Sunday, March 30, 2025

Corned Beef and Gruyère Toasties

These corned beef and Gruyere toasties are made with thinly sliced corned beef and rich, melty Gruyere in an electric toastie machine which seals the flavor in! 

Food Lust People Love: These corned beef and Gruyere toasties are made with thinly sliced corned beef and rich, melty Gruyere in an electric toastie machine which seals the flavor in!

Here’s a tiny bit of history for you. The very first toasted sandwich machine was patented in the United States way back in 1925 so this year we celebrate its centennial birthday. Truth be told though, it didn’t really take off in popularity until 1974 when Breville introduced their Snack'n'Sandwich Toaster in Australia. 

I grew up eating regular grilled cheese sandwiches, made on a griddle at home but we also had a pie iron aka sandwich press for use over a campfire that made something very similar to modern electric toastie makers. It wasn’t until I was fully a grown up with children(!) when I saw my first electric toastie machine. 

When our younger daughter was still at home, before her university days, ours got regular use. Nowadays, not so much. That’s why when I heard that the theme for today’s Sunday FunDay was going to be grilled cheese sandwiches, I decided it was time to dust it off and see if it still worked. 

I had to hunt for it in the back of the pantry! When I did find it, I discovered that it didn’t have the toastie plates in – it has three sets of interchangeable plates: panini press, waffle iron and toastie – so then I had go looking for the spare plates. I’m pleased to tell you that now all are together in a safe place. 

Corned Beef and Gruyère Toasties

Could you just use a regular griddle or frying pan and make these sandwiches on the stovetop? Of course! The edges won’t be sealed up nicely but they will still taste just as good. For this recipe, I use a brisket roast that I home cured and cooked. You can substitute store-bought corned beef but, please, from the deli counter, not the tinned stuff. 

Ingredients for two toasties
4 slices whole wheat sandwich bread
2-3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 1/2 oz or 70g corn beef roast, thinly sliced
1 1/4 oz or 36g Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced
1 – 1/2 tablespoons whole grain mustard


Optional for serving:
pickles (I like pickled okra)
potato chips

Method
Thickly butter one side of the slices of bread. 


Lay them butter side down on a piece of cling film and spread the mustard on the other side.  (I actually put the buttered sides together at first but then realized I'd have to turn it all over to spread mustard on the other side, so do as I say, not as I did.)


Layer your corned beef and Gruyère slices so that they overlap and alternate on two of the slices. Make a second layer. 


Close the sandwiches by putting the other two slices mustard side down on the beef and cheese. 


Heat your toastie maker, following the instructions in your manual. Mine has a green light when it’s ready to make a toastie. 

Place your sandwiches in the toastie maker.


Close the lid firmly and lock the clasp.


My toastie maker light turns red at this point and will turn green again when the toastie is ready. 


Remove the toasties from the machine and cut them in half at the pressed line. 

Food Lust People Love: These corned beef and Gruyere toasties are made with thinly sliced corned beef and rich, melty Gruyere in an electric toastie machine which seals the flavor in!

Serve with pickles and potatoes chips, if desired. 

Food Lust People Love: These corned beef and Gruyere toasties are made with thinly sliced corned beef and rich, melty Gruyere in an electric toastie machine which seals the flavor in!

Enjoy! 

As I mentioned above, today is Sunday FunDay and our theme is a celebration of National Grill Cheese Month. Many thanks to our host, Camilla of Culinary Cam. Check out all the grilled cheese sandwich links below. 

 
We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.



Pin these Corned Beef and Gruyère Toasties! 

Food Lust People Love: These corned beef and Gruyere toasties are made with thinly sliced corned beef and rich, melty Gruyere in an electric toastie machine which seals the flavor in!
 .

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Extra Herby Gremolata

Gremolata is usually made with just three main ingredients: flat-leaf parsley, fresh garlic, and lemon zest. This extra herby gremolata includes basil as well! 

Food Lust People Love: Gremolata is usually made with just three main ingredients: flat-leaf parsley, fresh garlic, and lemon zest. This extra herby gremolata includes basil as well!

I love this stuff! It adds so much pep and flavor to anything it’s added to. This small batch extra herby gremolata is perfect spooned on top of pan-fried fish and chicken breasts. Or as an accompaniment to grilled beef and lamb.

