Traditional Muffaletta Sandwich

This is a great sandwich to serve football fans because a lot of people have never heard of a Muffaletta. As a bonus, much of the work can be done in advance.

The Muffaletta (pronounced moo-fuh-LET-uh) is actually a large, round loaf of Sicilian bread which in New Orleans is used to make a Muffaletta Sandwich.  The origins of this sandwich trace back to the French Quarter in the early 1900's, and credit for this delicious sandwich should probably be given to the Italian immigrants as well as the influence from Spanish, French and Creole settlers also.

 

 

The texture of the bread is similar to a focaccia bread, with a coarse, sturdy texture. The bread is piled high with layers of deli meat and provolone cheese and finished off with a traditional olive salad.  Many restaurants in New Orleans have different variations of this sandwich on their menus.  Some of them warm the sandwich to melt the cheeses, or change the components of the sandwich, but the flavors are always brought together with the olives, celery, garlic and oregano in the salad mixture.

 

In order to make this sandwich a bit easier to handle, we substituted Pita Pockets, which had a surprisingly nice texture and held the sandwich together well.  It also made the sandwich more portable and a little less messy.

Be sure to make the Olive Salad early in the day so the flavors have time to develop.  This also makes last minute prep easy if you will be serving these for a party.  Enjoy!

1 large loaf Fresh Italian Bread (round loaf preferred) or use Pita Pockets

Olive Oil (optional)
5-6 oz thinly sliced Genoa Salami
5-6 oz thinly sliced Ham
5-6 oz Mortadella
5-6 oz thinly sliced Provolone Cheese

Slice the loaf of bread in half horizontally and scoop out about half of the soft interior from the top and bottom.

Brush the inside bottom of the loaf with olive oil if you like, or with the juice from the olive salad marinade. Layer on the cold cuts and cheese. Top the cold cuts with as much olive salad as will fit without spilling out. Replace the top of the loaf.  Cut into quarters and serve. Makes 1 loaf or 2 - 4 servings.

If using the Pita Pockets, slice a whole Pita in half and layer your meats and cheese inside, then top with a scoop of olive salad.

Olive Salad - Makes 1-1/2 cups, enough for 2 to 3 large loaf sandwiches

1 cup coarsely chopped Mixed Green and Black Olives
1/4 cup finely diced Celery
1/4 cup finely diced Carrot
2 tsp chopped Garlic
2 TB dried Oregano
1 tsp freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 TB Red Wine Vinegar
2 TB fresh Lemon Juice

Blend all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 3-6 hours. The salad will keep for several days refrigerated but gradually loses its punch.

French Dip Sandwiches

After enjoying a Standing Rib Roast for Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve dinner, use the leftover beef to make these delicious French Dip Sandwiches.  A French Dip Sandwich consists of thinly sliced roast beef piled high with a few slices of Swiss cheese and is served on a hoagie style bun (or a sub roll) then cut in half for ease of handling.

Roasted and boneless Prime Rib makes the best "french dip" sandwiches because of the tenderness of the cut, not to mention the flavor. Simply trim the tail off of the leftover prime rib and thinly slice the beef for the sandwiches.

Serve with fries and a cup of au jus to dip the sandwich into (add a few croutons and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese to the au jus and you have a yummy bowl of French Onion soup to dip into).


Beef Au Jus Dipping Sauce
1 Large Onion, thinly sliced
3 TB Butter
1 tsp White Pepper
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Beef Base (optional)
Trimmings from the Prime Rib Roast
1 can Beef Broth
5 cups Water

In a large pot melt butter over medium-high heat and add the sliced onion. Saute until tender. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer at least 1 hour (90 minutes if possible to produce the best flavor), stirring ocassionally.  Taste test during the last 30 minutes and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

Grilled Cuban Sandwich

I first came across this sandwich while in Tampa, Florida at a restaurant called Spanish Park.  The menu offered many Cuban foods, which are common in restaurants in Miami and South Florida, but the Cuban Sandwich was one I had to try.
Cuban sandwiches have layers of ham, roast pork, swiss cheese, dill pickle and mustard between a sliced length of crusty Cuban bread. The key to this yummy Sandwich lies in the grilling. Once assembled, the sandwich is grilled in a sandwich press (such as a panini press) until the ham, pork, and pickles are warm, and the bread is golden brown.  Cuban restaurants use a sandwich press, but you can substitute a large heated skillet, using a slightly smaller skillet to "press" down on top of the sandwiches. Enjoy!

