Chive Butter Bread, an Alpine Cheese Soup, and a spongy Apricot Roulade
Three easy, speedy recipes to help you through the holiday season. Cheers to that!
Don’t worry, there will be no recipe for Glühwein in this post. I can’t stomach the stuff, however romantic mulled wine may sound and no matter how deep the temperatures may plummet. Instead, I want to share some Austrian-inspired recipes and ideas that I’ve been working on this past week. They are all ultra simple, a little out of the ordinary (at least for where I live), and most delicious. You’ll want to make them again and again.
First up, a simple yet perfect idea that you see all over Vienna: Schnittlauchbrot, which is an open-faced chive sandwich. To make it, you’ll need sturdy bread, such as a dark rye, then you’ll want butter at a spreadable temperature, and finally plenty of finely chopped chives. For a rustic look, use a slice of bread from a boule-shaped loaf, cut not too thick. For something a little more chic, remove the crusts then cut the bread into fingers or squares (or rounds…whatever you want). Butter the entire surface of the bread, then dip the buttered side into the chives, pressing slightly down on it, so that the top is completely coated. Place upright on a serving board.
Such a little nothing! But I love how this simple trick takes something potentially banal and makes it instantly inviting. Schnittlauchbrot is surprisingly addictive, and versatile in its uses, too. Serve some along with a light beer or glass of bubbles and you have an effortless aperitif. It’s enticing alongside almost any bowl of soup. It also makes a good breakfast or tea-time snack. Now, don’t you want to rush right out and buy a big pot of chives from…somewhere… to keep inside all winter for regular snipping? I do!
On to the recipes, both real winners (and gluten-free): Alpine Cheese Soup (think fondue in a bowl) and Apricot Roulade, which is pretty innocent as cakes go because it’s not too sweet or otherwise froofed up, but still so pretty and delectable.
