Today I bring you a different take on my love of quick breads – a gluten free, veggie-sprinkled, savoury summer loaf that provides the perfect base for building open sandwiches, or dunking into bowls of chili.
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As you all know, I love a salad for lunch, but sometimes I crave something more solid, more carbohydrate heavy. That’s where this bread comes in. Packed with a confetti of onion, zucchini, corn and capsicum and heavy with spices this savoury loaf takes summer lunching to the next level.
My Mum has always been a fan of open sandwiches (she does come from the land of the famous smørrebrød after all) but as a little kid I couldn’t understand the appeal – I wanted two slices of white bread, butter, and vegemite. Or my Dad’s buttery curried eggs. As an adult though I understand the sophistication of an open sandwich. The appeal of a thicker, more flavoursome bread that holds its own weight in the sandwich situation.
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In addition to a colourful mix of summer vegetables, this loaf is spiced up with paprika, cumin, coriander seed, and dried thyme. A sprinkle of grated sharp cheddar lends a final savoury boost. This bread is denser than your sandwich bread, but still fluffy, and it makes an open sandwich into a meal fit for a queen (or king).
I can imagine taking this to a picnic and laying out a range of options for guests to create their own open sandwiches. I topped mine with sliced creamy avocado and cherry tomatoes, but the options are limitless. A slice of cheese and some ham (for the omnivorous amongst us), avocado and melted cheese, or perhaps hummus and sundried tomatoes. Or you can just eat it plain, or toasted, with a decadent spread of butter. Just how my Mama taught me.
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Capsicum, Corn, and Zucchini Savoury Bread
Vegetarian | Gluten Free | Makes one 9×5 inch loaf – about 10-12 slices
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup finely diced capsicum
- 1/2 brown onion, finely diced
- 60 grams brown rice flour
- 60 grams white rice flour
- 60 grams almond meal
- 60 grams sorghum flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon smoky paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar (reserve 2 tablespoons for sprinkling)
- 1/2 finely diced zucchini
- 1/2 cup corn (canned, frozen, or fresh off the cob)
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180C (350F) and line a 9×5 inch loaf tin with baking paper.
- In a small frying pan heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Fry capsicum and onion gently until the onion is translucent. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together brown rice, white rice, almond meal, sorghum flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, spices and thyme.
- In a medium bowl whisk together buttermilk, remaining olive oil, and eggs until smooth.
- Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined.
- Using a wooden spoon mix in cooled capsicum and onion, cheddar, zucchini, and corn.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf tin and sprinkle reserved cheddar over the top.
- Place in oven and cook for 60-75 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. If your loaf is browning too quickly you might wish to cover the top with aluminium foil.
- Once cooked all the way through, remove from oven, take out of pan and allow to cool completely before slicing.
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Tell me dear reader, what are your favourite toppings for open sandwiches?
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