I've been thinking about steaks all through the weekend. Steaks with flavored butter.

I'd experimented with compound butter before – mainly butter flavored with minced garlic with a dash of fresh lemon juice. To that, I added a some finely chopped parsley for a flavorful coulis.

And, hey presto!

I seasoned the steaks (I used four chicken breasts) with minced garlic, freshly ground black pepper, a dash of paprika and a little salt. With a sharp knife, I made slits in the steaks and stuffed the garlic in there. Next, I sprinkled a little flour over the steaks, shaking off the excess before shallow frying them on a hot griddle.

I also wanted a side dish to go with the steaks. And, so I thought of this tartine/ open-faced sandwich with shrimps and apricots. I was feeling dangerously adventurous at the moment and didn't mind taking risks. How about a delicate Mornay sauce to complement the lovely pink shrimps and the juicy amber apricots? Not bad, huh?

So, Mornay it was!

I used four slices of bread (lightly toasted) for the sandwich. For the topping, I lightly (very, very lightly) fried 15-20 shrimps (deveined; shells removed) in butter. Next, I pan fried about 200 gms chicken – salted, floured and cut into bite-size chunks. You may also use fried fish fillets and/or cooked crab meat instead of the chicken if you are a sea food afficionado.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of Mornay sauce [see Note below] evenly on each slice of bread topping with the shrimps, fried chicken chunks, sliced apricots, grated mozzarella, a bit of chopped parsley and crushed peppercorns.

Butter a non-stick pan and arrange the sandwiches (face up) on it. Keep the flame low. Cover with a lid to help the cheese melt.

It is damnable to keep the hungry waiting, so serve immediately

Bon Appétit!

 

Note: Mornay sauce is basic béchamel sauce enriched with cheese. There are several recipes available on the internet. Here's one.