Roasted Eggplant Muffuletta

After a trip to New Orleans I tasted a muffuletta sandwich for the first time and it completely changed the order of my favorite sandwiches. It traditionally has a lot of meat so I searched for a way to get the same tasty and filling flavors without the meat. I came across a recipe that has been modified below and on a recent summer evening I made these sandwiches for an impromptu picnic on the water. 

Roasted Eggplant & Spinach Muffuletta

(Adapted from the recipe in the book Veganomicon)

Ingredients:

• Olive Relish:
• 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1 cup pitted green olives
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes
• 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional - I just had this in my cupboard and used it!)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Muffuletta
• 1 medium size eggplant
• Olive oil
• 1 handful of fresh basil
• Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
• 2 large fresh tomatoes, sliced
• 1 round peasant style loaf or sandwich buns (recommend sourdough or dense whole wheat)

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet. (I use coconut oil for this)

2. Cut the eggplant width wise into thick slices. Rub the slices with kosher salt and allow to drain in a colander for half an hour or so.

3. While the eggplants are draining make the olive relish. Place the olives, parsley, garlic and sun dried tomatoes in a food processor, pulse it as you slowly add in the olive oil. I prefer my relish clumpy so I just pulse it to get it evenly chopped. 

4. Rinse the salted slices with cold water, drizzle them with olive oil and lay on the greased baking sheet. Roast for 20ish minutes, flipping once, until the slices are brown and tender. 

5. Cut the loaf in half and dig out some of the bread insides to make room for all the delicious ingredients! (You can use the bread insides to make bread crumbs or just as a munching snack)

6. Spread the olive relish very thickly on either side of the bread. This is crucial and you want to make sure to get a lot of the relish juices on the bread. If the relish looks dry, drizzle on a little more olive oil.

7.  Layer the bottom with roasted eggplant on the bottom layer, followed by the mozzarella, tomato slices and basil.  Place the top loaf on and press down firmly. The thicker the bread, the more you should press down. Wrap in foil or a zip lock bag and for maximum flavor sensations, refrigerate for a few hours (or over night!) with a few heavy items placed on top of the sandwiches. Enjoy :)

BISON MEATBALL SUB SALE

Pastured raised bison turned into meatballs with almond flour, onions, olive oil, garlic a ton of herbs and a lot of hands on word. Delicious homemade sourdough bread rolls made by my roommate Nichole. A very slow tomato sauce with garlic and basil and fresh plum tomatoes and viola! Plate after plate after plate of the subs above quite honestly made with our blood, sweat and tears....we made approximately 100.
Nichole and I made a few rookie mistakes preparing for our Bison Meatball Stoop Sub Sale such as not starting the prep until 10:00 pm the evening prior! Our sub sale was on a Sunday starting at 11:00 am as folks started heading to the Giant's game. On Saturday we had decided to go strawberry picking, then out for dinner in Petaluma - so we came home late and amped up. However we were up making meatballs, sauce, rolls, and paper baskets until 4:00 AM! It felt a little like we were on an episode of 'Restaurant Impossible' except with much less of a pay out...That said, the experience was fun and definitely interesting!  At about 7:00 am the day of, I went out to put up some gorilla marketing signs on the posts around the Giant's stadium:

 To no one's surprise, Nichole's bread rolls were delicious and each one perfect looking. At first we had left the bread out too long to rise and so it was too soft to form into rolls. Nichole came in for emergency repair and combined the overly soft dough with some new dough. Here is a pic of the ever-expanding dough taking over our kitchen

After some worry and even talk about running to Safeway to buy bread rolls (gasp!) we had a tray ready to go into the over around 1:00am and as we're putting them in the oven - we drop the tray and the rolls get stuck on the bottom of the oven! Nichole comes to the rescue again. Dough rolls are brought back to life and go in the oven looking like this...

 and come out looking gorgeous like this!

For the meatballs, I purchased 12 pounds of bison striploin cut from Rocky Mountain Natural Meats which is located in Denver, CO. Pre-grinder...

post-grinder...