1 loaf Cuban bread*
Prepared yellow mustard
1/2 pound Baked Ham, thinly sliced
1/2 pound Roast Pork, thinly sliced
8 thin Dill Pickle Slices
1/2 pound Swiss Cheese, thinly sliced

* Italian or French bread may be substituted.

Slice the bread horizontally to open and cut to the desired lengths, making 4 sandwiches. Spread a thin layer of yellow mustard on the inside top and bottom halves of bread. Arrange ham, pork, pickle slices, and Swiss cheese evenly over the bread. Fold sandwiches together.

Lightly butter the top of each sandwich, and place buttered side down on a hot griddle or skillet. Place a piece of foil over the tops of sandwiches and, using a second skillet, press the top skillet onto the sandwiches and weight the skillet down using a slightly heavy pot. Grill about 4- 6 minutes. Remove top skillet and foil and butter the tops of the bread. Turn over carefully and grill about 4 - 6 minutes more or until cheese has begun to melt.

The idea is to press the sandwich down to create a grilled cheese effect. This will help the ham, pork and cheese to steam and melt together.

What Would You Like for Your Birthday Dinner?

If you ask most kids this question, you would get a variety of answers from McDonald's to delivered pizza.  When I asked my daughter the same question, she replied "Let me go look at the website!".  At the ripe old age of 11, she is fortunate to have a "sophisticated palate".  She will gladly choose salads  or any type of seafood over burgers and pizza any day.  Which is exactly why her answer worried me.  I feared her answer might result in multiple trips around town to find ingredients that may or may not be available in our tiny town. So I silently hoped for something simple!

  

After a conference with her sisters, she announced her decision, Grilled Shrimp Po' Boy sandwiches.  YES!  Pretty simple and straightforward. But they didn't want the recipe on the website, they had something else in mind.  They wanted "Daddy's Shrimp" in the form of a Po' Boy, and with a guacamole-style sauce. Hmm.  Since my husband's shrimp recipe has been highly classified (until now), he was my co-chef for the night.

Shrimp and Marinade
1-1/2 lbs  Raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 TB  Olive Oil
2 TB  Minced Garlic
1 tsp  Sriracha Sauce
1 tsp  Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp  Chopped Fresh Basil
1/4 tsp  Cayenne Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

After cleaning and deveining the shrimp they went into the marinade for about 20 minutes.  Then we skewered and grilled them to perfection. 

The Guacamole sauce was pretty simple:

1 Avocado
1/2 cup  Mayo
1/2 to 1 tsp Chipotle Pepper (start with a/2 tsp and adjust to taste)
Juice of 1 Lime
1/4 tsp  Kosher Salt

Puree the sauce in a blender until smooth.  This is a very versatile sauce and would be great on a grilled chicken sandwich.

The grilled shrimp went onto sliced French baguettes and were topped with sliced tomatoes, romaine lettuce and a dollop of avocado sauce.  Truly yummy with a bit of spice, this will surely be a favorite for more birthdays to come.  Enjoy!!

Salsa Verde Chicken Salad

We grow our own green chilies and use them to make homemade "chili sauce". Green chilies, a little vinegar, and salt and pepper make a delicious, but simple chili sauce. I recently found a new product called Salsa Verde from Pace. Made with tomatillos and jalapenos, this sauce adds a tasty kick to chicken salad. (Even better, this salsa packs a lot of flavor with only 15 calories in 2 tablespoons.) Serve with Fruit Kabobs.

6 (4 oz) Chicken Breasts, cooked and diced into small bite-sized pieces
4 Eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
1/4 cup Salsa Verde ( I love the Pace brand)
1/4 cup Light Miracle Whip (can also use fat-free or regular)
Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and adjust salt and pepper to taste. You might like to add more salsa for more spice. Spoon onto whole wheat buns for a light and tasty dinner.

Caribbean Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwich

The distinct flavor of the Caribbean comes alive when mango, lime, shrimp and just a hint of jalapeno are combined to create this tasty sandwich.  Serve with Spicy Guacamole and chips for a quick summer dinner.

1 lb Shrimp, peeled and cooked

1 medium Mango, seeded, peeled and diced
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
1 Serrano or Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 Green Onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp finely minced Lime Zest
1 TB Lime Juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp Black Pepper
1 24-inch French Baguette
4 Bibb or Romaine Lettuce Leaves

Coarsely chop the cooked shrimp.

In a medium bowl combine shrimp, mango, mayo, serrano or jalapeno pepper, green onion, lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cover and chill up to 1 hour.

