The Meatball Sub of My Dreams

The meatball sub of my dreams

As the summer turns to autumn and the days get shorter and cooler, I find myself with an urge to fill up the freezer for winter.  One of the first things I make is a stash of meatballs and tomato sauce which can quickly be defrosted and turned into a quick and hearty meal when it’s just too cold to leave the house.  As well as this, they can be used to make one of the greatest sandwiches ever invented: the meatball sub. 

I first encountered this Italian-American creation at the Southampton branch of Subway in the 1990s during the dark days of sandwiches when few were available outside of chain restaurants, supermarkets and what you could buy in the buffet carriage of the train to Waterloo.  20 years, a move to London and two trips to New York later, not only have I tried many far superior examples, I have also perfected my own.  It seems fairly straightforward; a simple combination of meat, bread, melted cheese and sauce, but there are a few pointers that can turn a meatball sub into a thing of beauty.

A quick google search will bring up a number of recipes for this most delectable of comfort foods.  Reading them and tweaking them will lead you to the combo that is just sheer perfection.  Below is not a recipe for my own meatball sub, but instead a few pointers from years of trying to get it right.  Seriously, there are few things better on a cold autumn day. 

The Meatballs
I use this recipe by Polpo.  I have experimented with meatballs of various sizes, but have found that the best ones for a standard-sized submarine roll are 35g balls.  The best thing about these meatballs are that they are baked in the oven, rather than cooked in a pan, which gives them a lovely soft texture.  If you like the crispy edges, by all means, fry them instead.  They use both beef and pork mince, which gives a lovely depth of flavour and stops them being too dry.  The addition of garlic and chilli flakes makes them extra special.

The Sauce
The traditional sauce for a meatball sub is marinara, however as I always make large quantities of meatballs and sauce for the freezer, I tend to use what I have rather than make a whole new batch of sauce especially.  This  great recipe, also by Polpo, that uses both fresh and tinned tomatoes.  Once the meatballs have been poached in the sauce, I pick them out and arrange them in the sub before ladling a little sauce over the top.

The Cheese
Parmesan, or a similar hard cheese, is the best option here as the strength means that a little goes a long way.  You can also use a decent strong cheddar if you have one, although many meatball sub purists may wince at this suggestion.  Always finely grate and add after the sauce.

The Bread
Arguably the most important part of the meatball sub experience, only a white submarine roll is acceptable here.  One of the best ones I have found is a cheapo 2-pack from Sainsbury’s, it is just the right size and has that lovely dusting of polenta on the top which gives the otherwise soft sandwich a bit of crunch.  Slice the submarine roll in half lengthways and scoop out some of the bread from the inside.  This creates a groove for the meatballs to snuggle into and a neater sandwich.  You don’t need all that bread after all.

Other Additions
It’s up to you whether you add any salad.  Many don’t, but I always feel a little undernourished without at least a little something green, so add a single layer of lettuce leaves (soft part only) under the meatballs.  Because neither my sauce nor my meatballs contain any basil, I also like the addition of a few torn basil leaves.  Other salad items don’t really work.  Black pepper is essential.

Recipe: Brioche Burger Buns

Brioche burger buns

Once upon a time, a burger in a brioche bun was a novelty that only existed in a handful of places in London.  We all marvelled and wondered why we hadn’t thought of it before.  After a while, it came to be the defining ingredient of a quality burger, something that set it apart from the floury ‘pub grub’ burger baps.  Now, they are everywhere.  It has been a long time since I saw a menu without one.  Brioche-mania is far from over.

I’m not actually sure that using a brioche bun is the right choice for every burger, but anyway.  There are some renegades that do use other bread, and it works really well.

Anyway, if brioche is your preferred bun, you want the same for your home cooked burgers, right?  For a while, they were difficult to find, limited only to a few independent bakeries.  Now, you can buy them in most supermarkets.  The best ones I have found so far are Chappers’ bun of choice:  Aldi’s brioche buns at four for £1.

