Lunch Meat of the Week - Mortadella

Mortadella Bologna IGP from Italy

Mortadella (Italian pronunciation: [mortaˈdɛlla]) is a large Italian sausage or luncheon meat (salume [saˈluːme]) made of finely hashed or ground, heat-cured pork, which incorporates at least 15% small cubes of pork fat (principally the hard fat from the neck of the pig). Mortadella is a product of Bologna, Italy. It is flavored with spices, including whole or ground black pepper, myrtle berries, and pistachios.




Traditionally, the pork filling was ground to a paste using a large mortar (mortaio [morˈtaːjo]) and pestle. Two Roman funerary steles in the archaeological museum of Bologna show such mortars. Alternatively, according to Cortelazzo and Zolli Dizionario Etimologico della Lingua Italiana 1979-88, mortadella derives its name from a Roman sausage flavored with myrtle in place of pepper.

The Romans called the sausage farcimen mirtatum (myrtle sausage), because the sausage was flavored with myrtle berries, a popular spice before pepper became available to European markets. Anna Del Conte (The Gastronomy of Italy 2001) found a sausage mentioned in a document of the official body of meat preservers in Bologna dated 1376 that may be mortadella.

Mortadella originated in Bologna, the capital of Emilia-Romagna; elsewhere in Italy it may be made either in the Bolognese manner or in a distinctively local style. The mortadella of Prato is a Tuscan speciality flavoured with pounded garlic and colored with alchermes. The mortadella of Amatrice, high in the Apennines of northern Lazio, is unusual in being lightly smoked. Because it originated in Bologna, this contributed to the naming of the American sausage meat "bologna".


Mortadella is very popular in Spain and Portugal, where a variety with pepper and olives is widely consumed, especially in sandwiches. In eastern Spain, the standard mortadella is often referred to as mortadela italiana (Italian mortadella), to differentiate it from a local variant named catalana.

Mortadella is also very popular in Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia,

Mortadella Bologna IGP from Italy

Uruguay and Venezuela, thanks to the Italian immigrants who settled in these countries in the early 20th century. In these countries it is spelled mortadela, and its recipe is quite similar to the traditional Italian, with additional pepper grains.

In Brazil, São Paulo has a very popular mortadela sandwich sold in the Mercado Municipal.

In Puerto Rico, "smoked mortadella" is sometimes confused with commercial salami, or with salami cotto, because cafeterias, panaderias, colmados, and restaurants buy the bulk of whole smoked mortadella. While salami may contain pork, beef, veal and small pieces of fat uniformly distributed within the sausage, mortadella has the traditional larger chunks not so uniformly distributed. Its diameter is much larger than that of hard salami and more closely resembles salami cotto (cooked) in size, hence the confusion of some people. It is smaller in diameter than the traditional mortadella de Bologna because the smoking process causes some shrinkage. It is best served at room temperature to bring out its rich flavor.


A similar commercial sausage product that omits the cubes of pork fat, called bologna, is popular in

Mortadella with olives from Portugal

the United States. A variety that includes olives and pimentos is called olive loaf.

Mortadella was banned from import into the United States from 1967 to 2000 due to an outbreak of African swine fever in Italy. This ban was a pivotal part of the plot of the 1971 film La mortadella starring Sophia Loren. The title for the United States release was Lady Liberty.

The ban in the United States was lifted due to the Veterinary Equivalency Agreement that allowed countries to export products that had been shown to be disease-free as part of an overall agreement that would allow products deemed safe in the United States to be exported to the European Union.

Cold Cut Trio Baked Mini Sub w/ Baked Fries

Dinner Tonight: Cold Cut Trio Baked Mini Sub w/ Baked Fries

I Made another thing I haven't had for Breakfast in quite a while, Waffles. I used the leftover batter from the Pancakes from yesterday, got my Waffle Griddle out and made Waffles. Then along with the Waffle I had some Jimmy Dean Applewood Smoked Chicken Sausage. If you've never given these a try you need to, delicious! For dinner tonight, a Cold Cut Baked Mini Sub w/ Baked Fries







I used Kroger Private Selection Smoked Off the Bone Sliced Ham, Boar’s Head Honey Smoked Turkey Breast, and Kahn's Deluxe Bologna for my Baked Mini Sub. I had picked the Turkey up while at Jungle Jim’s Market yesterday. Then I used a Meijer Wheat Mini Sub Bun. Layered the Meats on the Bun and topped it with some Kraft Reduced Fat Mayo w/ Olive Oil  and Sweet Hot Stone Ground Mustard and a thin slice of Sargento Ultra Thin Swiss Cheese. I brushed some Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the top bun, which makes it brown up better. I baked it in a shallow baking pan at 400 degrees until the Cheese started to melt and the Meats were heated. I love using these Meijer Wheat Mini Sub Buns, their just the right size and they toast up fantastic! I also baked some Ore Ida Simply Cracked Black Pepper and Sea Salt Country Style Fries, served these with a side of Hunt’s Ketchup for dipping. For dessert later a Healthy Choice Dark Fudge Swirl Frozen Greek Yogurt.






