They say you should never meet your heroes. Well, I’ve arranged a meeting with a sandwich instead.
The Scuttlebutt
This sandwich has a reputation.
I’m calling this the “Amelia Earhart Sandwich” in the title because it’s a national treasure that lives in the hearts of many. I was introduced to this sandwich back in 2010. In college I declared myself vegetarian when convenient. I would typically order vegetarian options and often seek out places that catered to vegetarians. I have been known to drag people to establishments based on my dietary concerns. I would like to give a quick shout out to anyone who ate raw vegan with me for that one year, bless you for sticking by my side.
I wouldn’t declare myself a sandwich person, however, I will fuss over the right one. Sandwiches are themselves reflections of the kitchens they come from. For example, bodega sandwiches are inexpensive and convenient. One day in 2010, on Metropolitan Ave in Williamsburg, I crossed the threshold into the famed, “Saltie.” I could sense I was in the presence of kitchen witchcraft.
Saltie’s menu presentation was made up of pasted skewed letters on a blue board that only featured a handful of items. The institution was petite in size and what they offered was enticing and delightfully poetic in substance. The Scuttlebutt was always on the menu. The name originates from a nautical term for a cask of drinking water on ships then the term became slang for rumors or gossip. Comprised of focaccia, pimentón aïoli, feta, hard boiled eggs, herbs, pickled beets/carrots, capers, and olives. This combination of salty, briny, vinegary, creamy, smokey, sweet, savory, tart, sour, crunchy just waltzes on your palate. After two bites of the Scuttlebutt, you will find yourself tickled by the name and mesmerized by its gravitas.
Serves Two
*This recipe is heavy on prep, once you have yourself set up for success, everything else is easy.
Ingredients:
1.5 cups white distilled vinegar
3 Tbsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes
1 tsp coriander seeds (whole)
1 tsp black peppercorns (whole)
2 garlic cloves (one smashed, one finely minced)
1 large beet (mandolin into matchsticks)
1 large carrot (mandolin into matchstick)
1 egg yolk, plus three whole eggs (hardboiled, 8 minutes, then sliced)
1 tsp pimentón
1/2 lemons juice
1/2 tsp honey
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Two Pieces of Focaccia 4 inches by 6 inches (cut in half)*
1 tbsp salted capers (rinsed of their salt)
1/4 cup of black olives (pitted and split in half, oil cured preferred)
1 - 7oz Piece of Feta (thinly sliced into planks)
mint (small handful, picked)
parsley (small handful, picked)
cilantro (small handful, picked)
Method:
In a small sauce pot, add vinegar, 3/4 cup water, salt, chili, coriander, black pepper, and smashed garlic clove. On the stove over medium heat, gently bring to a boil. In two separate pint containers, put beets in one and carrots in the other. Split the pickling liquid evenly between the beets and the carrots while still hot. Allow pickles to come up to room temperature and use right away or refrigerate up to two weeks.
In a large bowl, add egg yolk, pimentón, lemon juice, honey, and a pinch of salt. Gently whisk to combine. Start slowly streaming in the olive oil in very small amounts, continuously whisking. Once the mixture begins to thicken and retain the oil, you can add remaining olive oil while whisking intently. *Here’s a tip. Before you add the last remaining bits of the olive oil, add a small splash of cold water. This will bloom your smoked paprika and add stability to your aïoli.*
Assembly:
Lay out your focaccia, cut side up. Spread each side with a layer of aïoli. In a slightly organized manner, scatter around capers and olives on the bottom side. Place feta on top of the olive mixture. Add hardboiled egg slices on top of the feta. Place the pickled beets and carrots on top of the egg. Mix your herbs together and build small salads to place on top of the pickled vegetables. Place the top half of the sandwich on the assembled side and gently squish the sandwich (this might be the best part).
*For focaccia recipes, I like Caroline Anderson’s or Claire Saffitz’s best. Here’s a website for one of the best focaccia recipes. Click Below.*
Hung Up on Broccolini
What was once a vanity banquet vegetable in lieu of its older less attractive sibling, broccolini is living it up in an era of retro chic. Instead of pairing broccolini with a steamy piece of salmon or mediocre pasta, try giving our old gal the limelight she’s been searching for. Broccolini, much like Dame Judy Dench, has been at work for a lifetime.
When I ate at Frenchette (Tribeca) recently, the chef came over to spread his own wisdom about the remarkable transformation Broccolini is having. I laughed about the comment he made and then I had dinner last week at Roman’s (Clinton Hill/Fort Greene) and choked on my own laughter. Yet again, another fabulous broccolini dish. This time with a chicken piccata like composition with lemon, parsley, and a velvety sauce to synch it all in.
I said to my friend Halley, “I want to make the broccolini, but have that be the piccata.” A few days later, after one pass making it, I was very satisfied with the end result. Floral aromas from Meyer lemon peel, salty capers, flecked with abundant chopped parsley, and a less than shy amount of butter. What the broccolini lacks in appearance it makes up for in shouting amount of flavor. As Francis Mallmann said to me once, “like clashes in the mouth.”
I’m grateful that I get to write each week.
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