Classic Sandwiches - 1,Beef Po' Boy

Sandwiches should be far more than a simple add on to a menu, quickly thrown together with no thought. In the deli we take care in putting together a list of sandwiches that balance flavours and textures. We also take care in picking the right bread to go with each one, this is vital. We use a baker in Birkdale (The Dutch Bakery) who produce properly made bread, fresh every day with a texture you can't get from supermarket alternatives.

Beef Po Boy
This is a version of a recipe taken from the chilicheesefries.net website.

Makes at least four sandwiches.
Kilo of beef brisket or skirt
1/2 Table spoon cayenne pepper
Table spoon white pepper
Table spoon black pepper
2 Table spoon dried oregano
1/2 Table spoon chilli flakes
 Baguette (please don't use super market versions, they're awful)
Iceberg lettuce
Cherry tomatoes
Dijon Mustard (English is too much of a battle)
Mayonnaise (Helman's is my choice, always)
Jalapeno peppers and gherkins (optional)

Dry fry the spices and herbs in a casserole or deep frying pan (with a lid) for a minute. Then add the beef, turn over in the spice mix and cover in water. Bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of hours with the lid on. It should be softened, but not quite falling apart.

Take out the beef and raise the temperature, reduce the liquid till by half. While this is reducing, warm the oven to medium and slice the beef. Cut across the grain of the meat. Add the slices to a baking tray and top with the cooking liquid (generously,) cook in the oven for half an hour. Take out and check the meat and juice, top up if it is drying out, keep cooking till the beef is falling apart.

Slice 1/3 of baguette (toasted) with dijon on 1 side and mayo on the other. Add lettuce, chopped tomatoes and (if you like) jalapeno peppers and sliced gherkins. Now add the beef and the gravy, this should be a messy eating experience.

Try with a Sierra Nevada Stout. Light enough not to over power the sandwich, but enough going on to still taste the beer.

Pork, Morcilla and Chickpea Stew

This is a version of a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipe. It's worth searching out Morchilla for this as it does have a totally different taste and texture to English black pudding. There's a particularly good Spanish deli in Liverpool, www.lunya.co.uk  which has a great selection of traditional cheese and meat.

1/4 bag of dried chickpeas (soaked overnight and then cooked till soft)
or 2 tins of chick peas 
2 medium onions, sliced finely
1 tea spoon Thyme
2 carrot diced
2 stick of celery diced
2 garlic cloves
1 kg pork shoulder cubed
300g Morcilla chopped
Glass dry sherry/dry wine
700ml chicken stock
2 bay leaf
3 handfuls curly kale
1 lemon
2 chillis (use depending on heat tolerance)
chopped parsley

 Add the garlic to a cold pan with 2 table spoons of cooking olive oil, put on a low heat then fry the onions and chilli till soft; then add the thyme, carrot and celery and soften; put to the side. Add more olive oil if needed (not much) then brown the pork shoulder (do this in batches, you don't want to over crowd the pan as this will just steam it and never add any colour) and add to the veg. Brown the Morcilla and set aside.

Add the sherry/wine to the warm pan, making sure to scrape the bottom, then add the pork and veg back in. Add the bay leaf and top up with stock till it just covers the ingredients, season and simmer. After half an hour add the chickpeas, half an hour later, check the pork is tender and then add the Morcilla and kale, simmer till the kale  softens. Add the juice of a lemon to cut through some of the fat and check for seasoning.

Although this dish screams out for a Ribera Del Duero, it equally could stand up to a strong beer with a bitter finish, a Duvel would work very well.