Maybe it was Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee, or the upcoming Olympic games in London, or maybe it was simply the arrival of cucumbers in my box this week...but I had to indulge in a teatime sandwich recipe. This zesty, light sandwich is certainly for raised pinkies, but it's not too dainty for the average picnic. You can substitute cream cheese if you prefer, but the goat cheese gives an added zing with the fresh fennel and cucumber.
Ingredients: Eight slices of freshly baked Soft Wheat Sandwich Bread (or your favorite from Niedlov's if you don't have time to bake) Seedless cucumber, sliced thinly on a mandolin slicer or with a sharp knife 1 fennel bulb* 1-2 Tbs chopped fennel leaf 4 oz plain goat cheese 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed 1/2 lemon, juiced Freshly cracked black pepper Sea salt
Method: Mix the goat cheese, garlic, lemon juice, chopped fennel leaf, and some black pepper together in a bowl. Spread the cheese mixture onto the fresh bread, then layer cucumber slices and fennel. Finish with a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. This is heavenly with a hot cup of pure Assam tea with a splash of milk.
*To slice the fennel bulb thinly, cut the bottom root stem from the bulb, and begin slicing from the bottom, working your way to the stems. This creates rings of fennel that are easier to bite into, and they have a nice appearance when layered on the sandwich.