Finger Sandwiches or Tea Sandwiches

Bringing flavor, pizazz and panache to cooking

The first time I remember having Finger Sandwiches or Tea Sandwiches I was 6 years old and my grandmother, M’liss Godman Calvert – better known to us as E – was visiting from Memphis, TN. She took us to the Menger Hotel in downtown San Antonio for lunch and we had these little sandwiches that were really pretty and just my size. My grandmother loved “pretty food” that ladies in The South served at luncheons.

A few years before my parents died, we bought my mother “a proper tea set” and held an afternoon tea for the family. It included some great “tea sandwiches”. I’ve gather these recipes that my mother and grandmother would love from various sources. Enjoy!

Curried Chicken Tea Sandwiches

½ cup flaked Coconut

½ cup Almonds, chopped

1 8 oz package Cream Cheese, softened

2 Tbsp Orange Marmalade

1½ tsp Curry Powder

¼ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Pepper

2 cups Chicken, cooked and diced

12 ½-inch-thick Pumpernickel, Wheat, or White bread slices

3 Tbsp Green Onions, diced

My mother, grandmother and aunt

Bake coconut and almonds in shallow baking pans at 350°, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until toasted.

Stir together cream cheese and next 4 ingredients; gently stir in chicken. Spread evenly on bread slices; trim crusts, and cut each slice into 3 strips. Sprinkle evenly with coconut, almonds, and green onions.

Checkerboard Cheese Sandwiches

1 (10-ounce) block Extra-Sharp Cheddar, grated

1 (10-ounce) block Swiss Cheese, grated

1¼ cups Mayonnaise

1 (4-ounce) jar diced Pimientos, drained

1 tsp Onion Flakes

¼ tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

20 thin White Bread slices (Pepperidge Farm Very Thin White Bread)

20 thin Wheat Bread slices (Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Wheat Bread)

Garnishes: Grape Tomatoes and Black olives, secured with wooden toothpicks

Stir together first 6 ingredients. Spread half of mixture evenly on half of white bread slices; top with remaining half of white bread slices. Spread remaining half of mixture evenly on half of wheat bread slices; top with remaining half of wheat bread slices.

Remove crusts with a serrated knife; cut each sandwich into 4 squares. Arrange, stacked in pairs, on a serving plate in a checkerboard pattern, alternating white and wheat. Garnish each sandwich with either a Grape Tomato or a Black Olive.

Cucumber Sandwiches

1 (8-ounce) package Cream Cheese, softened

1/3 cup Mayonnaise

1 medium Cucumber, – English Cucumber works best – peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

¼ tsp Garlic Salt

½ tsp fresh Dill, chopped

20 thin White Bread slices (Pepperidge Farm Very Thin White Bread)

20 thin Wheat Bread slices (Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Wheat Bread)

Process cream cheese and mayonnaise in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides.

Combine cream cheese mixture, cucumber, garlic salt, and dill. Spread cucumber mixture evenly onto white bread slices, and top with wheat bread.

Using a 2- to 3-inch round cutter, cut sandwiches, discarding edges. Or cut crusts from bread, discarding crusts, and cut sandwiches into quarters. Store cucumber sandwiches in an airtight container for up to 1 hour before serving.

Egg Salad Sandwiches

5 large Hardboiled Eggs, grated

2 Tbsp Celery, finely chopped

2 Tbsp Sweet Pickle Relish

2 Tbsp Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Sour Cream

1 Tbsp Onion, grated

¾ tsp dried Salad Seasoning (McCormick Salad Seasoning)

½ tsp Dijon Mustard

¼ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Sugar

1/8 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

22 thin White Bread slices (Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Sliced White Bread)

Combine first 11 ingredients in a bowl until blended. Cover and chill 3 hours.

Spread 2 tablespoons egg mixture evenly on 1 side of 11 bread slices. Top with remaining 11 bread slices. Cut each sandwich into 4 finger sandwiches.

Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches

3/4 cup Mayonnaise and 3/4 cup Miracle Whip OR 1½ cups Mayonnaise

1 4 oz jar Pimientos, drained and diced

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp Onion, finely grated

¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 8 oz package Extra-Sharp Cheddar cheese, finely shredded

1 8 oz package Medium Cheddar cheese, shredded with large grater holes

White, Wheat, Rye or Pumpernickel Bread, thinly sliced

If using Mayonnaise and Miracle Whip, mix them together. Fold the cheeses, onion, Worcestershire Sauce and cayenne into the mixture or, if not using Miracle Whip, into the Mayonnaise.

Spread on bread slice and cover with another slice of bread. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the sandwiches, or remove the crusts and cut from corner to corner to make 4 triangles.