Raw rolled meatballs...

...fried with a little olive oil

This is how our set up looked...we had an old bedside table with a picnic table cover, a couple plates of the bison meatball sub, a tip jar that said 'Tips for Chicks', a plate of homemade mini strawberry mint pies, and our super cool chalkboard with our menu/ingredients. 

Our first customer! A Giant's fan / U.S. Marine named Tay...

In summary, we made enough to sell about 100. We sold about 50, broke even on costs, had 50 meatball subs leftover but were too exhausted to stay awake and try to sell the remainder. The subs were delicious, we ate them for a solid few weeks after, they freeze remarkably - but I had enough bison for 2012. We were a little unsure of selling from our stoop, I think our location could have been better but we didn't want to piss of any of the nearby restaurants/food trucks, since this was under the radar. Would I do it again? Yes, but only if the whole day before I did everything so I could get to sleep before 4:00am. When I look at the pictures now, I think I'm ready to eat some bison once again :)

 Looks like a hurricane went through our kitchen huh? I'd say that's an accurate metaphor.

There is always that one  lingering customer....

Keokuk Sandwich at Ray's in Petaluma + Top 5 Sandwiches

I sometimes forget how much I love sandwiches until I try a really excellent sandwich. I recently tried the Keokuk Sandwich from the laid back, locals-only, Ray's Deli in Petaluma. Although it was my first time there, it felt like I'd been there many times before. It's a family run join that is a combination deli and tavern that livens up the sleepy town. Known for their sandwiches and sodas in mason jars, this place has a real feel-good vibe. A plate of freshly baked cookies sat on the counter, which we had before lunch :)

The Keokuk sandwich is truly DELICIOUS! It is turkey, bacon, roasted red pepper, provolone, pepperjack cheese, sundried tomato, pepperocinnis, fresh basil, cayenne pesto mayo and spinach served on a house baked Ray's roll. I actually regretted not taking my friend's advice, which was to buy two Keokuk's, how could I think one would be enough?!

Top Sandwiches in My Life:

1) Manganaro Special from Manganaro's Grosseria in NYC
2) The Cuban from Kuba Kuba, Richmond, VA
3) Keokuk Sandwich from Ray's Deli in Petaluma
4) Lobster Roll from Sam's Chowder House in Half Moon Bay
5) Turkey + everything on sourdough with a bag of popcorn from Scotty's Market in Terra Linda

Ray's Deli

900 Western Ave, Petaluma

707-762-9492

http://rays-deli.com/

Not Your Mama's PB&J

The other day at work my co-worker ordered this work-of-art from Specialty's Cafe & Bakery. The sandwich is called the "Peanut Butter & Stuff" and it is $4.99. It is peanut butter and whole cranberry sauce with fresh bananas and granny smith apples on whole wheat. Ever since she ordered this from the cafe - I've been recreating my own version at home. This is truly a special combination.

Specialty's Cafe & Bakery

List of store locations

Chicken Gyros and Tzatziki

It started with the spanakopita...I had to make more Greek food. Next up, a delicious street food, the gyro is a Greek dish made from meat, tomato, onion and tzatziki served with pita bread. I added in an Israeli salad of cucumber, tomato and kalamata and a Moroccan carrot salad to add some extra oomph to the gyro. Since I don't have a vertical spit in my apartment to make the proper shawarma meat, I opted for shawarma seasoning and grilled chicken breasts. I learned that Gyros were introduced to the United States first in Chicago in the 1960s. It's a delicious food combination of fresh and flavorful ingredients and takes on a slightly different variation in each country surrounding the Mediterranean. My good friend and I were strolling the East Village when we decided to make Gyros for dinner. The only part we did not make from scratch was the actual pita which we bought from a street vendor on 11th street and 1st ave who always has delicious smelling gyros. For some added inspiration of what we could use as toppings for our gyros, we strolled into a shawarma and falafel shop on 1st ave and I took at peak at the salad bar and instantly got some ideas for a Greek influenced Israeli salad and a Moroccan carrot salad. Disclosure: this meal is very garlic heavy. The flavor of the shawarma chicken, with the spice of the carrot salad and the creaminess of the tzatziki is an incredible combination! You can pick up shawarma seasoning at ethnic or Middle Eastern grocery stores.

