What makes for a great sandwich?

Is it the bread?

The meats?

The toppings, e.g. lettuce, tomato, sprouts, etc.?

The spread, e.g. mayo, mustard, dressing?

Well, of course it’s probably a combination of all (and probably some additional) factors.

But, the question is – What’s the most important thing to making a sandwich great?

For me – it is the quality of the bread – what is it for you?

Mortadella, Cheese and Basil Panini

Mortadella is a large Italian sausage or cold cut made of finely ground, heat-cured pork sausage, which incorporates small cubes of pork fat. Mortadella is a staple product of Bologna, Italy.

6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) loaf ciabatta, cut in half horizontally
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
• 12 basil leaves
• 8 ounces sliced mortadella 
• 2 hot cherry peppers, sliced
• 1 large plum tomato, thinly sliced
• Olive oil cooking spray

Directions

Brush the cut side of the bottom bread half with mustard; brush the cut side of the top half with vinegar. Top the bottom half with mozzarella, basil, mortadella, peppers and tomato. Top with remaining bread half.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add the sandwich to the pan; top with another heavy skillet. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Cut sandwich into 6 wedges. If the sandwich does not fit in your pan, cut it in half and cook in two batches.

Family Style Hearty Steak Sandwich

6 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups seeded and diced fresh plum tomatoes
• 6 tablespoons pitted, chopped kalamata olives
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 4 teaspoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds flank or sirloin steak
• 1 (1-pound) Italian round bread loaf (boule) 
• 4 thin slices provolone cheese
• 2 ounces arugula

Directions

Heat an outdoor gas grill.

Combine tomatoes, olives, basil, red onion, vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl.

Place steaks on the grill over medium heat. Grill to desired temperature, turning once. Place on cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain.

Slice bread horizontally. Grill, cut side down, until crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

Place cheese on the bottom half of the bread. Top with tomato mixture, steak and arugula. Top with remaining bread. Slice into wedges.

Vegan Muffuletta

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 3 large Portobello mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 3 tablespoons white wine or vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced pitted black olives
• 1/4 cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 (8-inch) Italian round bread loaf, halved horizontally
• 1/3 cup sliced roasted red peppers
• 1/3 cup sliced marinated artichoke hearts
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 12 basil leaves

Directions

Using a small spoon, scoop out and discard the black gills from each mushroom. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook just until it begins to turn light golden brown, about 30 seconds. Arrange mushrooms in the skillet in a single layer, then add wine and season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning the mushrooms once, until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes total. Set aside off of the heat to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, combine black and green olives, parsley, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl and press the mixture with the back of a spoon until it’s roughly mashed; set aside.

Using your fingers, remove some of the bread from the inside of both halves of the bread loaf, making sure to keep a 1-inch border around the edge. (This will help to make room for the filling. Save the bread that you remove for another use, such as bread crumbs or croutons.)

Layer both halves of bread with olive mixture then arrange peppers, artichoke hearts, pine nuts and basil on the bottom half. Top with the cooked mushrooms, spreading them out to cover the entire width of the bread. Assemble the top and bottom halves of the loaf to form a sandwich.

Serve muffuletta right away or wrap it very tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, weighted down with a heavy object like a cast iron skillet filled with a few heavy canned goods. Cut into wedges before serving.

Mediterranean Tilapia Sandwiches

Za’atar is a mixture of sumac, sesame seed and herbs frequently used in the Middle East and Mediterranean areas.

Ingredients

Fish:

• 1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Za’atar 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Olive oil cooking spray

Tzatziki:

• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Sandwich ingredients:

• 4 Mediterranean wheat pitas or flatbread (such as Toufayan), heated
• 1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
• 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)

Directions

Preheat a broiler.

To prepare fish:

Brush fish with oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon Za’atar , 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fish on a broiler pan coated with olive oil cooking spray. Broil 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

To prepare Tzatziki:

Combine yogurt and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor or blender; pulse until smooth.

To prepare sandwiches:

Spread 2 tablespoons Tzatziki sauce in the center of each pita. Divide fish evenly among the pitas. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons onion, 2 tomato slices and about 6 cucumber slices; fold pita or flatbread in half.

Grilled Chicken, Tomato and Onion Sandwiches

4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 ounces pitted mixed olives (1 cup)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced 1/3 inch thick
• 1 Vidalia onion (or any sweet onion), sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 4 crusty Italian rolls, such as ciabatta
• Salt
• 1 3/4 pounds thin chicken cutlets

Directions

Light an outdoor grill.

In a mini food processor, pulse the pitted olives with the crushed garlic and oregano until chopped. Add the 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil and pulse until finely chopped. Season with pepper.

Brush the tomatoes, onion and cut sides of the rolls with olive oil. Grill the tomatoes and onion over high heat until they are softened and lightly charred, about 2 minutes for the tomatoes and 6 minutes for the onion. Transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper. Grill the bread until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.

Brush the chicken cutlets with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Grill them over high heat, turning occasionally, until they are lightly browned in spots and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.

Cut the chicken cutlets to fit the toasted rolls and top with the sliced tomatoes, sliced onion and olive relish. Close the sandwiches, cut them in half and serve.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in arugula, Beef, Bread, Cheese, Chicken, cucumbers, Fish, Grilling, mushrooms, Olives, onion, Panini, peppers, Seasonings, tomatoes, Vegan, Vegetables Tags: Sandwiches