Cut baguette into 4 equal rolls. Slice in half lengthwise. Remove some of the bread from the bottom half of each roll, leaving a thick shell. Place all rolls, sliced side up, on a broiler pan or baking sheet; broil 3 - 4 minutes or until toasted.

Place lettuce leaf on bottom of each roll. Spoon shrimp mixture onto lettuce, replace top bun and serve.

Mesquite Bacon BLT Sandwich

This recipe is from Arizona, the land of Mesquite foods! If you have not tried Mesquite-Smoked Bacon, you are in for a treat. You'll never want a regular BLT again. Enjoy!

16 Thick-Sliced Mesquite-Smoked Bacon Strips, about 1 pound
4 6x4-inch pieces Focaccia, Ciabatta or other rustic-type bread about 2 inches thick
8 Red-Leaf Lettuce Leaves
Large Tomatoes, cut into 16 thick slices
1/2 cup Mayonnaise

Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until just crisp, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess fat. Set aside.

Halve each 6 x 4-inch piece of ciabatta horizontally; lightly toast. Spread about 1 TB mayonnaise on each slice of ciabatta. Top 4 of the slices of ciabatta with a lettuce leaf, then with 4 slices of tomato, 4 slices of bacon and finish with lettuce leaf. Place mayonnaise side of remaining 4 ciabatta slices on top of lettuce. Cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal. Serve immediately.

Corned Beef Sandwiches

Just the thought alone makes your mouth water... corned beef, dark swirly rye bread, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, with Russian dressing - grilled. Our national love affair with Corned Beef Sandwiches, also known as the Reuben, has been going on since the 1920s, though the exact origin is strongly disputed.

Regardless of who owns the title of creator of the first Reuben, this sandwich has steadily gained in popularity over the last 90 years or so, especially during St. Patrick's Day festivities.  It's nearly impossible to find a restaurant that doesn't serve this tasty sandwich and many variations exist as local bars put their own twist to this classic meal.

Corned beef is very simple to prepare at home.  Just remember to cook it low and slow and the result will be a fork-tender brisket that slices easily for sandwiches.

To Prepare Corned Beef

1 Corned Beef Brisket (3 - 4 lbs) including spice packet
1 medium Onion, sliced
1 TB Garlic, minced
1 TB Butter

Drain and rinse the corned beef, reserving the spice packet. Place the onion, garlic and butter in the bottom of a large soup pot.  Saute the onion and garlic for 6 minutes or until tender, then place the brisket into the pot.  Add enough water to the pot to fully cover the meat, and add the spice packet to the water.  Turn heat to medium-high, bring to a boil for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about  3 hours, turn the brisket over occasionally using a fork.  (The longer the beef simmers the more tender the meat, so for a 3-4 pound brisket, 3 hours works great.)
Add additional water, if needed, to keep the beef covered.

Remove meat from pot and allow to rest 10 minutes. Slice the meat against the grain and prepare sandwiches as below.

Sandwich Ingredients for 4

2 TB Butter, softened
8 slices Rye Bread
8 slices Swiss Cheese
3/4 lb Corned Beef Brisket, thinly sliced
1/2 lb Sauerkraut
1/4 cup Russian Dressing

Butter one side of four slices of bread, and place the slices buttered-side down on a large piece of wax paper on a flat surface. Top each with a slice of Swiss cheese, and then divide half of the corned beef among them.

Using paper towels, squeeze out excess moisture from sauerkraut. Divide the sauerkraut among the sandwiches, and top each with one tablespoon of Russian dressing. Add another layer of corned beef and a second slice of Swiss cheese to each sandwich. Top with the remaining bread slices; butter the side facing out.

Preheat a griddle or frying pan to medium heat. Cook the sandwiches on one side until the bread is golden brown. Use a spatula to carefully flip the sandwiches over and finish cooking on the second side. Cut the sandwiches in half before serving. Serve with Seven Day Slaw.

Salmon Burgers

Panko Crumbs are Japanese breadcrumbs and can be found in the Asian section of your local market.

1 1/4 lb Salmon Fillet, skinned and deboned
2 TB snipped Fresh Dill
2 TB snipped Fresh Chives
1 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Lemon Zest
1 TB Lemon Juice
2 tsp plus 2 TB Olive Oil
1/2 cup Panko Crumbs or Plain Bread Crumbs
6 Potato Rolls, warmed

Coarsely cut salmon into cubes and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add dill, chives, thyme, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Pulse briefly 2 or 3 times to roughly chop fish and combine ingredients. The salmon will hold together like ground meat. Do not overprocess.