                           

Chicken Gyros and Tzatziki

Ingredients:

Pita

Chicken tenderloins

Shawarma seasoning

Olive oil

Moroccan carrot salad

Israeli salad

Tzatziki:

10 ounces yogurt, preferably Greek yogurt

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 large cucumber, thinly sliced and then chopped

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Cut chicken tenderloins into strips and place in a zip lock bag. Drizzle olive oil in the bag and add a generous amount of shawarma seasoning (I use the Perez brand). Seal the bag and gently mix the ingredients so that the chicken is evenly coated and seasoned. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours.

2. For the tzatziki, put the yogurt, garlic, cucumber, red wine vinegar and lemon juice in a bowl and mix until everything is evenly incorporated. Cover and let chill for at least 2 hours. Tzatziki can be made 1 day in advance.

2. Heat an indoor double burner grill, flat side up, over high heat. Spray grill with cooking oil. Cook the chicken strips on the grill, about 4 minutes per side (I like to use wooden tongs). Remove strips when fully cooked and heat pita in on the grill. The pita will get some of the great flavor from the shawarma chicken.

                                

Serve warm with heated pita, Israeli salad, Moroccan carrot salad and tzatziki.

       

Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches

Working at an Italian restaurant in college, I served up a lot of warm plates of eggplant parmesan. It was always served for dinner with potatoes and vegetables, but I would always request to have mine served with warm French bread. I love the eggplant and cheese combination. The secret ingredient in this sandwich is definitely the balsamic vinegar. The tanginess of it complements the creaminess of the cheese and the sweetness of the basil. Add more cheese to this recipe if you are into that!

                         

Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches

(Makes 3 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

3 whole wheat rolls

2 plum tomatoes, thickly sliced

3/4 cup marinara sauce

1 small eggplant, sliced lengthwise

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup fresh basil leaves

2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Oregano

Ground pepper

Directions:

1. Sprinkle salt on the eggplant slices and let them rest on a paper towel for about 30 minutes.

2. Heat a double burner grill on high and spray with cooking oil. Cut the rolls in half and grill on the flat side for a few minutes until bread is warm and has grill marks, set aside.

3. Place the eggplant slices flat on the grill and drizzle with olive oil, oregano and ground pepper. Grill for about 3 minutes on one side then flip and cover the grilled side with parmesan cheese. Cover with a piece of foil and grill until cheese is completely melted, about 3 minutes.

4. Spread both halves of the roll generously with marinara sauce. Place the cheesy eggplant on one side and the tomato slices on top of the eggplant. Top with a generous drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a small handful of basil leaves and top it off with the other slice of bread. Press down and enjoy!

                            

Chicken, Sun Dried Tomato and Avocado Wrap

My friend gave me some shwarma seasoning which I have been looking forward to using and I just whipped up some sun dried tomato hummus so I decided to search my refrigerator and make a wrap for dinner! I made two wraps, one for the Taste Tester and one for me, as it turns out, this is a newly requested healthy side to dinner. I found some great tasting whole wheat wraps at Whole Foods so these were much healthier that your traditional white flour wrap.

Chicken, Sun Dried Tomato and Avocado Wrap

Ingredients:

1 whole wheat wrap

Sun dried tomato hummus
Mixed greens
Sun dried tomatoes, sliced
Avocado, sliced
1 chicken breast, sliced into strips
Shwarma seasoning
Olive oil

Directions:
1. Heat some olive oil over medium heat in a non-stick skillet. Put the chicken strips on the skillet and generously sprinkle with shwarma seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil. After five minutes, flip the strips and sprinkle the other side with shwarma seasoning. Remove from heat when fully cooked.
2.  Spread the sun dried hummus on the whole wheat wrap. Put some mixed greens down, followed by the chicken strips, sun dried tomatos and avocado.

