I grew up in the food industry. I worked in the food industry. I know A LOT about food. The irony? I'm an "eat to live" type. Food is there for sustenance. Nutrients. A necessary evil.
On the other hand, my husband, Louis, is all about the food. The marriage of flavours and ingredients. He has a very adventuresome palate.
Thank goodness!
A while back he was at a tasting at our local grocery store. After falling in love with the small morsel he was given, he grabbed up a few ingredients, changed things up a bit, then I tweeked things a bit more (I may eat to live, but I do know my way around) and I am now ADDICTED to this wonderful sandwich:
All good sandwiches start with great bread. In this case, you start with a fresh Olive Boule:
Make your slices not to thick, not too thin (and try to make yours more even than mine!):
Spread some good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil on your slices:
Spread a thin layer of Fig Preserves on each slice (I'm sure this can be found anywhere, after all, my local grocery store is not fancy by any means.) Or better, replace with fresh sliced figs. Ooh ... next time!
Add a layer (or two) of fresh cured Prosciutto. I have a new found love for Prosciutto, but it really is a case of less is more. The good stuff has great flavour:
Doesn't this look good? Oh, oh, oh. Now, this is where I stop (since my recently discovered intolerance for cheese) and enjoy the sweet and savoury goodness.
But if you can, add some fresh shaved asiago cheese. Aaaah:
This is such a treat. The mixture of textures and flavours are to be savoured. A sandwich to enjoy.
Make sure you have a napkin handy! Sometimes the olive oil has a way of escaping.
It really is the little things through the day that bring great joy :)
We have been enjoying this treat at least once, if not twice a week. I was sure to pack a couple of sandwiches for Louis and Cole to take to snack on during the bus trip (10+ hours) to Chicago yesterday. I wish Cole had a chance to go on a gastronomic tour of that wonderful town, but alas, it's all about the hockey this weekend.
So, if you like a little salty, a little sweet, a little savoury THIS is the perfect little piece of satisfaction. Try it and let me know what you think!