This will store for 1 to 1½ weeks, covered (if it lasts that long).

Ham Salad Sandwiches

2 cups Cooked Ham, finely chopped

½ cup Celery, finely diced

1 tsp Onion, grated

1/3 cup Mayonnaise

¾ tsp Yellow Mustard

12 slices White, Wheat, Rye or Pumpernickel Bread

Butter

In a medium bowl, combine ham, celery, onion, mayonnaise, and mustard. Lightly butter the bread slices. Spread 6 slices of bread with even portions of ham salad mixture and top with the other 6 slices. Cut each sandwich diagonally into quarters.

Watercress Sandwiches

½ cup Watercress sprigs

¼ cup Butter, softened

2 Tbsp Chives, finely chopped

8 slices large firm White Bread slices, crusts removed

¼ cup fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley leaves

½ 8 oz package of Cream Cheese, softened

Salt and Pepper, to taste

In food processor, with chopping blade, process watercress and parsley until finely chopped. Add butter, cream cheese, chives, salt and pepper; process until mixture turns green.

Spread mixture on half the bread slices and top with remaining slices. Cut each sandwich diagonally into 4 triangles.

Place on a tray or plate; cover with slightly damp paper towel and plastic wrap. Refrigerate until serving time.

Boeuf Bourguignon – Beef Bourguignon

Bringing flavor, pizazz and panache to cooking

This is a recipe we learned in the cooking class “Inspired by the Hit Movie Julie & Julia – Mastering French Cuisine” at the Viking Cooking School at  Hubble & Hudson Bistro & Market in The Woodlands north of Houston. We served it over Buttered Egg Noddles and topped it with Sauteed Petits Pois – an earlier blog post. It would also be good over Mashed Potatoes, too. Bon Appetit!

6 slices Applewood-Smoked Bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips

4 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (or as needed), divided

½ lb fresh White Mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste

2 lbs boneless Beef Chuck Roast, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 medium white or yellow Onion, diced

2-3 cloves of Garlic, minced or pressed

½ tsp fresh Thyme

2 Bay Leaves, preferably Turkish

1/3 cup Brandy, of drinkable quality

1½ tsp Tomato Paste

½ lb Carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch lengths (about ¼ inch thick)

2 cups dry Red Wine, preferable Pinot Noir

2 cups rick Veal Stock or Beef Broth

½ lb frozen Pearl Onions

3 Tbsp Beurre Marnie (2 Tbsp Flour mixed with 1 Tbsp softened Butter)

2 Tbsp fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley, for garnish

Place a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat; add the bacon strips and cook, stirring frequently until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, remove the crispy bacon strips and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

Increase the heat to medium-high; if needed, add 1 Tbsp of the oil to the rendered bacon fat and heat through. Stir in the mushrooms and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper; cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms have released all of their liquid, the liquid has evaporated, and the mushrooms have begun to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a small bowl and set aside until needed.

Place the Dutch oven back over medium-high heat; add 2 Tbsp of the remaining oil and heat through. (Note: If at any point the bottom of the pan is starting to burn, remove the contents and clean out the pan. Resume recipe.) Pat the beef cubes with paper towels to remove all the excess moisture; season generously with salt and pepper. Add to the pot, and cook until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. (Note: Cook beef in several batches to prevent over-crowding the pan, adding additional oil if necessary.) Remove the browned beef with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a clean plate. Set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium; add the remaining Tbsp of oil to the pot and heat through. Stir in the onion and cook until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook 1 minute more.

Carefully add the brandy to the pot, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (deglaze). CAREFULLY ignite the brandy with a long-handled lighter, keeping your face and hair away from the flames. When the flames subside, add the tomato paste, stirring to incorporate; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Return the beef, any juices collected on the plate and the bacon to the pan; add the carrots and stir to combine. Add the wine and stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot and place in the oven; cook until the beef and vegetables are very tender, about 2½ to 3 hours. (Note: If you prefer, you can simmer the pot on top of the stove over low heat for the same period of time.) About halfway through the cooking time, add the frozen pearl onions to the pot and stir to combine.

Remove the pot from the oven and place back on the stovetop over medium heat. Ladle about 1 cup of the stewing liquid into a small sauté pan; whisk the beurre marnie into the liquid until completely combined. Stir this mixture back into the Beef Bourguignon and simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes. If the braising liquid is not quite thick enough, ladle another cupful of liquid back into the small sauté pan. Whisk in another 1 to 2 Tbsp of the beurre marnie. Add back to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the desired thickness is achieved.

Just before serving, remove the bay leaves and add the reserved mushroom back to the pot.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve immediately with French Bread, potatoes or noodles and sweet peas.