Italian Sub Sandwiches

Italian Sub Sandwiches

These are the perfect picnic sandwich y'all. I'm tellin' you. Although I am partial to hot, toasty, melty, cheesy panini-style sandwiches, this cold Italian Sub Sandwich just hit the spot for us on our anniversary. I mean, it's not class italian sub, but it has similar flavors, just kicked up a bit. First of all, it has a spicy & sweet component with a spread of fig preserves and spicy pepper relish. Then, it's perfectly salty with the different combination of deli meats. There are two cheeses... smoked provolone and goat cheese, both of which you need, trust me. Some peppery arugula and marinated onions finish it all off, and well, you have an awesome sub. This is my Mountain Man's favorite type of sandwich, so I'm surprised I haven't made it before. But, guess what, I liked it just as much as him. We probably will make it this weekend, yummy!! P.S. does everyone realize that college football starts tomorrow? We did, which means a weekly installment of tailgatin' food will be back. YAY. Enjoy :)

Layers of Prosciutto, Salami, & Chorizo.

Those are fully stacked my friends...

For the Sandwiches:

4 Slices of Bread, Toasted or Fried in Olive Oil

Fig Preserves or Apricot Preserves

Italian Hot Pepper Spread (we love the brand, Wickles Hoagie & Sub Sandwich Relish)

2 Slices of Smoked Provolone

6oz of Assorted Deli Meats (we did a combination of Prosciutto, Salami, & Chorizo)

Goat Cheese, Room Temperature

Baby Arugula

Sweet Onion, Shaved Thinly & Tossed in Olive Oil, Vinegar, & Dried Oregano

Directions:

1. Toast or fry the bread in olive oil until golden brown.   

2. Spread some preserves on one slice of bread and some hot pepper spread on another slice. Start layering the sandwiches with smoked provolone, shaved deli meat, baby arugula, marinated onions, and a good amount of softened goat cheese.   

3. Stack the sandwich together and enjoy immediately.

Fig-Prosciutto Pizza with Crispy Shallots, Baby Arugula, & Balsamic Reduction

We are lovin' these summer pizzas that feature fruit. Who knew that would be so delicious? And pairing it with a salty meat, that's my kinda meal, baby. Well, fig + prosciutto should be served together at all times. We actually featured this combination in the recipe, Grilled Brie with Truffle Honey, Roasted Figs, & Prosciutto. And it was to. die. for. So, when I saw this pizza on The Pionner Woman's blog, I knew we had to make it. But I had to add some crispy shallots (typical) and a balsamic reduction. This pizza was scrumptious and we hoovered every slice. It was just so perfectly balanced. I urge y'all to make some of the fruit pizzas because they are just plain good, y'all!! Enjoy :)

Mmm prosciuttooooo

fig + prosciutto pizza  

you gotta have sweet & salty :)

For the Crispy Shallots:

4 Large Shallots, Thinly Sliced

2T Olive Oil

For the Balsamic Reduction:

¼C Balsamic Vinegar

1t Honey

 

For the Pizza:

Prepared Pizza Dough

Fig Jam

Fresh Mozzarella, Thinly Sliced

Prosciutto, Thinly Sliced

Crispy Shallots

Baby Arugula

Freshly Shaved Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1. For the Crispy Shallots: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced shallots and sauté, stirring often, until they are golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove the crispy shallots to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, and set them aside until ready to use.
2. For the Balsamic Reduction: Add the balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan and cook to reduce for 3-5 minutes, or until thick and syrupy. Set it aside until ready to drizzle on top of the pizza.
3. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and roll out half of the pizza dough as thinly as possible and place onto a large baking sheet (the other half can be used for another pizza).
4. Making the Pizza: Drizzle the dough lightly with olive oil and sprinkle a little bit of salt and fresh cracked pepper. Spread the fig jam all over the surface. Lay the sliced mozzarella across the dough, and then sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese on top of the mozzarella. Bake the pizza for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven and immediately lay the thin slices of prosciutto over the hot pizza. Scatter the crispy shallots on top of the prosciutto. Just before serving, garnish the pizza with fresh baby arugula, shaved Parmesan, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Cut into squares or slices and serve immediately.

Grilled Brie with Truffle Honey, Roasted Figs, Prosciutto, & Olive Oil Fried Bread

I swear that sometimes I am not a part of my family. It's kind of a running joke that the only groceries that my parents buy are cheese, crackers, and wine. So whenever I go home, I never have anything to eat. First off, I'm lactose intolerant, which means I don't like to eat cheese because I don't feel well. And I'm not too much of a wine drinker, I like the hard, dark stuff that guys drink. I know that probably sounds gross to a bunch of y'all, but I like what I like, okay? Good. Well, that pretty much leaves me with crackers, which does not a meal make. But, my Mountain Man, he could eat cheese and crackers all day. And he wanted a fancy cheese plate with a bunch of other stuff that he could nosh on. And this cheese plate has a bunch of stuff I could actually enjoy. I grilled a wheel of brie cheese, doused in homemade truffle honey, and topped with sweet roasted figs. On the side, I served our plate with thinly sliced prosciutto and bread that had been fried in olive oil. I love that buttery-richness that happens to bread when it's fried. You can eat the cheese by itself or do I what I did, and build a masterpiece and stack every ingredient on top of the bread. It was like a open-faced panini. I love the creamy brie, the chewy figs, salty prosciutto, & sweet truffle-honey in combination together. This would be great for a party or just an easy date night at home with your boy!! Enjoy :)

The Perfect Cheese Plate

Grilled Brie, Truffle Honey, Roasted Figs, Prosciutto, & Fried Bread 

Here's my chalkboard serving platter that would be perfect for parties...

Don't forget your glass of wine :)

For the Roasted Figs:

Fresh Black Mission Figs, Sliced in Half

Olive Oil, For Drizzling

Salt & Pepper, For Sprinkling (optional)

For the Truffle Honey:

16oz High Quality Honey

5-10 Drops of White Truffle Oil (to your preference)

For the Grilled Brie:

1 Small Wheel of Brie Cheese

Prepared Truffle Honey

Roasted Figs

Thinly Sliced Prosciutto

Slices of Fried Olive Oil Bread

Directions:

1. For the Roasted Figs: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and trim the stems off the figs and cut in half. Place them into a dish cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, & pepper. Place into the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until they are soft and starting to caramelize. Set them aside while you grill the Brie.
2. For the Truffle Honey: Whisk together the honey and white truffle oil to taste and pour into an airtight container, and then let it sit for 24-48 hours for better flavor. If you want to find store-bought truffle honey that is fine as well.
3. For the Grilled Brie: Preheat a grill until very hot. Carefully place the cheese on the grill and sear until marks appear and the inside starts to melt, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Using a spatula, transfer to a serving platter. Place the Roasted Figs on top and drizzle with the Homemade Truffle Honey. Serve with Prosciutto and Fried Olive Oil Bread.

source: grilled brie.