Shape salmon mixture into 6 patties about 3/4 inch think. Place patties on a small baking sheet covered with plastic wrap. Chill, covered, for 2 hours.

To cook, place panko crumbs in a shallow bowl. Gently turn patties in crumbs to coat all over.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute patties 3 minutes; turn and saute 3 minutes longer until golden and crisp.

Serve burgers on warmed buns. Top with a generous dollop of Cucumber Sauce and serve with extra sauce and sliced tomatoes and lettuce, if desired.  Serves 6.

Cucumber Sauce:

Peel and coarsely grate half of a cucumber. Press excess liquid from cucumber between several sheets of paper towels. In a small bowl combine cucumber with:

1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
2 TB Mayonnaise
1 Minced Scallion
2 TB snipped Dill
1/8 tsp Salt

Chill, covered for 2 hours before serving.

Grilled Fish Sandwich

3 TB Dijon Mustard
2 TB Light Mayonnaise
1 TB chopped Fresh Dill
Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 lbs Skinless Haddock, about 3/4-inch thick, cut into 4 fillets
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
2 TB Olive oil
4 Kaiser Rolls, warmed
1 cup shredded Romaine Lettuce

Combine mustard, mayo and dill and set aside.

Preheat grill. To prevent fish from sticking, rub a paper towel moistened with vegetable oil over the grill rack.

Blot the fillets on both sides with paper towels. Season with kosher salt and pepper, and brush with olive oil.

Arrange fillets on the grill rack, about 6 inches from heat source; grill 4 minutes over medium-high heat. With a metal spatula, gently turn the fish; grill about 4 minutes longer, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Spread the insides of the kaiser rolls with the dill sauce. Place one fillet on each bun, top with shredded romaine and serve.  Serves 4.

Crab Roll Sandwiches

You could also substitute chopped lobster meat or peeled and deveined finely chopped shrimp for the crabmeat.

2 lbs Cooked Crabmeat
2 bunches Scallions, white and light greens parts only, thinly sliced
2 Celery Stalks, finely diced
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
8 to 10 Hoagie Rolls or Hot Dog Buns
8 leaves Leaf Lettuce or Bibb Lettuce
3 Ripe Tomatoes, sliced

Pick over the crabmeat, discarding any pieces of shell. Finely chop the meat. In a bowl, combine the crabmeat, scallions, celery, lemon juice, mayo and salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the rolls until lightly browned. Spoon some of the chilled crabmeat mixture onto half of each roll, then top with lettuce and tomato. Serve immediately. Serves 8 - 10.

Lobster Patties

The added flavors - sweet juicy mango, crunchy slaw, the lime marinade, and the toasted cumin, coriander and fennel in the lobster patties - bring tropical notes to the burger without overwhelming the flavor and texture of the lobster. Serve this with a simple green salad and margaritas.

1-1/4 pound cooked Fresh (not frozen!) Lobster Meat, 1/4" dice
3 medium Limes, juiced
1/2 lb Shrimp, peeleed and deveined
1 medium Carrot, peeled, fine dice
1 medium Celery Rib, fine dice
1/2 tsp Whole Cumin Seed
1/2 tsp Whole Coriander Seed
1/2 tsp Whole Fennel Seed
2 Egg Whites
2 small Hot Red Peppers, seeds, stem and membranes removed, minced
4 TB Cilantro, fine mince
6 TB Panko Flakes
2 TB Flour
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Hot Sauce to taste

Zesty Slaw Topping

1/4 head Cabbage, trimmed, cored and cut in thin slices
1 Carrot peeled and shredded
1/4 medium Red Onion, sliced very thin, slices halved
1 TB Cilantro, minced
1 Green Chile, membranes, stem and seeds removed, minced
2 tsp fresh Ginger, peeled, minced
1/2 C Lime Juice
1/4 C Mayonnaise
Salt and Hot Sauce, to taste
6 Onion rolls
Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 ripe Mango, peeled, cut in thin slices

Using 2 medium glass bowls, marinate lobster meat 30 minutes in the juice of 2 limes and marinate shrimp 30 minutes in the juice of 1 lime. Still keeping them separate, drain lobster and shrimp, pressing out liquid. Refrigerate lobster and shrimp until needed.

Sauté the carrot and celery in a small amount of oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Heat a small dry sauté pan until hot, then add the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds. Toast the spices, stirring constantly, a minute or two until they start to brown and give off fragrance. Remove to a spice grinder and puree to a fine powder. Set aside.

Place shrimp and egg whites in the bowl of a food processor and purée until smooth, about 1 minute.

