I've been wanting to try this recipe, but it needed an event! This evening's outdoor Harrisburg Symphony concert on the lawn of Lebanon Valley College was the perfect occasion. It was so much fun sharing food with friends outdoors on a lovely summer evening.
Source: Everyday Food magazine, July/August 2013
1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2" rounds
coarse sea salt
1/2 c. pitted mixed olives, such as Kalamata and Cerignola
2 pepperoncini, stemmed
1/2 c. fresh parsley
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. olive oil, plus more for grilling
4 small tomatoes (1 pound), sliced into 1/2" rounds
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise 1/4-inch-thick
1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red peppers, patted dry
1 (8-inch) round rustic bread, split horizontally and hollowed out
In a colander, toss eggplant with 3/4 t. salt. Let stand 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse olives, pepperoncini, and parsley until very finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in mayonnaise.
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. Toss eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini with oil and season with salt. Grill, turning frequently, until tender and slightly charred, about 5 minutes for tomatoes and about 7 minutes each for eggplant and zucchini.
Spread bread with olive mixture. Assemble sandwich with peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. Serve immediately or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Slice with a good serrated knife to ensure clean slices.
Yield: Serves 6
Looking back, I should have waited until next month when the tomatoes, eggplant, pepperoncini, and peppers were ready in my garden vs. buying all the ingredients at the farmers' market. I'll keep that in mind for next year!
Also, I couldn't find the perfect loaf of artisan bread at market, so I tried making my own, but it didn't have a rustic enough texture to support the filling - the sandwiches ended up being soggy and droopy (even though the flavor was good!). :( I'll try again!
coarse sea salt
1/2 c. pitted mixed olives, such as Kalamata and Cerignola
2 pepperoncini, stemmed
1/2 c. fresh parsley
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. olive oil, plus more for grilling
4 small tomatoes (1 pound), sliced into 1/2" rounds
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise 1/4-inch-thick
1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red peppers, patted dry
1 (8-inch) round rustic bread, split horizontally and hollowed out
In a colander, toss eggplant with 3/4 t. salt. Let stand 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse olives, pepperoncini, and parsley until very finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in mayonnaise.
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. Toss eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini with oil and season with salt. Grill, turning frequently, until tender and slightly charred, about 5 minutes for tomatoes and about 7 minutes each for eggplant and zucchini.
Spread bread with olive mixture. Assemble sandwich with peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. Serve immediately or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Slice with a good serrated knife to ensure clean slices.
Yield: Serves 6
Looking back, I should have waited until next month when the tomatoes, eggplant, pepperoncini, and peppers were ready in my garden vs. buying all the ingredients at the farmers' market. I'll keep that in mind for next year!
Also, I couldn't find the perfect loaf of artisan bread at market, so I tried making my own, but it didn't have a rustic enough texture to support the filling - the sandwiches ended up being soggy and droopy (even though the flavor was good!). :( I'll try again!
