Sea Bass in Papillote

Last Year's Post: Coq Au Vin
Two Years Ago:  Lobster with Pasta and White Wine-Butter Sauce

Don't let the term "in papillote" (pa-pee-yoh) scare you - it just refers to something baked in a paper or foil pouch to seal in moisture.  Fish is often prepared this way because it cooks perfectly and the accompanying flavors in the pouch infuse the fish while it cooks.  It's really easy, delicious, and kind of spectacular if you serve individual pouches that the diners can open themselves.

This particular recipe for sea bass simplifies the process by cooking all the fish together in one big foil packet, but you can also make individual pouches.  I was cooking for two people, so I put the two pieces of fish in one packet for simplicity.

Sea bass is a wonderful mild white fish that pairs well with the other Mediterranean flavors in the dish, but if you don't care for or can't find sea bass you could substitute halibut, cod, salmon, swordfish, snapper, or any other fish that you like.  This dish follows the principles of a Mediterranean diet so it's not only delicious, it's healthy as well.  Pair with a green vegetable and some brown rice or other whole grain for a complete dinner.

The process is very simple - just assemble the fish with the other ingredients, seal up the foil around it, and bake.  The foil packet may be assembled in advance and refrigerated which makes it a great make-ahead option for entertaining.

printable recipe

Sea Bass in Papillote

Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 (6-oz) fillets black sea bass or striped bass (1/2 to 1 ¼ inches thick)

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

8 thin lemon slices (from 1 large lemon)

8 sprigs fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

12 cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved

1 ½ tablespoons drained bottled capers

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400d.  Line a large baking sheet with foil, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil.

Pat fish dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.  Arrange fillets in 1 layer in the center of foil on baking sheet and slide 2 lemon slices under each fillet.  Arrange 2 thyme sprigs on top of each fillet.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have softened, about 1 minute.  Stir in capers.

Spoon hot tomato mixture over fish, then cover with another sheet of foil, tenting it slightly over fish, and crimp edges together tightly to seal.

Bake until fish is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness of fish); check by removing from the oven and carefully lifting up a corner of the top sheet of foil.  If fish is not cooked through, reseal foil and continue to bake, checking every 3 minutes.

Transfer fillets with lemon slices to plates using a spatula (being careful not to tear the foil underneath) and spoon tomatoes and juices over top.  Discard thyme and serve immediately.

Roast Pork, Fennel and Green Bean Salad

Last Year's Post: Smoked Turkey, Kale and Blue Cheese Sandwiches
Two Years Ago:   Pork with Fennel and Caper Sauce

As far as pork goes, the tenderloin tends to be my cut of choice because it doesn't dry out and become tough and chewy like larger pork roasts or pork chops often do.  Being a big fan of all things Costco, I particularly like their pork tenderloins because they're excellent quality, don't have any injected chemicals or liquids, and of course they're less expensive than anywhere else on the planet.  As a result, I tend to have several pork tenderloins in the freezer at any given time and am always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to use them.

Besides being delicious and healthy, this pork tenderloin salad has several other advantages: you can serve it cold or at room temperature (or theoretically hot, although that wasn't the original intent), you can prepare and serve it all in one day, or break the prep up into three days as I did.  If you're a planner/organizer, the three day approach works well because it's just a little bit of time each day and the pork is absolutely the best.  And this salad is all about the pork - the intensely aromatic garlic and herb seasoning gives the roast outstanding flavor, while roasting and refrigerating it afterwards ensure moist, perfect slices.  Although it makes a great entree salad, I could definitely see using it for a really outstanding sandwich. It's that good.

As I said, you can prepare the pork over three days by applying the rub on day one, roasting on day two, and slicing/eating on day three.  Or, you could condense it into one day by applying the rub in the morning and roasting at mid-day to refrigerate for a few hours before slicing.  It'll turn out great either way.

After the pork is ready, all you have to do is prep the beans and fennel, make a quick lemon salad dressing, and serve everything topped with walnuts and goat cheese.  (If you don't like goat cheese, feel free to substitute feta or blue cheese, or leave it out entirely.) For those who aren't all that familiar with how to trim, core and slice fennel, it's actually very easy.  Cut the skinny tops off the bulb, then cut the bulb in half.  Cut out the triangular hard core with a small knife, then place each half on its side and thinly slice it crosswise.

