam. This is the first time I am trying this brand.  At about $4 for a 14 oz.bottle, it was worth every penny that I spent on this baby as the taste is like no other that I have tried.



Ingredients:

bread

slices of prosciutto di Parma

wild arugula

shaved pecorino romano

dijon mustard

pear jam

pear, washed thoroughly and then thinly sliced with skin on


1. lightly toast bread

2. spread one side of bread with dijon mustard and the other with pear jam

3. Arrange some wild arugula on one side of the bread, top with prosciutto, then a layer of sliced pear.

4. Top with shaved perorino romano and cover with the other slice of bread.

4. serve immediately.

NOTE: If you wish to place it in a panini press to make it into a panini, you can also do so.  It also taste delicious that way.

Mango Jam

I miss mango jam but unfortunately I cannot find any that is sold in the supermarket. Solution? Make my own mango jam from scratch. Jam making is actually easier than it looks and requires just a few basic ingredients. You really do not need some fancy schmancy equipment to make a decent jam. You have to make sure though that you sterilize the bottles to prevent early spoilage. Be very careful when moving handling hot containers as it may burn your fingers and hand. I used a large and heavy pan with lid to sterilize my mason jars as well as boiling filled jars afterwards.

Mango jam is really good with bread or crackers. I remember this particular brand that they sell in the Philippines called Clara Ole' that makes really good mango and pineapple jams. I wish they sell this brand here but even Filipino stores do not seem to carry them :(

Mango jam was easy enough for me to make. I used firm but ripe mangoes, peeled the skin and then slice as much of the flesh off the bone or seed as possible. Using a food processor, I processed the mango slices until they become chunky consistency. Next is to bring a cup of water to a boil then add pureed mango, lemon juice, sugar, pectin, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved then lower the heat to simmer it until it thickens to gel consistency. Transfer them to sterilized bottles and seal then boil the whole thing for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool. From 4 mangoes, I was able to make 2 (8 oz) bottles of mango jam. I did taste test by spreading it on crackers...yummy...taste like I remembered a mango jam should taste. Next project will have to be the persimmon jam then maybe, just maybe, I will try to make guava jelly... another favorite of mine which unfortunately I am unable to find here in the States.

Ingredients:

4 ripe (but firm) mangoes, peeled and flesh removed
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp pectin

1. Sterilize mason jars according to direction.
2 Peel and chop mangoes then process in a food processor until it reaches a chunky consistency.
3. Place sauce pan over medium heat and add water. Bring to a boil.
4. Add mango, sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, and pectin. Bring to a boil until sugar and pectin is dissolved.
5. Lower the heat to let the mango mixture simmer until it reaches the desired consistency. Make sure you stir frequently to prevent burning.
6. Test for gelling by using a cold spoon: take a spoonful of mixture and let it drop from spoon. If it drops in globs instead of being runny, it should be done.
7. Transfer to sterilized hot mason jars and seal using a two-piece lid.
8. Process filled and sealed mason jars according to manufacturer's instruction. Remove from heat and let it cool then store.

Quince Jam

Quince is a lesser known fall fruit that looks like a cross between a green apple and a pear...only uglier. It is goof for making jam, jelly, and marmalade but can also be used in baking and cooking. It can also be made into wine because of it acidic nature. It can be found and cultivated in almost all parts of the world particularly in the Middle East and South America. Unripe, it is hard and cannot be eaten raw but when allowed to ripen in the vine, it turns slightly yellow and soft which can be eaten raw. This is one fruit that I have only discovered recently when I saw them at the grocery store. I bought some and made it into a jam. I really liked the result and taste that I made it again and again. I like spread it on top of a lightly toasted bread and enjoy with my morning tea.

This recipe is a very small batch which yields barely a couple of jars (8 ounces) of jam but its okay because I can always make more before quince season is over. The only problem sometimes is finding quince as they are not always readily available , even when it is in season, at the supermarket and it can be a little pricey at times too. I used shortcut in making this jam by using the food processor to puree the chopped quince. Be warned though that, like apple and pears, the color can turn brown if you don't work quickly. Make sure that you keep it submerge chopped quince in water to prevent discoloration. I think next time, I will make a chunkier version by using just chopped quince instead of pureed.


Ingredients:

2 Quince, seeded then chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water

1. Heat sauce pan over medium heat and add water. Bring water to a boil
2. Wash and core quince then chop coarsely
3. Place in food processor along with lemon zest and puree then add to the boiling water along with lemon zest. Lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. Add sugar and stir to dissolve.
5. Continue to simmer until it thickens to desired consistency.
6. Transfer to sterilized container and seal according to direction.