I guess most of our fun conversations and happy moments happen in the kitchen, where I try to explain the husband – the binaries of tastes and aromas, pretending to be a “Television chef”! Though I always doubt that he would be listening to my chatter, because he is more so interested in when he can gobble it all down!
Just a few months back I took up a weekend class for bread-making. It was fun to know all the science behind bread making, the history and the types of loafs and breads we can make. But more so it was enlightening and entertaining experience to share with the like minded bunch. We chatted, drank beverages and sampled each others’ breads that we baked. A weekend well spent! I brought home some of the bread I had baked for the husband to try ….and ever since every time I go out to buy more bread, the husband goes with a smirk on his face -“dint you take classes to make bread? Haha, you know that feeling of frustration mixed with the try not to laugh look face?? Yeah that….that’s how I feel!
I think sandwiches are one of those perfect foods, along with pizza, noodles and bread of course! Sandwiches handle experiments and variations well and almost all the countries have welcomed them with wide open arms (or should I say wide open mouths?) They make perfect lunches, brunches and even as dinners. So Easy and so Versatile!
I am a bread lover, and when it comes to buying a loaf, I usually don’t settle for an ordinary loaf of bread. I love those artisan multigrains or sour dough kinds which you buy from quaint little bakeries. The smell of freshly baked bread is just astonishing. I make at least two trips just for the bread during the week and par t of the reason got to do with these sandwiches! I believe I am making my point strong enough that you would make these soon enough! And the marriage of coconut with my obsession of cilantro/coriander works well in the accompanying pesto. This tangy, zesty, creamy fresh goodness is what I make almost every week and store it in a jar in the refrigerator. I not only use it in these sandwiches but put it in my burgers, salads and even in my stir fry.
These are also my go to summer picnic sandwiches. They keep well for long hours, just make sure you apply cream cheese first, and then layer pesto on top and after that put cucumber slices on top and close with the other slice. That way the cream cheese stops the moisture from the pesto going in the bread and making it soggy.
- Multigrain bread slices
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1 big bunch of cilantro/coriander
- 3-4 green chilies or 1-2 jalapeño peppers
- 1 cup fresh coconut-meat, sliced roughly
- 1 lime
- little water (to blend the pesto) or ½ cup olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Put cilantro, chilies/peppers, coconut pieces, salt and a juice of a lime in a blender. Add water little by little to make it a spreadable consistency. Olive oil can be added to bled the pesto well though you can prefer to just add water. Set aside.
- Slice the cucumber into round discs.
- Take one slice of a bread and apply desired amount of cream cheese.
- Layer cucumber discs and sprinkle them with some kosher salt.
- Take second slice and layer it with a dollop of coriander-coconut pesto.
- Close the two halves and slice it in half.
- Enjoy.
The pesto stays well in the refrigerator for up to one week, the lime keeps it well both fresh and green, I add more lime for the tang and also for vivid lime green color in the pesto.
The pesto becomes thick when you store it in refrigerator, put little water or olive oil to bring it the spreadable consistency.
I use store-bought flavored cream cheese like oregano, dill-pickle, black pepper etc., you can make your own just by adding dry oregano to the plain cream cheese. Just keep it simple by only adding one flavor at a time.
Fresh coconut-meat is best in my opinion or you can buy frozen and then thaw it and use it in the pesto. DO NOT substitute with coconut milk.
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