Tom Colicchio - Wichcraft: Craft a Sandwich Into a Meal--And a Meal Into a Sandwich

Amazon.com Review **Book Description** Slow-roasted meats, marinated vegetables, surprising flavor combinations, this is not your mothers sandwich. With acclaimed restaurants located across the United States, and a high-profile job as head judge of the hit show *Top Chef*, Tom Colicchio is one of the best-known chefs and personalities in the culinary world today. His popular chain of wichcraft sandwich shops is known for crafting sandwiches with high-quality fresh ingredients prepared to Colicchios exacting standards. And since the first wichcraft opened in 2003, diners cant seem to get enough. In *wichcraft*, Colicchio shares the shops secrets with step-by-step recipes for all their best-loved offerings. Youll learn how to create new classics like Roasted Turkey with Avocado, Bacon, Onion Marmalade, and Mayonnaise, and Sicilian Tuna with Fennel, Black Olives, and Lemon; and elevate basic cold cuts through imaginative combinations like Smoked Ham with Avocado and Butter, and Salami with Marinated Cauliflower and Bitter Greens. Routine staples are refashioned into unforgettable meals, like Onion Frittata with Roasted Tomato and Cheddar, and Slow-Roasted Pork with Red Cabbage, Jalapeos, and Mustard. wichcraft is stuffed with sandwiches like these, and many more, that will add something special to both your lunchbox and your life. With 100 full-color photographs, recipes for pantry items including dressings and condiments, and a host of sandwich cookies and ice cream treats to round out your meals, this is the book to get a little wichcraft magic going in your own kitchen. **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 cant say enough about the bacon. Tom applauds Sishas 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 * 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced * 4 tablespoons Mayonnaise **Note:** Dont cook the bacon over too high heat or the fat will burn. When youre done, save the fat youve rendered and store it in the freezer. The next time youre roasting some vegetables, toss some bacon fat in with them! (Makes 4 sandwiches) **Directions** Preheat the oven to 350F. 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 1 hours, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Baste the meat with its juices throughout. (Keep in mind that the meat will continue to cook even after its 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 350F 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. **From *wichcraft*: Chocolate Creamwich ** Two surprises set this cookie apart: The first is that the filling is made with a chocolate ganache as opposed to just a frosting. The cream and the chocolate melt together perfectly, yielding a satisfyingly smooth texture to the filling itself. In contrast to the creaminess is the second surprise: the cocoa nibs, little pieces of roasted cacao beans. These bits add a crunchy texture that is wholly and delightfully unexpected. **Ingredients** For the cookie: * For the cookie * 1/3 cup cocoa nibs * 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened * 2/3 cup dark brown sugar * 2/3 cup granulated sugar * 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (64% cocoa), melted in a double boiler * 1 tablespoon vanilla extract * 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour * 1 teaspoon baking soda * 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt * 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder For the filling: * 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (64% cocoa), finely chopped * 2 tablespoons unsalted butter * 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt * 1/4 cup heavy cream (Makes 1 dozen sandwich cookies) **Directions** Preheat the oven to 350F. **To make the cookies:** Grind the cocoa nibs in a coffee grinder or food processor until a fine powder. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, ground cocoa nibs, and the sugars on medium speed until well mixed. Add the melted chocolate and the vanilla. Sift together the dry ingredients and add to the bowl. Mix into a smooth dough and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a large surface covered with a layer of parchment paper. Top with another layer of parchment and gently roll the dough into a -inch-thick sheet. To prevent the cookies from sticking as you cut them, carefully remove the top layer of parchment and sprinkle some flour over the sheet of dough. Replace the parchment, flip the dough, and release the parchment on the other side. Cut the dough into 2-inch round cookies and space inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Gather any leftover scraps of dough and roll and cut as described above. Repeat until you have no dough left. Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, turning the pan 90 degrees halfway through baking, until you can smell the toasted chocolate. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Cool completely. Once cool, the cookies should be crisp. **To make the filling**: Place the chocolate, butter, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil and pour one-third of the cream over the chopped chocolate to melt the chocolate. Add the rest of the cream and stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Place half of the cookies with the top side (the most attractive) down. Using a piping bag or a spoon, evenly distribute the filling among those cookies, and close into sandwiches with the remaining cookies. Gently press down. Serve immediately or store the cookies in a cool place. From Publishers Weekly When Colicchio, restaurateur and head judge of the TV show *Top Chef*, turned his attention to sandwiches, chances were slim that the result would look much like the pathetic specimens found in most brown bags. Instead, at wichcraft, the sandwich shop he created with Ortuzar, they built on a common realization of home cooks and chefs: the best sandwiches are made with food that was, or could be, part of a good mealnot just disparate elements that probably spent too long in plastic packaging. Hence, a breakfast sandwich of skirt steak with fried eggs and oyster mushrooms; a hearty meatloaf sandwich with cheddar, bacon and tomato relish; and recipes for condiments like balsamic onion marmalade. Classic sandwiches like roast beef or peanut butter and jelly are transformed by the use of freshly roasted meat and homemade jelly, but the book also features some of wichcrafts more unusual creations, such as the ravioli-inspired roasted pumpkin with mozzarella and hazelnut brown butter sandwich, as well as unexpectedly luscious dessert sandwiches. Those looking for the easiest, cheapest fare will not find much of it here, but anyone willing to put in the time and effort to find the best ingredients and prepare them well will be rewarded. Color photos not seen by *PW*. *(Mar.)* Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.