As well as this, you could make your own.  Of course, brioche is a time-consuming beast to make, and the amount of butter you add to the mix will make your arteries quiver, but it is worth doing.  You can create buns of the perfect size to suit your own homemade burgers.  This recipe is based on a savoury brioche by Paul Hollywood.  You will need about 12 hours to complete the whole process, including chilling the dough overnight.

Brioche Burger Buns
Makes eight

500g strong white bread flour
10g fine salt
10g instant yeast
170ml warm full-fat milk
4 eggs
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg, beaten, for glazing
1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

Put the flour, salt, yeast, milk and eggs into the bowl of a free-standing mixer and, using the paddle attachment, mix until the dough becomes smooth and shiny.  Continue to mix for another five minutes, adding the butter a teaspoon at a time until all of the butter incorporated into the dough.  It is important to add the butter gradually.

Tip the dough into an oiled plastic container with a lid.  The volume of the container should be a minimum of one litre so the dough has room to expand.  Leave to prove in the fridge overnight.

Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper.  Remove the dough from the fridge and divide into eight equal portions.  To make the bun shape, flatten out the dough into a disc and bring the edges into the centre and pinch together.  Turn upside down and place on the baking tray.  Place four buns on each tray, ensuring that there is enough space between them to allow them to expand.  Cover the rays with clingfilm or a clean plastic bag and leave to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 190ºc / 375ºf / gas 5.  Brush the buns with a little beaten egg and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until risen and golden.  If you tap the bottom of the buns, they should sound hollow.  Leave to cool on a rack.

Recipe: Chipotle Chicken and Courgette Quesadillas

Chpotle chicken and courgette quesadillas

This is already my second quesadilla recipe on this blog, which shows how often I have no time to make dinner.  This time, I have used up an awkward quantity of leftover roast chicken I had lurking in the fridge:  too much for a sandwich, not enough for a pie.

The beauty about quesadillas is that, as long as you add the all-important cheese, you can fill them with just about anything.  For this particular recipe, I have added courgette, onion and garlic to the roast chicken and flavoured it very simply with chipotle paste.  Chipotle paste is one of my all-time favourite storecupboard staples as it brightens up so many things:  a spoonful in a chilli gives it a delicious smokiness, it is wonderful added to a hot wing glaze and divine in a grilled cheese sandwich.

I used about 2 tsp in this recipe, but you can use as much or as little as you wish.  If there is somebody in your party who prefers a spicier quesadilla, add a quick slick of hot sauce to the top of the filling before you fold the tortilla.

Chipotle Chicken and Courgette Quesadillas
Serves two

Olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium courgettes, diced
2 tsp chipotle paste
Leftover roast chicken
Salt and pepper
4 tortilla wraps
100g cheddar, grated

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and gently fry the onion, garlic and courgettes until soft.  Add the chipotle paste and stir in.  Finally, stir in the leftover roast chicken and transfer to a plate.

Heat a separate pan over a medium heat and add a small drop of oil.  Using a scrunched up piece of greaseproof paper, spread the oil around the pan – you want it to be very lightly coated.  Place the tortilla wrap in the pan and, working quickly, spread a quarter of the chicken mixture over one half of the wrap.  Top with cheese and fold the other half of the wrap over to make a semi-circular shape.

Cook for a couple of minutes until browned, then flip over with a spatula and cook the other side.  Transfer to a board and cut in half.  Repeat this process with the other four wraps.

Serve with guacamole, salsa and a little sour cream.

Recipe: The Perfect Pre-Drinking Sandwich

The perfect pre-drinking sandwich: lettuce, chorizo, tomato, avocado, cheese and a fried egg

We’ve all learned the hard way about drinking on an empty stomach: the lower-than-usual tolerance levels, feeling of emptiness and the desperate search for a McDonalds open past midnight.  When I first started going out, my mum would hover around me as I ruthlessly straightened my hair, trying to get me to eat something.

Everybody’s heard the urban legends about a glass of milk and a banana, but I have always found a sandwich to be perfect for lining the stomach.  The combination of carbs, protein and fats will give you a solid foundation for the many gin and tonics you will consume later on.  And, if you’re really short of time, you can eat it on the way.