The beans and fennel add crunch and fresh vegetable-y flavor to the salad that contrasts nicely with the soft pork, creamy cheese and rich nuts.  And did I mention healthy?  A winner all around.

printable recipe

Cold Pork Roast, Fennel and Green Bean Salad

Serves 4

Note:  The pork should be seasoned at least a few hours in advance of cooking, or up to one day ahead.  After roasting, the pork should cool to room temperature before serving; it may be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

For the pork roast:

1 (approx 1.25 lb) boneless pork tenderloin

Kosher salt

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1.5 tablespoons roughly chopped fennel fronds, plus more for optional garnish

1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed

½ teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon roughly chopped rosemary

1 tablespoon roughly chopped sage

1 tablespoon roughly chopped marjoram

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the salad:

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces green beans, trimmed

2 small or 1 large head of fennel, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced

½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

½ cup crumbled goat cheese

Season the pork generously on all sides with salt.  In a small bowl, combine all the seasonings (garlic through olive oil) for the roast.  Pat and rub the mixture on all sides of the tenderloin, then wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for several hours, or preferably overnight. 

Preheat the oven to 400d.  Remove the pork from the refrigerator while the oven preheats.  Place a rack in a roasting pan.  Unwrap the pork, place on the rack, and roast for about 25 minutes until it registers 140d.  Let cool to room temperature before serving.  If desired, after cooling wrap and refrigerate the pork for up to 24 hours, then return to room temperature.

For the salad dressing, put garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste and whisk in olive oil.

Blanch beans in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and place in an ice bath.  Drain again and pat dry.  Put beans and fennel in a bowl, season lightly with salt and toss with some of the dressing.  Let stand for a few minutes to slightly soften the fennel.

To serve, cut pork into ¼” slices.  Arrange pork, fennel and green beans on each plate; top with walnuts and goat cheese.  Pass remaining salad dressing at the table. 

Baked Italian Sandwiches

 Last Year's Post: Pinchos Morunos

Two Years Ago:   Seafood Cobb Salad

School has started, which means everyone's schedule has gone crazy again.  Football games, after-school activities and other commitments make it really difficult to sit down as a family to eat dinner.  I'm posting these hot sandwiches because they're a great make-ahead solution for a busy workday or a hungry teenager that comes home in the evening.  Everything is assembled in advance - all you have to do is throw however many sandwiches you want into the oven.  I think you could even put the foil-wrapped frozen sandwiches in a slow cooker and turn it on for a few hours while you're gone to a game, or heat the sandwiches before leaving home and throw them in an insulated bag to take to a chilly outdoor game to eat hot - they're really versatile. Although this combination is totally delicious (if I do say so myself), after you make them one time you'll start thinking up your own combinations, tailoring the meats, spice levels and other elements to your family's tastes.

The recipe as written makes 5 sandwiches, but I would strongly suggest doubling it (or making two varieties) to keep in your freezer.  They're very easy to assemble.  The only key is to get rolls that aren't overly squishy (such as hamburger buns) - you want the outer crust to be a little more sturdy so it holds its shape when you pull out the insides.  Hard rolls, ciabatta rolls, or other round-ish sturdy rolls are perfect.  If you could find round pretzel buns they'd be really good also.  Heating the sandwiches in the oven does several things:  it melts the cheeses into gooey goodness, it causes the pesto to permeate the bread and other ingredients with fragrance and flavor, it uniformly heats all the ingredients as opposed to just the outside, and it causes the exterior of the roll to because slightly crisp without becoming really crunchy.  Although I like paninis and grilled sandwiches as much as the next person, this treatment is slightly different and just as good.

Don't be afraid to pack the sandwiches tightly because they'll shrink down a little as the cheese melts. You just don't want them over-stuffed so the tops don't fit and they leak as they're heated.

While we were eating these last night The Lawyer told me how good they were. I remarked that I would definitely have one for dinner when he's gone next week.  His reply?  "Don't eat them all".  Enough said.

printable recipe

Baked Italian Sandwiches

Makes 5 sandwiches

3 ounces (about ½ cup) pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

1/3 cup chopped red onion

4-5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

6 ounces shredded mozzarella

1 cloves garlic, minced

5 round sandwich rolls, ciabatta rolls, or hard rolls

3-4 ounces pesto

5 slices provolone cheese

5 ounces thinly sliced salami (about 30 slices)

½ shredded Parmesan

Combine the first five ingredients (olives through garlic) in a medium bowl and set aside.

Cut the top third off each roll and pull out most of the soft interior bread from both the tops and bottoms, being careful not to break through the crust.  Softly press the interior of the rolls and tops to create as much space as possible.

