“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods: and good bread with fresh butter; the greatest of feasts,” says James Beard, a leading American food writer, chef and gastronome, who passed on in New York in 1985. In Uganda, bread is one of the most popular and available snack that cuts across all manner of class. Although most people (in the village) consume it without butter or margarine, not out of choice, but because of poverty. In the days gone by and I am talking of the 1950’s, butter and jam were absolute luxuries. The generally accepted mode of bread consumption was the method of ‘okukoza omugati mu chai,’ which literally translates into dipping the bread (a piece) into one’s tea. This was a practiced habit among the working class Ugandans although also to be found among the gentry albeit not as much since they had a wider variety of snacks from which to choose.
Today’s modern middle class housewife is a lot more savvy, urbane and sophisticated and would never dream of having her brood dip their bread into the tea or whatever hot beverage is on offer. Besides butter and jam, there are also a plethora of commercial spreads and easy to make sandwich spreads from which to choose. Which brings to mind other treats that go hand in glove with bread viz. French toast, Crouque Monsieur, garlic bread, and an endless variety of toasted sandwiches that are offered as luncheon suggestions. These can be served with a hot sauce or a cold dressing. When you are going to make these recipes, it is essential that you use salted bread, but feel free to use either white or brown bread. As for sweet bread, definitely a no no.
TOASTED SANDWICHES
Put between: 2 slices of toast any of the following combinations:
2 slices of chicken
Sautéed bacon
Shredded cheese
Served with a mushroom sauce
Creamed chicken
Parmesan cheese
Grilled tomatoes and bacon
Sliced ham
Sliced chicken
Mayonnaise
Lettuce
Sliced chicken
Lettuce, sliced tomato
Crumbled Roquefort cheese
Crisp bacon
FRENCH TOAST
French toast is one of those bread snacks that is simple to make and yet is always a great success among children
INGREDIENTS:
4 eggs
2 cup milk
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
12 slices bread (the bread may be cut in rounds with a doughnut cutter).
METHOD:
Beat the eggs, add the milk, vanilla and salt. Dip slices of bread into the mixture and sauté in a little hot cooking oil in a frying pan until a delicate brown on both sides. Serve hot.
CROQUE MONSIEUR
This is probably the most popular snack food in France and this hot cheese and ham sandwich can either be pan fried or broiled. If you so desire, feel free to use a flavoured butter such as horseradish butter with beef, mustard butter with ham, lemon and dill butter with fish. To make these just beat the chosen flavouring into the softened butter with some seasoning. Other handy flavourings for butter are anchovy or curry paste, garlic, herbs, Tabasco or chili. Incidentally, these butters can also be used in open face sandwiches.
Makes 2
INGREDIENTS:
4 slices white bread
2 tablespoons softened butter
2 slices of ham
2 slices of cheese, Swiss cheese is the norm but any cheese such as cheddar will suffice.
1 sprig of parsley to garnish
METHOD:
Spread the bread with butter and lay the ham on 2 of the buttered sides of the bread. Lay the sliced cheese on top of the ham and sandwich with the buttered bread slices. Press firmly together and cut off the crusts. Spread the top with butter and place on a rack and cook for about 3 minutes under the broiler that is preheated to a low moderate temperature. Turn the sandwiches over and spread the remaining butter over the top and return to the broiler for another couple of minutes or until done when the bread is golden brown and the cheese is begging to melt. Garnish with a sprig of parsley.
Grilled French bread
Makes 8 to 10 servings
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup margarine or butter
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
2 cloves minced garlic
Ground Cayenne pepper if you so wish
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1 standard size unsliced French bread
METHOD:
In a medium size frying pan, combine the margarine or butter, parsley, garlic and if you are using the Cayenne pepper. Heat over medium heat until they have melted, making sure that the heat is not too hot or else they will burn. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and cut the French bread in half lengthwise. Place the bread, cut side down, on an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for about two minutes or until toasted. Turn cut side up. Brush with the butter mixture and grill for a couple more minutes. When you are ready to serve, cut into 2-inch slices.
Pain Perdue ---- Lost Bread--- Spanish Toast
‘Lost bread’ is Creole speak for stale bread, in this case the baguette must be yesterday’s, otherwise leave it out overnight and then proceed.
12 2-inch thick slices of French bread aka a baguette
2 eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons brandy
About 6 tablespoons of butter for frying
4 tablespoons of icing sugar to garnish
Fresh fruit to garnish
Mix all the ingredients together well save for the bread, icing sugar and the fruit. Soak the bread in the butter for 10 – 15 minutes. Slowly fry in the butter until it has become crisp on the outside. Garnish with confectionery sugar and fruit
FRENCH BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup mixed candied fruit
¼ cup kirsch
½ cup raisins
Butter
10 small thin slices of French bread
4 cups milk
1 cup cream
1 cup granulated sugar
5 – 6 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing sugar
METHOD:
Combine the candied fruit with the kirsch in a small mixing bowl and set aside. Place the raisins in another small bowl and add boiling water to cover and let stand for five minutes and then drain. Generously butter one side of the bread and set aside and preheat the oven to 190dC/375dFH. Combine the milk and the cream and bring to a boil and the quickly remove from the heat. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved, Combine the eggs and the egg yolks, beat lightly before adding to the liquid and then stir in the vanilla extract. Butter a 2 quart oval baking dish and drain the candied fruits and sprinkle over the bottom of the baking dish and sprinkle the raisins. Arrange the bread slices, buttered side up over the fruit. Strain the custard over the bread and fruit and place the baking dish in a larger dish and pour boing water around it before setting it in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes or just until set. If desired, sprinkle lightly with icing sugar and some rum briefly to glaze.