In recent years, I have honed the perfect pre-drinking sandwich.  Although it varies slightly depending on what I have in the fridge, it will always contain the magic four ingredients: chorizo, cheese, avocado and a fried egg.  It takes a little while to prepare and can be quite messy to eat (not great for the cab) but will keep you going throughout the night.

The Perfect Pre-Drinking Sandwich

2 cooking chorizo sausages, I use the small ones from Waitrose
2 slices sandwich bread
Round lettuce leaves, soft part only
½ tomato, sliced
½ avocado, sliced
2 thin slices mature cheddar
A fried egg

Remove the skins from the chorizo sausages and slice fairly thinly.  Gently fry the slices in a little oil until crisp.  Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

Toast the sandwich bread and leave to cool by placing in a toast rack or propping up against something (cooling on a worktop will make the underside sweaty).  Once cool, spread with butter and top one slice with the lettuce leaves.

On top of the lettuce, pile the chorizo, tomato, avocado, cheese and, finally, the fried egg.  Cover with the other slice of bread.

Recipe: Goats Cheese, Grilled Courgette and Sundried Tomato on Focaccia

Goats cheese, grilled courgette and sundried tomato on focaccia. Eaten at my desk

This was a bit of a fridge raid, actually.  This often happens as the end of the week approaches – the odds and ends of the ingredients for earlier meals loiter around the fridge, gently threatening to go to waste.  Half a tub of soft goats cheese, a couple of baby courgettes and a few sundried tomatoes and I almost had a sandwich.

I find vegetarian sandwiches to be somewhat restorative during times when I am eating a lot of meat.  I used focaccia rolls for this sandwich simply because I like it.  Waitrose sell a pack of two rosemary and sea salt focaccia rolls for £1.66 that are big enough for a substantial lunchtime sandwich.  They are from their Essential range.  Really.  You can use slices of ordinary focaccia if you wish.  Or make your own.

Goats Cheese, Grilled Courgette and Sundried Tomato on Focaccia
Makes two

Two large focaccia rolls, I used Waitrose sea salt and rosemary (see above)
About 100g soft goats cheese, or cream cheese
8 sundried tomatoes
3 baby courgettes, thinly sliced vertically
Black pepper

Split the focaccia rolls and spead the bottom half liberally with the goats cheese.  You will not need butter as there is a lot of oil in the bread.

Place the sundried tomatoes between two slices of kitchen paper and wipe to remove any excess oil.

Lightly saute baby courgette slices in a small frying pan, or griddle if you wish.  Transfer to kitchen paper to drain and allow to cool.

Arrange the courgette slices on top of the goats cheese and place the sundried tomatoes on top with a grind of black pepper.  Replace the top half of the focaccia and serve.

Recipe: Halloumi, Sundried Tomato and Mint Sandwich

Halloumi, sundried tomato and mint sandwich

One of my biggest bete noires of sandwich making is raw halloumi.  I’m not quite sure why people use it as everybody in the world knows that halloumi is at its best when griddled or fried in a smidge of oil until it chars a little.  Despite this, I can think of at least three places that don’t grill their halloumi, including the place that does the best falafel in town – what is up with that?

I often make these (grilled) halloumi, sundried tomato and mint sandwiches for a packed lunch.  Some might see cold halloumi as a big a sin as raw halloumi, but as long as it is kept at room temperature and not chilled, it works really well.  It is adapted from a recipe I found online about ten years ago called the ‘hallelujah’ sandwich.  The sweetness of the sundried tomatoes and freshness of the mint works really well with the salted halloumi.  The best bread to use is a white bloomer or a baguette.

Halloumi, Sundried Tomato and Mint Sandwich
Serves one

Two slices of white bloomer (or a baguette – see above)
Mayonnaise
Salad leaves
5 slices halloumi
4 sundried tomatoes
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
Black pepper

Spread the two slices of bread thinly with butter and one of these thinly with mayonnaise.  Pile some salad leaves on top of the mayonnaise.

Griddle the halloumi over a high heat until well charred but not burnt.  Place on a plate lined with kitchen paper and allow to cool.

