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Roast Beef and Vegetable Sandwich

18 Jan

Roasted Beef and Vegetable Sandwich

(Serves 1 hearty meal)

Sometimes something as simple as a sandwich can offer the most succulent sustenance. 

Okay, so I’ve been enjoying a little more life lately and find myself lost to hours upon hours of wedding searching—seriously losing track of time and reality.  As a result, I have been regrettably amiss in my kitchen experiments.  However, in the midst of my fantasyland of white, I have discovered some absolute gems as far as quick fixes.  This is by far one of the most scrumptious.

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small zucchini, sliced thinly lengthwise

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup sliced yellow onion

½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon horseradish

2 slices good bread (I love large loafs with thick crunchy crusts—this was a basic country bread but sourdough is exceptional as well)

3 slices roast beef (the redder the better)

2 slices pepper jack cheese

½ roasted red pepper

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bring to medium-high heat.  Add in thinly sliced zucchini and season with salt and pepper.  Cook about 2-3 minutes per side until browned and tender.  Remove from heat.  Add remaining olive oil to pan and toss in sliced onion.  Add balsamic vinegar and stir.  Cook on medium till onions begin to caramelize (about 3-4 minutes).  Remove from heat.

Next, in a small bowl combine mayonnaise and horseradish.  Stir till thoroughly mixed.  Then begin assembling sandwich on a baking sheet.  Start by spreading bread with horseradish mayo and then top with roast beef and pepper jack cheese.  Toast in oven until cheese is melted (about 4-6 minutes).  You could also grill in a panini machine, should you so desire.  Once cheese has melted, top sandwich with roasted red pepper, zucchini, and onions.  Eat while still toasty warm.  Enjoy- and oh you will!

Homemade Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese

27 Mar

Homemade Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese

(Serves 6-8)

Gooey grilled cheese dipped in steaming tomato soup–Double YUM! Okay, so this one is a classic, easy to prepare, vegetarian, and just plain wonderful.  The soup is delicious enough to have on its own but paired with a crunchy and cheese grilled sandwich nirvana is achieved.


1 head of garlic

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 tablespoons of butter, divided

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 (28 ounce) can diced San Marzano tomatoes

6 large red vine tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons diced fresh parsley

2 cups vegetable stock

2 cups fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1/2 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 300F. Slice the top of your garlic clove off and rub with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes until browned and garlic cloves have softened enough to easily squeeze out of casing.

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and diced onion.  Season with salt and pepper and cook about 4 minutes until onions have softened.  Add diced San Marzano tomatoes, roasted garlic, diced fresh tomatoes, parsley, vegetable stock, and fresh basil leaves.  Cover pot and cook on medium for 30 minutes.

Uncover and add cornmeal.  Cook 5 minutes on medium, stirring frequently to thicken.  Remove from heat and blend in batches until smooth.  Return soup to stockpot on low heat.  Stir in milk and butter until incorporated then season to taste.  Serve tomato soup warm with your favorite grilled cheese.

Hot Pastrami Panini Sandwich

13 Sep

Pastrami Panini

(published in: Chile Pepper Magazine)

Yield: 1 panini  * Zest Factor: Hot

Nothing beats Katz’s. They are just a force to be reckoned with when it comes to pastrami, corned beef, and really any of their specialty products.  Homage goes to their simplicity of using the choicest pastrami with rye bread as their entire sandwich-no garnish, no dressing and no fuss. However if you want to add a bit of heat here is a fun way to go! So spice it up, grill it and give it a go as a new take on a classic.

½ cup beef broth

2 teaspoons favorite hot sauce

½ pound thickly sliced pastrami (ask your deli to cut it by hand to ½ an inch thick instead of slicing by machine)

2 slices of soft rye bread

spicy brown mustard

2 large kosher dill pickles

In a medium-size stockpot bring beef broth to a simmer. Add hot sauce to broth and stir to combine. Warm pastrami slices in heated beef broth just long enough to get them warm without cooking (about 2 minutes). Meanwhile, top your rye slices with a small amount of spicy brown mustard and then add your warmed pastrami slices—being careful not to take excess liquid. Grill sandwich on a preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve warm with two large kosher dill pickles (1 is never enough).

Hot Lobster Roll

12 Sep

Hot Lobster Roll

(Published in Chile Pepper Magazine)

Yield: 1 large roll * Zest Factor: Mild

You can’t think of New England without your stomach rumbling for their fresh seafood. Here you have a smokier and spicier version of the classic lobster roll, still keeping the focus on a generous helping of fresh lobster while adding the heat we all love so well.

2 medium lobster tails (4 to 6 ounces each)

4 tablespoons butter, melted

3 teaspoons minced scallion, divided

1 teaspoon minced anaheim pepper

dash garlic powder

dash smoked paprika

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 freshly baked lobster roll, toasted

In a large pot of boiling water, boil your lobster tails for 4 to 5 minutes. Allow to steam dry and then pry shell away, leaving the tail meat. In a small bowl mix butter, 2 teaspoons scallion, anaheim pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chop lobster meat into medium dice and combine with seasoned butter. Fill toasted lobster roll with lobster meat and top with additional teaspoon of minced scallions. Serve with buttered corn on the cob and you have a butter-lover’s dream come true.

Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich with Pasilla Cream Gravy

11 Sep

Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich with Pasilla Cream Gravy

(Published in Chile Pepper Magazine)

Yield: 2 sandwiches * Zest Factor: Mild

How every you want to call it-chicken fried or country fried-the results are in: this steak is deliciously! Serve it without gravy as they do at the Dairy-ette or add on with my own pasilla cream gravy to add a little smoke and substance to an already dominant steak.

Canola oil for frying

2 rib eye steaks (6 ounces each), fat trimmed

2 eggs

1 tablespoon Tabasco

salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup flour plus 1 tablespoon extra for the gravy

cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons minced pasilla pepper

¾ cup water

¾ cup half and half

4 slices white Pullman bread, toasted and buttered

option: lettuce and tomato

In a large fry pan over medium high heat, add canola oil to fill the pan by ½ an inch. Take a long sheet of plastic wrap and fold over your steaks to cover on both sides (you are making a paillard- a thinly pounded piece of meat) Once your steaks are wrapped in plastic wrap with room around all edges begin pounding them flat with a small mallet (this is the fun part!). Once your steaks are evenly flat and tenderized season them with salt and pepper.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk eggs with Tabasco and season lightly with salt and pepper.  In another medium-size bowl add your flour and season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Whisk flour mixture to combine and dredge your steaks in flour, pat off excess, and then wash in egg mixture. Dredge steaks once more in flour and pat off excess. By now your oil should be sizzling lightly and you are ready to fry your steaks. Fry your steaks 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and crunchy. Remove your steaks and set on a paper towel lined plate, seasoning once more lightly with salt and pepper.

In your fry pan, remove all but 1 tablespoon of canola saving as much of the drippings as possible. Add 1 tablespoon of flour and mix until a lightly golden roux forms (about 2 minutes). Next add minced pasilla, water and half and half and simmer over medium-low heat for about 4 to 5 minutes stirring constantly. Season gravy generously with freshly ground pepper, cayenne, and a dash of salt. To assemble your sandwiches top two slices of toasted white bread each with a 6 ounce chicken fried steak and cover each with pasilla cream gravy. Top with remaining bread slice (optional to use lettuce and tomato) and enjoy. If you want to go all out go ahead and substitute a buttermilk biscuit for the Pullman bread and just see how southern you can go.

Grilled Salmon and Chips

10 Sep

Grilled Salmon and Tim’s Jalapeño Chips

(Published in Chile Pepper Magazine)
Yield: 2 sandwiches * Zest Factor: Medium

A Seattlelite by birth I rightly worship good salmon and thrive on Tim’s chips. Now I grew up on Ivar’s and knew them for their killer claw chowder but the salmon and chips is a new treat. So here’s a little taste of the Pacific Northwest and a unique take at fish and chips that’s good to weather a storm with.

¼ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
1 tablespoon scallion, minced
1 tablespoon jalapeño, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper

Seattle Slaw

1 ½ cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded carrot
½ large jalapeño, julienne
3 tablespoons furukaki
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

2 (6 to 8 ounce) salmon fillets, skinned
2 teaspoons olive oil

2 lemon slice
2 sprigs dill
1 thin baguette, halved and toasted
1 large bag Tim’s Jalapeño chips (available at: timschips.com)

In a medium bowl combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, scallion and jalapeño to make your tartar sauce. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. In a large bowl mix cabbage, carrot, jalapeño and furukaki. In a small bowl mix lemon juice, rice wine vinegar and olive oil, stir and dress your cabbage slaw. Mix slaw well then drain excess juices, creating your Seattle slaw.

Rub your salmon fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Top each fillet with a sprig of dill and a slice of lemon and grill on a preheated grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side until just starting to flake. Discard extra lemon and dill.

To assemble your sandwich, dress each baguette half lightly with jalapeño
tartar sauce and ½ cup of Seattle slaw. Top each with a grilled salmon filet and serve with Tim’s delicious Jalapeño chips and you have a true West Coast treat.

Furikake Seasoning:

“Furikake is a lightly salted Japanese condiment that is generally sprinkled over cooked white rice or Japanese rice balls called Onigiri. It’s like the salt and pepper of Japan. Furikake usually consist of various ingredients such as sushi nori (seaweed), sesame seeds, dried tuna flakes, ground shiso leaf, salmon flakes, powdered soy sauce or miso, and dried egg. Furikake taste good on almost anything, giving whatever it is added to a slightly salty sea-foodie flavor. Try it on anything you can think of like grilled fish or toast. We bet that the taste will leave you pleasantly surprised!”-Asian Food Grocer

Corned Beef ala Primanti

9 Sep

Corned Beef ala Primanti

(Published in Chile Pepper Magazine)

Servings: 1 * Zest Factor: Mild

This sandwich has it all: white bread that melts in your mouth, thick corned beef, spicy slaw, fiery fries and everything you need on a plate all under one bun. Trying to give the Primanti Bros their due we kept the model and spiced up the heat.

