Now usually, I'm not a huge sandwich for dinner kind of person. I mean, sure, I've stopped my fair share of times at Quiznos or Subway for dinner, but most of the time I tend to think sandwich = lunch.
Every once in a while though... I change my mind. Or maybe I get in a sandwich mood and am just far too lazy to put that much work into my lunch. I'm only creative when it comes to dinner. True story.
But for some reason these grinders caught my eye. Maybe it was because they were chalk full of veggies and no meat? Definitely unprecedented in this house. As far and sandwiches go anyways.
Broccoli Rabe and Provolone Grinders
Adapted from: , February 20126 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, undrained
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4-5 pounds broccoli rabe (rapini), ends trimmed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
20 cloves garlic (1 head), thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 6-8" French Rolls, cut in half lengthwise
8 slices Provolone cheese
1 red jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 3 tablespoons oil. Add garlic and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to pan; cook 4 minutes, or until garlic is golden and fragrant. Stir in beans with liquid. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, or until liquid thickens. Transfer to a food processor, adding 3 tablespoons oil. Process until smooth. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook broccoli rabe, 1 bunch at a time for 2 minutes, transferring to a baking sheet to cool, allowing water to return to a boil between batches. Once cool, squeeze dry and coarsely chop.
Drain pot and wipe out with a dry paper towel. Place back on stove and lower heat to medium. Add 1/4 cup oil, garlic, red pepper flakes; cook 2-3 minutes, or until garlic is golden and fragrant. Add broccoli rabe, cooking 4-5 minutes, or until stem pieces are just turning tender. Stir in lemon juice. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Transfer mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and let cool.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Open rolls and arrange face up on two baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil. Spread bean puree on the bottom half of each roll, top with a slice of cheese, then chile slices. Toast rolls, 7-10 minutes, rotating pans after 5 minutes. Divide broccoli rabe evenly among rolls, slice, & serve.
Serves: 8
Man, for a sandwich, it's kind of a bit of work. You can definitely break it down into making the puree and blanching the broccoli rabe beforehand and storing it in the fridge... but I mean, really? For a sandwich? That's kind of overkill.
While it was tasty, I'm not sure I'd revisit this another time. I like my sandwiches quick and easy.
| Nutrition Facts | |
| Serving Size 470g | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories 835 | Calories from fat 260 |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 28.9g | 44% |
| Saturated Fat 7.2g | 36% |
| Cholesterol 29mg | 10% |
| Sodium 1368mg | 57% |
| Total Carbs 112.3g | 37% |
| Fiber 15.7g | 63% |
| Sugars 5.7g | |
| Protein 39.7g | |
| Vitamin A 196% | Vitamin C 228% |
| Calcium 57% | Iron 48% |
Starting in elementary school, I became one of "those" kids that absolutely refused to eat school lunches. School lunches were always some heavy gross-looking form of comfort food swimming with high calories and canned/preserved foods. Well, I didn't exactly choose to stop eating those lunches for that reason, it was more like "it tastes bad". (Hey, cut me some slack. I was in 3rd grade. I didn't exactly have the most extensive food vocabulary at that point.) But looking back now and knowing how those meals are prepared, the whole heavy lunches made out of non-fresh food is what really got me. I have always been like that -- I'm not a person that likes big lunches. I'm a big dinner kind of gal.