Boar’s Head HONEY SMOKED TURKEY BREAST
An all white turkey breast, lightly smoked and dipped in golden honey for a smoky, sweet flavor that is sure to be a favorite. Wonderful on Sourdough bread with lettuce, tomato, and our Vermont Cheddar Cheese for a lunchtime treat.


Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 2 oz (56g)
Serving Per Container Varied
Amount Per Serving
Calories 70 Calories from Fat 10
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Trans Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 25mg 8%
Sodium 480mg 20%
Potassium 190mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 2g
Protein 13g 25%



http://boarshead.com/products/turkey/958-honey-smoked-turkey-breast-skinless

Love Breakfast!

I love Breakfast and the early mornings! It's the quietest part of the day and the beginning of a new day, full of hope and surprises. I like starting off with Breakfast and one of my favorites is making a Breakfast Sandwich. There's endless toppings and ingredients you can use to make one. I made one this morning consisting of a Healthy Life Whole Grain English Muffin, Scrambled Egg (1 Egg), and Fried Kahn's Deluxe Bologna (Sliced Thin). I use a Medium Size Egg (it's only 60 calories) and season it with a splash of 2% Milk (to make the Egg fluffier), a sprinkle of Sargento Reduced Fat Shredded Sharp Cheddar, and Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper. I get the Bologna sliced very thin. I find that when you get it sliced thin it fries up better, it gives it a nice char on the outside. Put all the ingredients together and you have a delicious and healthy way to start your day, along with a cup of fresh brewed Bigelo Decaf Green Tea.

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

If you buy cold cuts next time ask the folks at the deli counter if there's a discount for "bulk ends." These end bits are too small to slice in the machine, but can be sliced or cubed at home. They're often offered at half off!

One of America's Favorites - Bologna Sausage

Bologna sausage, also known as baloney (/bəˈloʊni/), boloney or polony, is a sausage derived from and

somewhat similar to the Italian mortadella (a finely hashed/ground pork sausage containing cubes of lard that originated in the Italian city of Bologna, IPA: [boˈloɲɲa] ( listen)). U.S. government regulations require American bologna to be finely ground, and without visible pieces of lard. Bologna can alternatively be made out of chicken, turkey, beef, pork, venison or soy protein.
Polony is the name for a large sausage made from a mixture of beef and pork that is popular in South Africa and was very popular in Britain during the 17th and 18th centuries, although seldom seen in Britain nowadays. Polony keeps well as it is highly seasoned before being hot smoked. They are then cooked in boiling water when required. The name is believed to be derived from Polonia (the old name for Poland) but some think it may be a corruption of Bologna.





* Bologna bowl
Occasionally a slice of bologna is heated up so, as the fat renders, the round slice takes the shape of a bowl which may be filled with cheese or other fillings.
* German bologna
Sometimes referred to as garlic bologna, this sausage differs from traditional bologna due to various seasonings, most typically garlic being added to the recipe. Although referred to as German Bologna elsewhere, it is usually called Fleischwurst in Germany and Extrawurst in Austria. Other varieties, such as the French variation are sometimes called "Saucisse de Lyon" which the Swiss call Lyoner or Lyonerwurst ("Lyon sausage") and usually do not contain a noticeable amount of garlic, while Fleischwurst is often flavored with garlic, these varieties are generally an off white color, as they do not contain nitrates (which give cooked pork its pink color.
In Germany, "regular" bologna is referred to as Mortadella, and is mostly identical and made out of the same meats as its American counterpart, although it often contains pistachios. The original, larger and less finely ground Mortadella is called italienische Mortadella.
* Kosher or halal bologna
Kosher or halal bologna is typically made with only beef, but sometimes made from turkey, chicken or lamb.
* Lebanon bologna
This Pennsylvania Dutch prepared meat, while nominally bologna, is a dried, smoked sausage similar to salami.
* Lauantaimakkara
Lauantaimakkara is a Finnish type of bologna derived from the early Lyon sausage, the "Lyoner".
* South African Polony
South Africans refer to bologna exclusively as 'polony', although South African polony is typically made using highly-processed meat with a high pink slime concentration. These processed meat products are typically an artificially bright pink color, and are a low-income food due to their low cost. Large pink, bland polonies are called French Polony , with thinner rolls referred to simply as polony. Garlic Polony is also widely available.
* Vegetarian
A popular low-fat non-GMO soy vegan bologna style alternative is made by the Lightlife company in the United States







