Mortadella Smear

Name: Mortadella Smear
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 12
Ingredients: 1 ⁄ 3 cup balsamic vinegar; 1 tbsp. unsalted butter; 1 tbsp. flour; 1 ⁄ 3 cup chicken stock; 1 lb. mortadella without pistachios, cut into ½″ cubes; 1 ⁄ 3 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks; 2 loaves ciabatta, sliced; 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp. crushed toasted pistachio nuts; 1 ⁄ 2 cup baby arugula

Serves
serves 12

TODD COLEMAN

Father-and-son team Jimmy Bannos Sr. and Jr. of Chicago's Purple Pig restaurant puree mortadella, an Italian bologna, and slather it on toast with balsamic vinegar and pistachios, a combination that is devastatingly addictive.

Ingredients

¹⁄₃ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. flour
¹⁄₃ cup chicken stock
1 lb. mortadella without pistachios, cut into ½″ cubes
¹⁄₃ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
2 loaves ciabatta, sliced
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. crushed toasted pistachio nuts
¹⁄₂ cup baby arugula

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Instructions

Step 1

Pour vinegar into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until reduced to 3 tbsp., about 5 minutes; remove from heat and set aside. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken stock and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes; remove veloute sauce from heat and set aside to let cool.

Step 2

Put mortadella into a food processor and process until pureed. Transfer mortadella to a medium bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the reserved veloute sauce and whipped cream; set aside. Rub the ciabatta with the oil and grill or toast. To serve, smear the grilled bread with the mortadella and garnish with a drizzle of the reduced balsamic and a scattering of pistachios and arugula. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pour vinegar into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until reduced to 3 tbsp., about 5 minutes; remove from heat and set aside. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken stock and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes; remove veloute sauce from heat and set aside to let cool.
Put mortadella into a food processor and process until pureed. Transfer mortadella to a medium bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the reserved veloute sauce and whipped cream; set aside. Rub the ciabatta with the oil and grill or toast. To serve, smear the grilled bread with the mortadella and garnish with a drizzle of the reduced balsamic and a scattering of pistachios and arugula. Serve warm or at room temperature.