Dry the sundried tomatoes with kitchen paper to remove most of the oil and cut in half lengthways.

Place the cooled halloumi on top of th salad leaves, followed by the sundried tomatoes, mint and black pepper.  Place the other slice of bread on top and slice in half.

Chappers’ Top Tips for a Great BBQ Burger

One great burger

The abundance of great burgers in London makes it all the more difficult to impress with a homemade burger.  It seems we’re taking BBQ far more seriously lately, and gone are the days where a cheap sausage, a supermarket bun and a bit of ketchup will cut it – we want good food and we want lots of it.  My sister-from-another-mister Claire, also known as Chappers, puts on an eagerly awaited BBQ each year in her Forest Hill garden and is fast becoming the undisputed Queen of the Grill (south east London division).  The centerpiece of this BBQ is a rather excellent burger, so well thought through and designed that it could rival those found in restaurants across the city.  A brioche bun, a medium-rare patty, house pickles and an outrageous amount of cheese.  And somehow the weather even manages to hold up long enough to enjoy it.

Here are her top tips for a really good home-made BBQ burger:

Preparation:  This is key as you don’t want to delay serving your burgers because nothing else is ready.  All toppings should be prepped well in advance of the start of the BBQ.  If you have the space, create a production line of prepared baps, ready for the patties when they come off the grill.  Load the baps with the toppings and create a separate space for those who have specific requirements (no bacon, no mustard etc.)

Toppings:  This is really up to you, but I always add the following:  shredded iceberg lettuce, gherkins, red onions that have been soaked in a little red wine vinegar, candied bacon (more on this in a minute), burger cheese, ketchup and yellow American mustard.

Candied Bacon:  If you have the time to make this, it changes a good burger into a flipping great burger.  Place slices of bacon on a baking tray and top with brown sugar, white granulated sugar, pepper and a little smoked paprika and bake in the oven until crisp.  Allow to cool before serving.

Bread:  For me, the only bun is brioche.  You can make your own using this recipe, or you can buy a packet of four from Aldi for just 99p.  Use smaller buns where possible; it doesn’t matter if your burger hangs out of the edges a little, but there is nothing worse than taking a bite of just bread.  Toast them lightly on the grill first – spray with Fry Light to stop them sticking.

Patty:  This is the important part.  The higher the fat content in the beef, the juicier the burger, so cheap mince often works really well.  I tend to stick to the same recipe, and have recently taken to adding mozzarella to the middle of the burgers for extra cheesy goodness.  The key is to keep the patties fairly fat so the inside stays rare whilst the outside crisps up.

The candied bacon production line

Claire’s Burger Recipe
Makes eight patties

500g beef mince
1 large egg
10 crackers, crushed
Plenty of salt and pepper
Garlic powder
1 large onion, grated
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Olive oil
Jalapenos, finely chopped, to taste
Half a ball of mozzarella

Combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl using your hands.  Divide the mixture into 8 equal pieces.  Divide the mozzarella into eight equal pieces also.

For each patty, divide the pieces in half and flatten one with your hands. Place a piece of mozzarella on top. Place the other half of the meat on top and use your hands to mould it around the mozzarella, shaping the whole thing into a patty.  Pinch the edges together and ensure there are no gaps through which the mozzarella could escape.

As well as being the queen of the BBQ, Claire is also an avid fan of London burger restaurants.  Her top three burgers are:

Patty & Bun, Marylebone – The Ari Gold
Mother Flipper, various locations – The Double Candy Bacon Flipper
MEATLiquor, Marylebone – The Dead Hippie

Recipe: Red Pepper, Mushroom and Black-Eyed Beans Quesadilla

Red pepper, mushroom and black-eye beans quesadillas

I had a conversation with a friend the other day where they claimed that the quesadilla I had cooked for dinner the night before was not a sandwich.  So it’s not really, in the traditional sense, but the formula still applies:  bread + filling = sandwich.  No?

I was taught to make quesadillas whilst staying in Los Angeles with a girl called Katie.  She worked for the California Farmers Market Association, so always had a huge amount of fresh produce to hand.  I quickly realised that quesadillas were a wonderful and quick way to make a meal out of whatever you had at home.

