Cookbook #61 Beautiful Breads & Fabulous Fillings

Sometimes I make cooking decisions that aren't very rational.  Should a sandwich ever take 6 hours to make?  Probably not, but it can apparently. 

Beautiful Breads and Fabulous Fillings by Margaux Sky is full of recipes that can take you hours upon hours to complete...because they start with baking the bread yourself.  Her flavor combinations are unique to say the least.....Lavendar Mint Love Bread, Roasted Red Pepper Mint Bread, Concord Grape Bread and  Maple Merlot.  Intrigued?

But really, that's only half of the equation because with this cookbook--you pair that bread with some "fabulous fillings" and you are on your way to the most labor intensive, but well worth the effort, sandwich of all time.  Imagine Red Deviled Egg Salad on Spicy White Pepper-Jack Bread, Garden of Eden on Concord Grape Bread and of course, the recipe that seduced me, Avocado and Melted Swiss on Salsa Bread. 

Why wouldn't you start with homemade salsa?

Fresh Salsa

2 cups finely diced tomatoes
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup green onion
1/2 cup diced cilantro
1-2 jalapenos
1 garlic clove minced
juice of 1-2 limes
salt to taste
 Combine all ingredients and set aside.

Then you move onto the bread step--which is really where all the time goes. It's that whole rising thing.  The book provides a bread recipe, but I grabbed another of my favorites.  Any white bread recipe (or even frozen loaf will do) 

Rolling up salsa and cheese inside of bread is not my strong suit, but hey, it did the job. It was bread.

And finally, on to the best part...the toppings.  Toast the bread (I made mine an open faced version), melt some cheese and add a bit of guacamole AND

Avocados.  Who cares if it's overkill.  And a bit more salsa on top of that.  Genius.

Was it really just a fancy grilled cheese sandwich? Yes.  And would I make it again?  Probably without the salsa bread recipe.  Any great bread will do and the salsa in the bread is not really apparent once all the toppings go on.  But it really was fun to make anyway.

Avocado And Melted Swiss On Salsa Bread
Adapted from Beautiful Breads

Making the salsa Bread
1 portion white dough bread
2 cups drained salsa
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
1 egg, beaten well and whisked together with 2 Tablespoons water

Roll one portion of the dough into a 9 by 11 inch rectangle. Scatter the salsa and cheese on the surface. Begin to roll the bread, jelly roll fashion, folding the edges as you go--like a burrito. Place the finished rolled bread into a well buttered 9 inch bread pan. Let the bread rise, covered, in a warm place for about 60 minutes.

When doubled, brush the loaf with the egg and water mix and place the loaf in a preheated oven set at 400 degrees. Bake for 60 minutes or until the bread has a hollow thump.

Making the Sandwich
Avocado and Melted Swiss On Salsa Bread

2 Tablespoons soft butter
4 slices salsa bread
1 cup guacamole
2 thick slices swiss cheese
1 cup salsa
1 cup spring greens

Butter the bread and toast it in a hot skillet on both sides, then slice diagonally. Spread some guacamole on each slice of bread. Melt the swiss cheese in a microwave until runny and spread it on the guacamole. Drain the salsa and sprinkle some of it on the sandwiches. Place some baby lettuce on top of the salsa, then top with the other slices of bread. Serve extra salsa on the side.