Blend the minced hot red pepper, cilantro, panko flakes, carrot/celery mixture, flour, lobster meat, shrimp/egg mixture, and toasted spice mix. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Divide into 6 equal portions and press firmly into burgers. Allow to rest 30 minutes, refrigerated, while making the Slaw Topping.

Slaw Topping: mix all the Slaw Topping ingredients well and refrigerate.

Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat. Using an egg or pancake ring, spray the rings with the vegetable oil spray or a light olive oil coating. Place patties inside egg forms, place on griddle pan and cook about 6 - 8 minutes on each side. When burgers are nearly finished, turn off heat and let burgers rest 2 minutes before gently removing with a spatula.

Toast the onion rolls until lightly browned, 2 - 3 minutes.

Place one patty on each of the toasted onion roll bottoms. Lay slices of mango on the burger patty, and top with a portion of the Slaw and, if desired, a slice of red onion. Lay the roll top over the slaw on each burger.

Note:
A binder material is required in a lobster burger to hold it together. However, restaurant lobster burgers, (usually factory-produced and sold frozen to the restaurant) seem to go way too far with the binding agents (to insure that the burger stays together and also to reduce the amount of lobster that goes into each burger, I assume) so, like a lot of lobster rolls you get in restaurants, they can be very unsatisfying. This recipe goes in the other direction, to see just how much lobster, and how little of the binding agent, can be used before the burger starts to fall apart. The formula used here - a little flour, panko and egg white for binders - works, but be aware that these burgers are delicate, especially before the egg white is cooked. That's why we recommend the egg forms, since the stress of turning the burgers with a just a spatula might be too much for them. The delicious lobster flavor and texture of these burgers is definitely worth the additional care you have to give them during preparation.

Reuben Sandwich

When I serve Reuben Sandwiches, the big debate is over the dressing...Thousand Island, which is traditional or Russian, which is also a favorite. It is a personal preference, but if you can find Russian dressing, it is a delicious addition.

Sliced Rye Bread or Swirled Rye
Butter
Swiss Cheese, thinly sliced
Corned Beef, thinly sliced (try cooking your own Corned Beef; it is very easy and tastes great)
Sauerkraut, drained
Russian Dressing, or the traditional Thousand Island

Butter the bread. Place sliced cheese on one slice of bread followed by a bit of sauerkraut, then add slices of corned beef, top with a drizzle of Russian Dressing and then add the second slice of bread.

Grill the sandwich in a skillet 4 -5 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has started to melt. Flip sandiwch and grill 2 - 3 minutes longer.

Italian Portabella Sandwich

4 large Portabella Mushrooms (about 3-4 oz each) cleaned, stems removd
1 (6 oz) jar Marinated Artichokes
1 TB Olive Oil
1 small Red pepper, seeded, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 small Green Pepper, seeded, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 medium Sweet Onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of Black Pepper
4 slices (4 oz total) Provolone cheese
8 slices Italian Bread, about 1/2-inch thick, lightly toasted

Place mushrooms in a ziplock bag. Pour marinade from artichoke hearts into bag, reserving hearts. Seal bag and toss to coat. Let marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning and the reserved artichoke hearts. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat gas or charcoal grill to medium-hot. Using a long-handled brush, season rack with vegetable oil.

Place mushrooms on rack with stem side up and grill, covered, for 3 minutes. Turn mushrooms and grill 3 minutes longer, until tender. Turn mushrooms again (stem side up) and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Place a slice of cheese on each mushroom, and grill covered, about 1 minute to melt the cheese.

Top each slice of toasted bread with a mushroom. Top mushroom with 1/4 of the peppers and onions mixture, add top slice of Italian bread and serve immediately.

Grilled Lamb Burgers w/Blue Cheese & Onions

The beef will add just a bit of fat to the lean lamb and creates a very tasty burger. The addition of blue cheese and sauteed onions add the finishing touch!

1 lb Ground Lamb
1 lb Ground Beef
1 Large Egg
1 Onion, finely diced
Salt and Black Pepper
1 cup Breadcrumbs
10 oz Crumbled Blue Cheese
2 Red Onions, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, combine ground meats, egg, diced onion, salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands to combine. Add breadcrumbs until the mixture binds together. 

For each burger patty, combine a handful of the meat mixture with about an ounce of blue cheese, pressing the blue cheese into the middle of each patty.

Grill on high heat for 3 - 5 minutes per side.

For garnish, gently fry the sliced onions over a medium-high heat until brown and crispy. Garnish each burger with sauteed onions and serve.