Roasted Eggplant Muffuletta Sandwich

With eggplant season almost over, it’s time to get in as many great dishes as you can. I scooped up a whole pile of eggplants at the local farm market and decided to browse through my cookbooks.

A muffuletta sandwich is a classic New Orleans dish (pronounced “muff-uh-LOT-ah” by locals), typically loaded with meat and cheese. This vegan version is loaded with roasted veggies, sweet peppers, spinach and a homemade olive relish.

The sandwich takes about an hour to make, plus marinating time in the fridge, which makes it perfect for a nice leisurely day of cooking. I had a great time cooking this and breathing deeply as the smells of roasting peppers and eggplant fill my kitchen. I can’t wait to pack these little buggers into my backpack for a long bike trip and picnic in the park.

The list of ingredients may look daunting, but it’s really not that difficult to make. And this makes a LOT.

Roasted Eggplant Muffuletta Sandwich

Recipe from Veganomicon

Serves 4

Time: 45 minutes, plus 3 hours marinating time

Ingredients:

Mixed Olive Salad Relish
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 cup pitted green olives
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
4 cloves pickled garlic
1/2 cup (about ten) sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed or dried and reconstituted)
4 tsp red wine or white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp each: dried crumbled rosemary, thyme, oregano and basil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Sandwiches

1 smallish eggplant
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed and spun dry
2 red peppers, sliced into strips (you can use jarred roasted peppers to save a step if you’d like)
1 (9-10 inch) round peasant style loaf of bread

Directions:

Preheat the over to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Cut the eggplant widthwise into 1/4 inch slices and rub each slice with kosher salt. Allow to drain in a colander for half and hour.

Place the olives, parsley, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes in a large bowl. Toss in the vinegar and dried herbs. With a food processor or blender, chop the mixture in two or three batches, adding some of the olive oil with each batch. Process it ONLY enough to chop up the olives and tomatoes – stop often and use a rubber spatula to move the stuff around. You want a chunky mixture, not a paste.

Place the spinach leaves in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and set aside.

Rinse the salted eggplant slices with cold water, rub with olive oil, and lay in a baking sheet. Roast with the sliced peppers for 20 to 22 minutes, flipping once until the eggplant is browned and tender. When they are done, place the eggplant slices on top of the spinach and toss to combine (the hot eggplant will slightly wilt the spinach leaves).

Now it’s time to assemble the sandwich! Insert a sharp knife into the side of the bread at a slightly downward angle. Cut the loaf in half, working the knife on the angle to create a shallow bread bowl. Scoop out some of the insides to create a deeper bowl.

Spread the olive relish very thickly on each side of the loaf, making sure to get lots of the oil and juices onto the bread. Layer the bottom with eggplant, spinach, peppers, more eggplant, and then top with the last of the spinach. Replace the top of the loaf and press down very firmly with your whole body weight. Wrap tightly in foil and the refrigerate for several hours, with something heavy on top to press it down.

This will allow for all the juices and flavors to marinate and get all mmmm (that’s a technical term).

To serve, slice the sandwich carefully in half, then in half again. It’s a great meal on its own or served with a nice wine and veggie crudites.