Yummy Sandwiches!

Thank You Eat Street for Inspiration!

Brioche with Citterio, Mozzerella, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Arugala

I recently discovered Eat Street on the Cooking Channel. I love Food Trucks but this show really takes it to a whole new level. Since we just discovered it, we have many episodes that are brand spanking new to us, even if they are repeats and old to the rest of the world.

Well on one of the many trucks they featured in my marathon this week, there was Italian street fare. Rosa's Bella Cucina on a Roll in Burbank. Who could resist? And then they made this sandwich with meat, fresh mozzarella and sun dried tomatoes called La Mama Angelina! That was an epiphany! Sun-dried Tomatoes on a sandwich! If sandwiches always looked this good I would eat them (I am not a sandwich fan with the exception of some notables).


So here is my version as an ode to a food truck I will never get to visit (well most likely will not visit. . . never say never!). Their version featured prosciutto but I decided on some air dried beef and IT WAS SO GOOD.
 
This is super simple to make and was quite the coveted / desired lunch all around the office. When you take time in the new lunchroom and start taking photos of your food, people are curious. Put the sandwich on your desk and watch folks come on by to ask about it. . .

We used a brioche for the bread. Brioches are a little richer, with some fair amount of butter included in the dough - it's similar to a good slice of challah but the bun form makes it ideal. We placed the meat on first. I picked out this package of Citterio at Trader Joe's. It was describes a "lean dry air aged beef" which I assume is some beef equivalent to prosciutto but I could be full of you-know-what.

This was followed by equal layers of goodness with arugula (also known as "rocket"), fresh sliced mozzarella, and then a nice heaping of those sun dried tomatoes. Because the tomatoes were packed in oil they added some extra moisture too.

Now my friend Jill tried hers with colorful peppers instead of tomatoes. It was rather pretty, don't you think?

Delicious sandwiches! Next time I think we will make some more and sell them to coworkers. :-)

Seafood Po' Boy

Doesn't it sound fancier or cooler than a "sandwich"? 

I think so! 

My love for a good Po' Boy doesn't come from an actual trip to Louisiana although that is on my "short list" of adventures I would like to have one day. I actually had one locally in Ferndale - at One Eyed Betty's - and was hooked.  This is my version as I can't get it exactly like theirs but for a quick Saturday lunch, it was just fine!

I would have preferred a crustier roll but we had this Coney style hot dog buns leftover from early in the week. What's a Coney style? I had that same question - they are split on the top rather than the side, creating a might good pocket for all this stuff we put in these sandwiches. I toasted them for a bit in the oven to make them a little crustier.

Recipe

1 package of frozen clam strips
1 package of frozen shrimp poppers
1 Roma tomato
2 pickle spears
Mayonnaise
Ketchup
Lemon Juice

Cook clam and shrimp according to directions. I would cook a little longer than the package to get them a little crispy and turn them during the middle of cooking.

While this is heating up, chop up the Roma tomato and the pickles and toss together. I use McClure's pickles. They are real crisp and are delicious. I should add that before I had a McClure's pickles I didn't like pickles at all and I will drive out of my way to buy these - as evidenced by my quick stop today to get a jar when I needed NOTHING else at a store but wanted to make this sandwich! Anyways, these are a local business based in Detroit so I'm giving them a "shout out". If you happen to be in New York, they are local for you too as they are also based in Brooklyn!

For the  sauce because we are already using pickles, I made a quick remoulade by mixing equal parts of ketchup and mayonnaise with a squirt of lemon juice.

Assembling the sandwich is easy. I spread the sauce on the opened toasty bun, and then I layered the tomato and pickles on the bottom, added the seafood, and a touch more of the sauce. Good stuff!

Both kids enjoyed this too - although one won't touch mayo and neither will eat the tomato and pickles. They really liked a bunch of fried seafood on a sandwich. They don't get to call it a Po' Boy because of their omissions!