Caprese Sandwich

I’ve been off from work for a week now. I was rushed to the ER on Tuesday due to acute abdominal pain and, after an agonizing 5 hours wait at Kaiser Permanente, was diagnosed with renal calculi. In layman’s terms, kidney stones. If you are one of the cursed and ever had this condition, you very well know it hurts like hell, with a severity of pain comparable to childbirth. At least in childbirth, the agony is well-compensated by a bundle of joy you’d tenderly wrap in a blanket. In this case, they are millimeter-sized stones you’d disgustedly store in a specimen cup!

Renal stones are aggregation of salts and minerals in the kidneys or bladder. The condition is usually aggravated by dry weather, poor diet and inadequate fluid intake. Unfortunately, there is really not a lot they’ll do in the hospital other than prescribe Flomax to relax bladder muscles and pain medications to ease the attack as the stones pass. Not unless the stones are already the size of a golf ball (they do grow that huge, my MD said), then invasive surgery is necessary. Definitely, a stone the size of a golf ball is not a welcomed entity in my body. I do not want ever again to sit in an emergency room, all crumpled in pain, not knowing if I was going to pee or fart. I HAVE TO RE-EVALUATE MY DIET! I have to admit, before I started food blogging my favorite food enhancers were salt, pepper and MSG. I do not take and like a lot of risks. I drive 55 miles an hour on the freeway. I swim at 4-ft deep pools. Yet, everyday, I compromise my health with the things I put in my mouth. Regular fare of lechon kawali, paksiw na pata and the likes, will certainly deprive me of the joy of my twilight years. Change is in order.

It was only recently that I have ventured into the use of herbs to spice up my food. Ohhh, all the gastronomic adventures I missed out on! I am so glad I discovered Kalyn’s challenge to prominently position herbs to their rightful place in our kitchens. For the sake of my health, I hope I can participate weekly in the WHB trek to flavorful, herb-ful cooking! This week’s destination is Kelly’s Sounding my Barbaric Gulp and this is where this delicious caprese salad-inspired sandwich is headed now.

Caprese use of fresh mozzarella, roma tomatoes and fresh basil leaves draws from and represents the colors of the Italian flag: red, white and green. It is an association most appropriate considering basil’s longtime familiar presence in Italian and other European cuisine. Often dubbed as HERBE ROYALE, basil holds a culinary distinction in mediterranean countries as a favorite enhancer for sauces, salads and meats. What a blessed thing it fares well to drying, freezing and preservation in salt, that an appreciative cook may never face a short supply. If you are culturing your own basil plant, here is a helpful tip I copied verbatim from Sunset Magazine: “Pinch growing plants to promote bushiness and more leaves. When plants show signs of flowering, pinch out flower spikes to prolong the plant’s life. Basil grows quickly so you can start a second crop a month to 6 weeks after the first batch”.

Makes 2 Servings

2 small ciabatta loaves, cut in the middle
4 fresh mozzarella balls
2 roma (plum) tomatoes
4 tbsps pesto-mayonnaise (recipe follows)
small handful of fresh basil leaves
olive oil

Slice plum tomatoes to thin rounds. Wash and separate fresh basil into individual leaves.

Spread pesto-mayonnaise onto inner sides of loaves. Layer fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil leaves. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, if desired.

Pesto-Mayonnaise (adapted from Sunset Magazine Illustrated Guide to Herbs)

2 cups lightly packed fresh basil
2 to 3 cloves garlic
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup olive oil
1 cup mayonnaise

Whirl all basil, parmesan, garlic and olive oil in a food processor until smooth, adding more oil as needed. Makes about 1 1/2 cups of pesto.

Mix pesto with mayonnaise until well-combined. This will make more than enough for these sandwiches but delicious spread will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

 

Sandwiches and Snacks in The CookMobile Archive:

All Grown Up: Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Fresh Basil Leaves and Stramato

 

 

 

Bacon-Ranch and Pico de Gallo Mini Pizzas