Katie is a vegetarian, so hers always consisted of just vegetables, beans and cheese, along with the usual spices.  I have carried this tradition on and hardly ever make mine with meat or fish.

I also make my quesadillas by placing one tortilla in the pan, followed by the filling, and then another tortilla on top, but it takes a lot of practice, and a very large spatula to flip these.  It is far easier to put the filling on one side of the tortilla, then flip the other half over to make a semi-circular folded tortilla.

Red Pepper, Mushroom and Black Eye Beans Quesadilla
Serves two

Olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
2 red peppers, diced
250g mushrooms, halved and sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper
400g tin black-eyed beans
4 flour tortillas
100g cheddar cheese, grated
Handful chopped coriander

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and saute the red onion, red peppers and mushrooms until soft, about five minutes.  Stir in the spices, salt and pepper and the black-eyed beans and cook for an additional couple of minutes to heat through.

Heat a separate large frying pan over a medium heat.  Brush a tortilla with olive oil and place, oiled side down, in the frying pan.  Spoon a generous amount of the vegetable and beans mixture on to the tortilla and spread out, leaving a 3cm border around the edges.  Sprinkle over the cheese and coriander, place another tortilla on top and press down (or use the fold-over method, see above).

Cook for a couple of minutes then gently lift one side of the quesadilla to check the underside has browned.  When ready, flip the quesadilla and cook on the other side for a further few minutes until browned.  Transfer to a plate, cut in half and serve with sour cream, salsa and avocado.

Recipe: A Wrap Made With Ottolenghi’s Fish and Caper Kebabs

Ottolenghi’s Fish and Caper Kebabs, made into a wrap

I rediscovered my love of Ottolenghi’s recipes earlier in the week.  I dug out my copies of Ottolenghi, Plenty and Jerusalem to try to find something to do with the huge bottle of pomegranate molasses I have in the cupboard, and ended up spending a couple of hours leafing through the books, marking many pages with pink post-its for later.

This recipe, especially, caught my eye.  Although the London heatwave is now over and the city much cooler, I am still in the mood for bright summery food and this combination of fish, capers, dill and citrus just seemed to do the trick.  The simple process of mixing the ingredients, chilling the ‘kebabs’ and frying appeals to even the laziest cook.

The recipe suggests this as a starter: three ‘kebabs’ per person served with a dollop of the burnt aubergine.  I preferred instead to put the whole lot inside a wrap with some salad.  One wrap would do for a nice lunch, two would make a more substantial dinner.

Fish and Caper Kebabs Wrap with Burnt Aubergine
Serves four as a light lunch or two for a dinner; adapted from a recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi

For the burnt aubergine
2 medium aubergines
2 tbsp greek yoghurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper

For the kebabs
400g white fish fillet, skinless and boneless
30g breadcrumbs
1/2 a medium egg, beaten
20g capers, chopped
20g dill, chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
¾ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground white pepper

To assemble
Sunflower oil, for frying
4 corn tortillas or flatbreads
Rocket

Start by making the burnt aubergines.  Cook the aubergines directly over the gas flame of a cooker, turning occasionally.  The skin will blister and the flesh will become soft inside.  It will take 5-10 minutes per aubergine.  Once cooked, set aside to cool.

Once cooled, scoop out the flesh and transfer to a sieve.  Gently press the flesh with the back of a spoon to squeeze out any excess moisture.  Roughly chop and place in a medium bowl.  To this bowl, add the yoghurt, garlic, parsley, 1tsp salt and a good amount of black pepper.  Stir to combine and set aside.

Finely chop the fish fillet and place in a large bowl.  Ad the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  Divide the mixture into 12 equal pieces and shape into ovals with your hands.  Place on a plate and refridgerate for at least half an hour.

Pour a small amount of oil into a large frying pan, about 1mm deep and cook the fish balls for three minutes on each side, or until well-browned.  Drain on kitchen paper.

Put some rocket and a couple of spoonfuls of burnt aubergine on the tortilla, then add three fish balls and roll up.  Add some hot sauce if you wish.