Roll like a wrap and enjoy!

Restaurant Review: Manganaro's Grosseria & Ristorante

It's avoided, it's despised, it's negatively reviewed and I LOVE it! Manganaro's Grosseria & Ristorante (not to be confused with Manganaro's Hero Boy next door) has been lauded on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations and ripped to pieces in negative reviews. The negative reviews are completely independent of the food which is down right delicious. The negative reviews are entirely due to the two, rather aggressive, but colorful, short-tempered Italian women behind the counter. They are quick to yell, ask customers to leave before they even order and bite your head off if you try to photograph their food for a blog! Gasp! I was there to do just that! Well, it was our lucky rainy Saturday. We went to the restaurant in Hell's Kitchen and the first thing one of the women behind the counter said was "I don't know what's wrong but I'm feeling really nice today!"
Manganaro's is simple, old-school Italian cooking. With recipes that have stayed the same since 1893 when it first opened, this family-operated joint is doesn't mess around. The food is served on styrofoam plates and the tomato marinara is made in the morning. I went with two friends and we strategically ordered different items. The super star dish was the Manganaro Special (pictured above); a sandwich made from mixed meats, cheese and peppers. Drizzles with a little balsamic and served on some rustic Italian bread, this sandwich was divine.

The runner up for best dish was plate of meatballs and one riceball (pictured below). Served with a generous amount of marinara the meatballs were succulent and superb, all  while be comforting. The riceball was unlike anything I have ever had! It was some sort of risotto riceball that was creamy and slightly crunchy on the outside, deep-fried Sicilian style. It was about the size of a wiffle ball. A bite of meatball, riceball and marinara is like a party in your mouth.

Their marinara was really superb. I've never had anything so flavorful like it. It is not oily at all but fresh and chunky. We got an extra bowl of the marinara to dip our sandwiches in. It was heavenly.

We also got a plate of lasagna that would have sent me back to my childhood had lasagna been a food of my childhood.

And as a treat the lovely women behind the counter gave us a plate of tasty, toasty and crunchy sesame seeds cookies. In addition, they also gave us a shot of their special Korean tequila!

In summation, go for the food, stay for the experience and....well, leave when they start giving you a hard time. I can't wait to go back and order another Manganaro Special with a side of meatballs, a riceball, and some cookies.

Manganaro's Grosseria & Ristorante

http://www.manganarofoods.com/index.html

488 Ninth Avenue (between 37th and 38th)

New York, NY 10018

212-563-5331

Andy's Gourmet Open-Faced Steak Sandwiches

Here he is sporting his new hair cut and his tray of soon-to-be-devoured sandwiches! Every dish Andy has ever tried to make turns out absolutely delicious. He is fearless in the kitchen, mixing savory with sweet. Andy is a natural. He made these delicious open faced sandwiches for an impromptu dinner gathering. These were packed with flavor -wait till you see the ingredients. He used a secret sweet ingredient (pears!) that really tied the whole sandwich together. The fresh flavors of the pear were a perfect contrast to the rich flavors of the gorgonzola cheese. These sandwiches, with a bit of greens on the side, are delightful. All of them were finished and the last one had to be split so multiple people could each get a bite!

Andy's Gourmet Open-Faced Steak Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 loaf Italian bread

Garlic infused olive oil

Gorgonzola cheese

Yellow onions

Steak

1 pear (Yes, a pear!) cut into thin slices

Directions:

Andy caramelized the onions with olive oil until they were brown and fragrant. He pre-toasted the bread slightly, and prepared the steak, letting it cool before cutting it into squares to prevent running. Then he placed the cheese on top of the toasted bread, followed by the pear slices and caramelized onions and finally the steak pieces. He then toasted the whole sandwich until the cheese melted, the pears turned a slight golden color and all the flavors were blended.