Roman Melt Recipes

CALIFORNIA MELT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven broiler.
• Lay the toasted bread out on a baking sheet. Top each slice of bread with 1/4 of the avocado, mushrooms, almonds, and tomato slices. Top each with a slice of Swiss cheese.
• Broil the open-face sandwiches until the cheese melts and begins to bubble, about 2 minutes. Serve the sandwiches warm.

PATTY MELTS

Steps:

• Caramelize onions. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet set over high heat. When it foams, add the onions and sprinkle with salt. Do not stir immediately. Wait 1 minute, then begin to stir frequently over high heat for 5 minutes or so, or until the onions have released some liquid and started to become translucent.
• Reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, for what will seem like a very long time, until the onions are fully melted and dark golden brown, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Remove onions, and set them and the skillet aside. (You can caramelize the onions a day ahead of time and reheat slowly when you're ready to cook.)
• Cook the burgers. Add the remaining butter to the skillet in which you cooked the onions, and place it over medium heat. Gently divide the ground beef into 4 small piles, and then lightly form these into patties that are like flattened meatballs, roughly the shape of a slice of rye bread. Season aggressively with salt and pepper.
• Increase the heat under skillet to high. Put the patties into the skillet with plenty of distance between them, and allow them to cook, without moving, for approximately 2 minutes. Use a spatula to turn the patties over, and continue to cook for another 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, then remove the patties from the skillet, and allow them to rest. (They will at this point be rare inside.)
• Decrease the heat below the skillet to medium, and put four pieces of rye bread into the butter and fat that remains from cooking the patties. Top each piece with a slice of cheese, then a patty, then some of the caramelized onions, and finally another slice of cheese and another slice of rye. Use the spatula to press down on the packages, and after about a minute or so, carefully turn over each patty to begin to brown the other side. (You may need to add the additional butter.) Cook until the cheese is fully melted and the bread is golden brown and crisp on both sides. Slice in half before serving.

ROASTED ROMAN-STYLE ROMANESCO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Drizzle olive oil into a roasting pan or baking dish.
• Cut Romanesco into quarters, being sure to cut directly through the thick center core, so that they stay together when roasted. Set aside until needed.
• Add anchovies and 3 tablespoons olive oil to a large mixing bowl and use the back of a fork to mash the anchovies into a paste. Add red pepper flakes and lemon juice and stir with a fork to combine.
• Toss Romanesco in the dressing until the pieces are thoroughly coated. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and 1/2 of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and toss until evenly coated.
• Transfer Romanesco into the prepared pan, cut side-down. Scrape all cheese and crumbs from the mixing bowl and scatter over the top. Grate the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano to cover the tops and lightly drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is browned and the Romanesco is tender, as tested with the tip of a knife in the cores, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges.

ROMAN-STYLE BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• In a 12-inch high-sided skillet, melt butter over medium. Add shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add oil and garlic, and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add fennel, wine, lemon juice, oregano, parsley and 1½ cups of water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high, stirring to evenly coat the fennel in the liquid. Arrange the fennel in an even layer.
• Cover, reduce heat to medium and braise until fennel is tender, about 30 minutes, stirring and flipping halfway through.
• Transfer fennel to a serving platter, and spoon over the shallots and sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley, and serve warm or at room temperature.

ROMAN PATTY MELTS

Steps:

• 1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. 2. To make the peppers and onions, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a fireproof skillet. Add the bell pepper, onion, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes. Add the balsamic glace and cook 5 minutes longer. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and keep warm. 3. To make the patties, combine the garlic, oregano, fennel, paprika, salt, pepper, and cheese in a large bowl. Add the wine, pepper sauce, and beef. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Form the mixture into 6 equal oval patties to fit the bread slices, cover, and refrigerate until ready to grill. 4. To make the aioli, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Cover adn refrigerate until assembling the patty melts. 5. Brush the grill rack with vegtable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium. Butter both sides of the bread slices, place on rack, and toast one side only until golden brown. 6. To assemblethe patty melts, spread the toasted sides of the bread slices with the aioli. Top 6 of the slices with equal portions of the peppers and onions, the patties, a few basil leaves, and equal portion of the cheese, and the remaining bread slices, aioli sides down. Return the patty melts to the grill and cook, turning once, until the outside bread is toasted, about 1 minute per side.