Brush the interior of the rolls and tops with a light layer of pesto, then layer ingredients in the following order:  one slice of provolone, 5-6 slices of salami, the shredded mozzarella mixture, and the Parmesan.  Gently press down on the top of the ingredients so the sandwiches will fit together tightly.  Replace the lid on each and press together.  Wrap each sandwich tightly in foil.

At this point, the sandwiches may be frozen for up to several months.

To bake, preheat the oven to 350d.  Do not remove the foil before baking.  If frozen, bake the sandwiches for 45 minutes.  If not frozen, bake the sandwiches for 25 minutes.  Unwrap and serve.

Empanadas with Chicken, Corn and Zucchini

Last Year's Post: Tomato Crumble
Two Years Ago:  Summer Pasta Salad with Fresh Tuna

Empanadas are one of those foods found in many cultures and with many different names.  Basically they're baked or fried turnovers made with bread or pastry dough folded into crescent shapes that enclose a savory meat, cheese and/or vegetable filling. The name "empanada" is used in Spanish-speaking countries of Europe and South America as well as in the United States.  In South America they're very popular as street food, usually fried and eaten out of hand.

I wanted to post this recipe primarily because it's really, really good, but also because it's a baked version (good news), the dough turns out amazingly crisp and light (even better news), and you can freeze them for a really easy dinner during the week (best news).  If you make your own empanadas you can vary the fillings to your taste, and you can make them larger or smaller.  For example, this particular recipe makes ten medium empanadas, which will feed five people (two per person) for a meal with a salad or rice on the side.  One empanada would make a great lunch with some sour cream for dipping plus fruit and carrot sticks, which is what's nice about this particular size.  You could make larger empanadas if you want, or you could make smaller ones as appetizers for a party that would be great as a finger food dipped in salsa or sour cream.

Regarding the filling, I found a recipe for "Three Sisters" empanadas (the three sisters are corn, zucchini and black beans) and substituted some leftover grilled chicken for the black beans.

 If you want a vegetarian version, go with the beans.  I also used pepper jack cheese rather than cheddar, and substituted smoked paprika for chile powder.  All the variations are listed in the recipe below.  You can make the empanadas as mild or spicy as you want by varying the cheese and spices, and you could also add jalapenos for an extra kick.  The way I made them, they were mild but very flavorful which would be good if some of the people you're feeding don't like spice.  The spice-lovers could always use spicy salsa as a condiment to jazz them up.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that this is a somewhat fussy (read time-consuming) recipe.  First you make the dough - which by the way is fast and easy - and let it rest in the refrigerator for an hour.  While the dough rests, you roast the zucchini and corn and make the filling.

Then the fun begins - rolling out and filling 10 individual dough rounds (sorry no pictures of the process - I was covered in goo).  That's where it would be an advantage to make larger or smaller empanadas - there are simply fewer of the larger ones to roll out, and the smaller ones could be made by rolling out a big sheet of dough and using a cookie or biscuit cutter to cut small rounds.  I guess theoretically you could do that same thing with the 5-6" rounds for this recipe, but you would waste a fair amount of dough.  Whatever.  All I can tell you is that I would do it all over again in exactly the same way, which tells you how pleased I was with the results.  The empanadas are totally worth it, you just have to be in the right mood and know it's a two hour project.  (If you're not in the right mood, you could cheat and use refrigerated pie crusts, but the crispness of this dough makes it worth the effort.)

Three guesses as to which one I rolled out and filled first .  :-)  As I said, they freeze beautifully and can then be tossed in the oven frozen and allowed to bake until golden and hot for a really easy dinner.

Next week we're going to a new restaurant that specializes in Mexican seafood, and I noticed that they have empanadas on the menu with a filling of crab, chorizo, goat cheese and corn with a tomatillo verde sauce.  If they're as good as they sound, I'll try to re-create the recipe and post it.  I guess I couldn't have been too emotionally scarred from all that dough-rolling if I'm already contemplating the next batch.....

printable recipe

Empanadas with Chicken, Corn and Zucchini

Makes ten medium empanadas

For the dough:

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½“ cubes

1 large egg

1/3 cup ice water

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

For the filling:

½ pound zucchini (2 medium), cut into ½“ cubes

1 cup corn kernels (from 1 medium ear) or 1 cup frozen kernels, thawed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup shredded cooked chicken (or ¾ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained)

¾ cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese (or cheddar cheese)

½ cup thinly sliced green onions

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons canned diced green chiles, drained

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (or chile powder)

Sour cream for serving, optional

Salsa for serving, optional

For the egg wash:

1 large egg, beaten

1 tablespoon water

To make the dough, combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse briefly.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some small butter lumps, 6-8 times.  Beat together the egg, water and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork and add it to the flour mixture, pulsing a few times just until incorporated.  Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with the heel of your hand once or twice to bring the dough together.  Shape into a disk or rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour.

