Ok so I might have over reached a bit on the title of this post, but all puns aside ‘wichcraft is a book that is sure to please sandwich lovers and foodies alike.  Written by chef Tom Colicchio of Top Chef fame, ‘wichcraft brings the recipes from his award winning restaurant ‘wichcraft, into the kitchen.  Chef [...]]]>

Ok so I might have over reached a bit on the title of this post, but all puns aside ‘wichcraft is a book that is sure to please sandwich lovers and foodies alike.  Written by chef Tom Colicchio of Top Chef fame, ‘wichcraft brings the recipes from his award winning restaurant ‘wichcraft, into the kitchen.  Chef Colicchio holds a special place in the kitchen at Flavourgasmic, for one he is the lovable head judge on Top Chef, a TV show that is not only a favourite in our home, but has also helped to bring about the resurgance of truly excellent food and restaurants.  Chef Colicchio is also quite simply an excellent chef, one of a few that understands that meals do not have to be overly complicated to taste good, his food is honest, and I believe Chef Colicchio to be a caring and compassionate person which comes across in his cooking and in his recipes.  If you are the kind of person that wants a cold cut sandwich that can be thrown together quickly before work, this is probably not the book for you.  If however, like me, you love a good sandwich and want to see how this almost perfect meal delivery device can be elevated to the next level, this is the book for you.  While you could purchase it at Williams-Sonoma for the list price of $27.50 why not save yourself a couple of bucks and get it at Amazon for $18.15?  Continue reading to see a sample recipe from the book.

From ‘wichcraft: Roasted Turkey with Avocado, Bacon, Balsamic Onion Marmalade, and Mayonnaise

This recipe is one of our biggest sellers but, interestingly, each customer cites a different reason the sandwich is special. One says that she could eat the onion marmalade with a spoon for breakfast daily. Others can’t say enough about the bacon. Tom applauds Sisha’s decision to cut the turkey thicker, thus showcasing its moistness. This is an ensemble piece, with no clear headliner. While we use ciabatta, this sandwich would work as well on country bread, too.

Ingredients:
6 fresh sage leaves
1 (3- to 4-pound) boneless turkey breast
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 slices bacon
4 ciabatta rolls
1/2 cup Balsamic Onion Marmalade (This and other condiment recipes are in the book)
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced
4 tablespoons Mayonnaise

Note: Don’t cook the bacon over too high heat or the fat will burn. When you’re done, save the fat you’ve rendered and store it in the freezer. The next time you’re roasting some vegetables, toss some bacon fat in with them! (Makes 4 sandwiches)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Slide the sage leaves under the skin of the turkey breast and place the turkey on a sheet pan. Rub the skin with the butter and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast the turkey for 1 to 1½ hours, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Baste the meat with its juices throughout. (Keep in mind that the meat will continue to cook even after it’s removed from the oven, so be careful not to cook it too long.) Allow the meat to rest before slicing, or cool completely.

In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until golden brown and crisp on both sides. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Slice the ciabatta rolls in half. Place the turkey slices on the bottom halves and top with the marmalade. Place the bottom and top halves of the rolls in the 350°F oven and remove once the marmalade is heated through and the bread is toasted. Top the marmalade with the bacon, followed by the avocado. Evenly spread the mayonnaise on the top halves of the rolls. Close the sandwiches, cut into halves, and serve.