Muffaletta

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Rosemary Zwick yet again.

Having a family breakfast at a local restaurant, my very active
seven-year-old nephew, Andrew, was given a blank paper place mat and
crayons to keep him entertained. He busily created pictures including
all the family members. When finished, he turned to me and said,"Look,
Uncle Frank, I made a picture of you." I looked at it and said,"Hey,
that's great! You made me look so tall and slim." He replied, "Yeah, I
know, I was running out of paper."

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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The name of this classic sandwich from New Orleans supposedly comes for
the name of the bread in some Italian dialect, and it's really nothing
more than a hero sandwich. What makes it stand out from the rest of the
world's hero sandwiches is the olive salad, and what a difference it
makes. You may find yourself putting it on all your cold-cuts from now on.

Muffaletta (New Orleans Cold-Cut Sandwich with Olive Relish)

For the olive relish:
1 cup (250 ml) finely chopped, pitted, brine-cured green olives, such as Picholine
1 cup (250 ml) finely chopped, pitted, brine-cured black olives, such as Kalamata
1/2 cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup (125 ml) finely chopped capers
2 tsp (10 ml) finely chopped fresh oregano, or 1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped pimientos
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped pickled cocktail onions
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 Tbs (15 ml) lemon juice

For the sandwich:*
1 round loaf of Italian or French bread, about 8 to 9 inches (20 to 22 cm) in diameter
1 cup (250 ml) shredded lettuce
4 oz (125 g) thinly sliced mortadella
4 oz (125 g) thinly sliced salami
4 oz (125 g) thinly sliced Fontina, provolone, or mozzarella cheeses
1 large ripe tomato, cut into thin slices

* As with any hero sandwich, the filling can vary. Use your favorite
cold-cuts in place of those I have suggested here if you prefer.

Combine the ingredients for the olive relish and mix well in a large
bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Slice the bread in
half horizontally and scoop out some of the soft bread inside, creating
a slight cavity in each side. Drain the olive salad, reserving the
juice, and liberally brush the juice on each half of the loaf. Spread
half the olive salad on the bottom half of the loaf. Then add the
lettuce, meats, cheese, and tomato in layers. Top with the remaining
olive salad and cover with the top of the loaf. Wrap tightly in plastic
or paper and place on a large plate. Place another plate on top, and
weigh this down with some canned goods. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour,
or up to 6 hours, and cut into wedges to serve.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Thu Mar 18 18:34:29 2010