To make the filling, first preheat the oven to 400d.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Dump the zucchini and corn on the parchment, then drizzle with the olive oil and a few grinds of salt and black pepper.  Toss everything together with clean hands and spread out into a single layer.  Roast for 20-25 minutes until the zucchini are softened and slightly browned around the edges.  Transfer to a bowl.

Add the chicken (or beans), cheese, green onions, cilantro, chiles, cumin, and paprika (or chile powder) to the bowl and toss.

In a small bowl, prepare the egg wash by mixing together the beaten egg and water.

To assemble the empanadas, divide the dough into 10 equal portions (about 52 grams each).  Shape each portion into a ball and roll into a 5-6” circle about 1/8” thick on a cool, lightly-floured surface.  Working one at a time, moisten the edge of half the circle with egg wash.  Place a ¼ cup (packed) filling in the center of the circle.  Fold the side with the egg wash over the top of the filling to create a half-moon shape and crimp the edges to seal.  Place the empanada on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush the top with egg wash, and repeat with the remaining dough and filling.  Slice a few small slits in the center of each empanada to help release steam while baking.

Bake at 400d for 22 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  If desired, turn on the broiler for a few seconds at the end until the empanadas are browned to your liking.  Serve with sour cream and salsa, optional.

To Freeze Empanadas:

Prepare the empanadas and freeze on a baking sheet or plate, then transfer to a zip-top bag or aluminum foil.  To bake, preheat the oven to 400d and bake on a parchment-lined pan for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and hot all the way through.  Do not thaw before baking.

Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Strata

Last Year's Post: Greek Phyllo Wraps with Tzatziki
Two Years Ago:  Roasted Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese and Black Olives

Will you have a group of people at your house for breakfast or brunch over the holidays?  Or maybe you're planning to host a New Year's Day brunch.  Either way, a strata is the perfect answer.  A strata consists of milk and eggs beaten together and poured over bread cubes, meat, vegetables and cheese, then baked into a savory casserole.  It's perfect for company because it makes a lot of servings and you can assemble it the night before so all you have to do the next morning is pop it in the oven while you set the table and assemble some fruit, coffee and juices.

This recipe as written will serve 6-8 people depending on how many other foods are on the table, and it can be easily doubled if you're having a big crowd.  It's equally good for a light dinner with a green salad, and leftovers reheat beautifully.

I found this recipe ages ago and make it regularly, varying the ingredients according to what's on hand or in season.  You can make it very healthy by using low-fat milk, wheat bread, and turkey sausage.  The spicy sausage is particularly good because everything else in the recipe is mild, but if you're serving a large group and some people really don't like spicy food, use mild sausage in the strata (or 50/50 spicy and mild) and then serve hot sauce on the side so people can spice it up to their taste.  Of course, you could always use pork sausage, you could vary the type of cheese and veggies to suit your taste, and you could use sourdough or Italian bread in place of wheat.  

If you can't find bulk sausage, buy Italian sausage in links (not breakfast sausages in those tiny links) and take the sausage out of the casings.  The sausage, onions and peppers are cooked and then layered over bread cubes.  The milk/egg custard is poured on top and the cheese goes on last.  Put the dish in the refrigerator overnight and then simply bake it the next morning.

What could be easier?  Serve the strata with with a pretty basket of scones or croissants, a big bowl of mixed fruit, a selection of juices and good coffee and you're set.

printable recipe

Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Strata

Serves 6-8

1 package (1 lb) bulk spicy turkey breakfast or Italian sausage

1 cup chopped onion

½ green bell pepper, chopped

½ red bell pepper, chopped

6 slices wheat bread (4 cups cubed)

6 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper

Crumble the sausage into a non-stick 12” skillet and begin to cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.  Add the onion and red and green peppers and continue to cook, stirring, until the sausage is fully cooked.  If the pan contains grease, pour the mixture into a colander and drain well.  Set aside.

Slice the bread into 1” cubes.  Coat a 2-inch deep 8” by 11” (or 9" by 9") casserole dish with non-stick spray on the bottom and sides.  Put the bread cubes in the dish.  Sprinkle the reserved sausage mixture evenly over the bread.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper until well combined. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the sausage and use a fork to press the sausage and bread into the milk mixture until all the bread is moist.  Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.  Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375d.  Bake, uncovered, for 55 to 60 minutes until light brown and puffy and the eggs have cooked through.  If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover with foil for the remainder of cooking time.  Let the dish stand for 10 minutes prior to cutting and serving.