Fried Bologna Sandwich


How do you improve on the regular bologna sandwich? Turn it into a fried bologna sandwich! Just fling the bologna onto a lightly buttered griddle or nonstick pan, and fry it up until it's browned. The thicker the cut of bologna, the better, so ask for it from the deli counter instead of buying it prepackaged. A Southern favorite right behind tomato sandwiches, many people add a variety of things to their fried bologna sandwich, like tomatoes, chili, slaw, fruit jelly, or mustard.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 to 2 slices thick-cut bologna
1 slice American cheese
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
2 slices white bread
Preparation:

1. In a nonstick sauté pan, add oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Add bologna to the pan, and cook until brown on each side about 1 to 2 minutes each. Top with the slice of cheese, and remove the pan from the heat.

2. Meanwhile, add mayonnaise to both slices of bread. Top one slice of bread with the fried bologna and melted cheese, add the second piece of bread, and serve.


http://americanfood.about.com/od/hamburgersandsandwiches/r/Fried-Bologna-Sandwich-Recipe.htm

Fried Bologna Sandwich w/ Fresh Cut Baked Fries

Dinner Tonight: Fried Bologna Sandwich w/ Fresh Cut Baked Fries




The sun was out, it was in the mid 50's, the birds were chirping, and the flowers and trees are coming out!

All real good signs of Spring, FINALLY! Highs in the 70's in the up coming week too. The down side, my Mom has started Spring cleaning. And no one is safe or except from it. I feel sorry for my Dad he used to try to stay a few steps ahead of Mom to get out of the cleaning frenzy but now he's slowed down he's all hers! For my dinner tonight I prepared; Fried Bologna Sandwich w/ Fresh Cut Baked Fries. i had to try my brand new As Seen On TV Perfect Fry Cutter! I'm always a sucker for those Infomercials. I was at Walmart early this morning and they had the Perfect Fry on sale so of course I had to grab one. This ones been out a long time i just had never purchased one until now. I'll leave the info on it at the end of the post. By the way it worked great!




I had some Bologna left that I been frying up for Breakfast and a Fried Bologna Sandwich just sounded good for Dinner. i always use Kahn's Deluxe Bologna, no Kahn's no Bologna. I've tried other brands but for me none compare to Kahn's. I like sliced thin also, I think it fries up better thin. So I fried it until I was getting a char on it and it was ready in minutes. I served it on a Aunt Millie's Light Whole Grain Bun topped with a bit of Hellman's Light Mayo and a slice of Sargento Muenster Cheese. One my favorite ways to eat Bologna is taking slices along with Ritz Whole Grain Crackers and slices of Cracker Barrel 2% Sharp Cheese.

To go with the Fried Bologna Sandwich I used my new Perfect Fry and sliced up a Russet Potato for fresh baked Fries. I rubbed them in a bit of extra Virgin Oil and seasoned them with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn. I then baked them at 400 degrees for 21 minutes. If you like making your own fresh cut Fries the Perfect Frys works great! For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Double Chocolate Pudding topped with Cool Whip Free.

Perfect Fries One Step French Fry Cutter

Perfect Fries One Step French Fry Cutter Perfect Fries French Fry Cutter is the quick and easy way to prepare delicious homemade fries. No more struggling with knives or clumsy cutting machines. Perfect Fries ingenious design uses cross pattern steel blades to cut effortlessly and evenly for perfect results every time. "Natural Cut" fries in seconds. Make all kinds of mouth-watering fries at home. Perfect Fries is also great for dicing onions, fruits and vegetables. Get creative! Make it fresh, make it fast! You can make Sweet Potato fries, Zucchini fries, Butternut squash fries, Eggplant fries, Green Tomato fries, Onion fritters, Cinnamon Apple fries, Dill pickle fries and so many more. Perfect Fries is easy to store and is dishwasher safe. Easy as: Place the potato Push down with cover Ready to bake or fry! Great for: Onions, Peppers, Carrots, Cucumbers, Apples, Pears, Melons, and more! Includes:1 x Perfect Fries One Step French Fry Cutter

Fried Bologna!

I haven't had fried Bologna in a very long time, until this morning! So for breakfast I toasted a Healthy Life Whole Grain English Muffin, Fried Bologna, Scrambled a 1/4 cup (1 egg) Egg Beaters, and added a slice of Sargento Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar. Put it all together and had one delicious Breakfast Sandwich to start off the day. Had a cup of hot Decaf Green Tea along with the morning paper and I was off to a great start!