If you’ve got fresh herbs growing in your garden, feel free to add more kinds and/or different herbs altogether. I give you permission to still call it gremolata because, truly, who cares as long as it tastes great! You might recall I shared one last year made with fresh asparagus. So good! 

This time around I actually tossed this with some hot boiled new potatoes for a whole new side dish. I just checked back through my photos in case I had a photo of that but, sadly, no. Trust me, it was good. 

Extra Herby Gremolata

Any very tender stems can be left on the herbs, otherwise, use only the leaves. As mentioned above, mix and match your favorite herbs. 

Ingredients
1/2 lemon (for zest and juice)
1 clove garlic
Small bunch basil leaves, about 1/8 cup, tightly packed, or 10g
Small bunch parsley, about 1/8 cup, tightly packed, or 10g
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Few good grinds black pepper

Method
Rinse the leaves well with cool water and use a salad spinner to dry them well.


Peel, crush then mince the garlic.  


Finely mince the herbs. 


Grate the lemon zest into a small bowl. 


Add the minced garlic and herbs to the lemon zest along with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir well. 


Set aside for about 30-45 minutes to give the flavors time to blend. If not using till much later, refrigerate until ready to use. This can easily be made a day ahead. 

Food Lust People Love: Gremolata is usually made with just three main ingredients: flat-leaf parsley, fresh garlic, and lemon zest. This extra herby gremolata includes basil as well!

Enjoy! 


Welcome to the 7th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2025, brought to you by the letter G. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the G recipes below:





Pin this Extra Herby Gremolata!

Food Lust People Love: Gremolata is usually made with just three main ingredients: flat-leaf parsley, fresh garlic, and lemon zest. This extra herby gremolata includes basil as well!

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Sunday, March 23, 2025

Easy Lamb Curry

This easy lamb curry has a rich gravy and is full of flavor. Using a store-bought curry paste instead of a long list of spices makes it so easy! 

Food Lust People Love: This easy lamb curry has a rich gravy and is full of flavor. Using a store-bought curry paste instead of a long list of spices makes it so easy!

My spice cupboard is full of all the spices I need to cook a full blown, made from scratch curry but sometimes I’m just too lazy to toast and grind them. That’s when a store-bought curry paste comes in handy. 

And in that same spirit of laziness, this post doesn’t have my typical process photos, just one of the well-seared lamb and onions! But truly, I don’t think they are necessary. This really lives up to its name, easy lamb curry.

Easy Lamb Curry

I am a fan of stock cubes so if you don’t have chicken broth or lamb stock, by all means use a cube here to make some. Depending on the saltiness of your broth or stock, you may not need any salt added at the end. 

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 lb or 450g cubed boneless lamb
¼ cup or 60g hot or mild Indian curry paste (such as Patak's)
1 cup or 240ml chicken broth or lamb stock
1 can (14.5 oz or 411g) chopped tomatoes and juice
6 small to medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup or 120g frozen peas, thawed 235g/2
Fine sea salt, to taste

To serve: cooked rice
Optional: chutney (homemade or store-bought)
To garnish: cilantro leaves

Method
Melt the butter with the oil in a large pan and sauté the onion until it is translucent. Remove from the pan.

Add the lamb and fry till seared on all sides. Transfer to the plate and mix with the onions.


Add curry paste to the pan and stir for one minute.

Add the broth/stock and tomatoes, bring to a boil. 

Return the lamb and onion to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. 

Add cubed potatoes and simmer, covered, until the lamb and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. 

Stir in the thawed peas and cook until heated through, about five minutes. Taste for salt and add some if necessary. 

Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with cooked rice and chutney on the side for those who would like a dollop.

Food Lust People Love: This easy lamb curry has a rich gravy and is full of flavor. Using a store-bought curry paste instead of a long list of spices makes it so easy!

Enjoy!

It's Sunday FunDay and I am hosting! I chose lamb as our theme/ingredient since it's spring. Check out the links below.

 
We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.



Pin this Easy Lamb Curry!

Food Lust People Love: This easy lamb curry has a rich gravy and is full of flavor. Using a store-bought curry paste instead of a long list of spices makes it so easy!
.