Holiday Breakfast Strata

 

Last year's post: Essential Foodie Gifts Under $20

 



It's fun to make something special for a holiday morning.  This strata (basically a layered baked casserole) is perfect for several reasons: you make it the night before so all you have to do the next morning is bake it, you can scale it up or down for the number of people in your hungry horde, and it's hearty enough to keep the horde satisfied until the big meal later on. Oh, and it makes your house smell great while it's baking. All you need to complete the breakfast is some fruit, coffee and juice.  Think about this recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning, or if you're going to have houseguests over the holiday season or plan to host a brunch.

I'm a big fan of stratas and have tried many over the years.  I like the combination of ingredients in this one - sausage, red bell pepper, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms - because it's colorful and it tastes great.  But stratas are a lot like pizzas (everyone has their own favorite ingredients) so feel free to vary the specifics to suit the tastes of your group. You can vary the meat by substituting ham or turkey or bacon instead of Italian sausage, you can vary the cheese by substituting cheddar for Gouda, and you can choose any combination of vegetables.  Just be sure to choose at least one or two vegetables with bright colors (peppers, broccoli, etc.) for visual appeal. It's a great way to use up leftover ingredients in your refrigerator too.  I used a combination of shiitake and cremini mushrooms because that's what I had on hand; ditto the half and half combo of hot and sweet Italian turkey sausage.

The basic idea of a strata is to combine a bunch of  tasty ingredients with bread cubes, cheese, and a milk/egg custard.  The custard soaks into the bread overnight and the whole thing becomes solid when baked so it cuts easily. 

A note about mushrooms:  they're mostly water so cooking them in a pan until they release their water and are browned will intensify their flavor significantly.  I often carmelize them in this way prior to putting them a cooked dish to bring out their flavor.  Check out the "before" and "after" pictures below and you'll see how much they shrink as they release water.


Before

After

Don't just cook them until they're soft - continue cooking for a few minutes after all the water has evaporated so they have a chance to brown.  That's where the flavor comes from.  For this recipe I started cooking the mushrooms first to carmelize them prior to putting the other vegetables in for just a few minutes so they wouldn't get too soft.  Remember they'll cook some in the oven also.

While the vegetables are cooking you can shred the cheese, cut up the bread, and mix the eggs, milk and seasonings.

Then you assemble the strata and refrigerate it overnight.  I decided to make a small version since The Lawyer and I were going to have it for dinner (it's equally good for breakfast or dinner).  If you have a bigger crowd you can double the recipe and put it in a 9x13 pan.  Then all you have to do the next day is bake it while you make coffee and get some fruit ready.

 

 

click here for a printable recipe

 

Sausage, Asparagus & Wild Mushroom Strata

Serves 6

 Note: this recipe may be doubled and put in a 9x13” pan.

2 tablespoons butter

8 ounces asparagus, trimmed, cut diagonally into 1” pieces

3 green onions, sliced

1/3 cup diced red bell pepper

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

6-8 ounces wild mushrooms (shiitake or cremini), trimmed and sliced

12 ounces turkey Italian sausage (sweet, hot, or a 50/50 blend), removed from casings

½ loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1” cubes

1 ½ cups shredded Gouda cheese

6 eggs, slightly beaten

1 ¾ cups milk

¼ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add mushrooms.  Cook and stir until the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes.  Add the asparagus and red bell pepper and sauté for 2 more minutes.  Put the vegetable mixture in a medium bowl with the green onions and sun-dried tomatoes.

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet and add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks until it begins to brown and is no longer pink inside.  Add the sausage to the vegetable bowl.

While the sausage cooks, whisk the eggs and milk with the thyme, salt and pepper.

Spray a 9x9” or 9x11” pan with cooking spray.  Arrange half the bread cubes in the baking dish, then layer half the sausage and vegetable mixture.  Sprinkle with half the shredded cheese.  Add the remaining bread cubes and top with the remaining sausage and vegetables.  Pour the egg mixture evenly over the strata.  Use a fork to press the sausage mixture and bread into the milk mixture until all the bread is moist.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight, reserving the remaining cheese.

To bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake uncovered for 60 minutes, then sprinkle with the reserved cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes until the cheese melts.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting to serve.