1 cup frozen shoestring fries

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 ½ teaspoons cayenne powder, divided

1 teaspoon chili powder

salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons favorite hot sauce

1 teaspoon lemon

2 cups grated green cabbage

2 thick slices white bread

2 slices horseradish cheddar cheese

4 slices (1/8 pound) deli sliced corned beef

1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno slices

Bake your fries according to package instructions and toss with olive oil, 2 teaspoons cayenne, chili, salt and pepper.  In a medium bowl, mayonnaise, hot sauce, lemon and remaining cayenne powder.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and then dress the cabbage with your spicy aioli.  To assemble your sandwich: Top one thick slice of white bread with horseradish cheese, corned beef, coleslaw, tomato, fries and jalapenos slices.  Finish with your remaining slice of white bread and behold: an intimidating sandwich fit to break down all your dietary defenses. Enjoy!

You Gotta Muffuletta

8 Sep

You Gotta Muffuletta


(Published in Chile Pepper Magazine)

Servings: 2 * Zest Factor: Mild

A complete convert to the saintly muffuletta sandwich, I tackled this beast with true relish. The olive mix is key and that was my medium for adding on the heat. Completely crunchy and irresistible this sandwich will have you singing till the saints come marching in!

½ cup giardinera, minced

½ cup pitted mixed olives, minced

½ cup pickled jalapenos, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

½  10-inch round focaccia (1 inch of bread removed from center to make crust crunchy and not too thick)

spicy brown mustard

4 slices of deli ham

¼ cup grated cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated mozzarella

4 slices of salami

Preheat oven to 375.  In a medium sized bowl, combine giardinera, olives, jalapenos, olive oil, cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, lemon juice and oregano.  Mix until fully combined.

To assemble sandwich: top each half of foccacia with mustard and begin layering the bottom half with ham, cheddar, mozzarella, ½ cup of olive mix, salami and top with foccacia top. Toast in oven for 10 minutes until cheese has fully melted. Slice in half and serve warm. Enjoy!

Hot Brot Sliders

4 Sep

Hot Brot Sliders


(Published in Chile Pepper Magazine)

Servings: 2 * Zest Factor: Hot

Bratwurst is a tradition and a point of pride with our Packers and these sliders are no exception. Simmered in beer, grilled to perfection, and large enough to serve as full sandwiches—serve these as duos with da’ works and you’ll have fans calling out for more.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 uncooked bratwurst links

2 cups beer (we loved a good Heifferweissen for its honey bold flavor)

2 teaspoons horseradish

1 tablespoon brown mustard

1 teaspoon favorite hot sauce, we used a jolokia sauce

2 hard rolls (4 inch diameter), sliced

mayonnaise

spicy ketchup

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and onions and begin to caramelize for 3-4 minutes.  Add red wine vinegar, sugar, salt and pep, per and cook an additional 4-6 minutes until onions are translucent, browned and fully caramelized.  Remove onions and add beer to the pan.  Polk several holes in your sausage links to vent steam and add your sausage links to simmering beer mixture.  Turn your heat to low to keep the links simmering and cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning frequently.  After 8-10 minutes, remove your links and slice them each in half lengthwise.  Grill them on a pre-heated grill for 2-3 minutes per side until links are fully cooked and dark grill marks appear.  Next grill your buns 2 minutes per side until grill lines appear.

Meanwhile, bring your beer mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and stir in horseradish, brown mustard and hot sauce.  Simmer until mixture is nappe consistency (meaning it can coat the back of a spoon—perfect sauce consistency).

To assemble your hot brots: Top each bun bottom with mayonnaise and ketchup, 2 split sausage halves (flat side down), caramelized onions and a heafty dose of your beer simmer sauce.  Add a touch of mayo to your top buns and then top your sandwiches and serve—smokin’.  Enjoy!

Pulled Chicken BBQ Slam

3 Sep

Pulled Chicken BBQ Slam

(published in Chile Pepper Magazine)

Pulled Chicken BBQ Slam

Servings: 2 sandwiches * Zest Factor: Hot

Lethal BBQ

½ cup Sriracha

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons worchestershire sauce

½ teaspoon ground mustard

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Szechewan chili paste

1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika

1 teaspoon jolokia hot sauce (or other favorite hot sauce)

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 cups chicken stock

1 large jalapeno, sliced in half

2 dried chile negro peppers

2 chicken breasts

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 seeded buns, toasted

½ cup mozzarella cheese

Combine all ingredients for lethal bbq sauce in a small stock pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside for later use.

Season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  In a medium stock pot over medium heat, add chicken stock, jalapeno, chile negros and chicken breasts.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.  Remove chicken from broth and shred with a fork.  Reserve the broth for later uses like chicken tortilla soup.  Combine the shredded chicken with ¼ cup of your lethal bbq sauce and mix until incorporated.

To assemble sandwich:  Top each seeded bun with half of the bbq pulled chicken and an additional teaspoon of barbeque sauce each. Then cover each with half of the mozzarella and toast in the oven 4-6 minutes until cheese has melted and buns have toasted. Top each bun with its lid and serve warm.  Enjoy!

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