Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwiches

Originally from Chicago, I think I'm required to L-O-V-E Italian beef sandwiches! There's something so satisfying about the combination of slow cooked, juicy beef alongside roasted peppers and provolone cheese on a freshly baked homemade Italian roll. I saw a fabulous recipe for Italian beef on The Food Network's Sandwich King (not only is the Sandwich King, Jeff Mauro, from Chicago, but he is also an alum of my alma mater, Bradley University) that I've adapted to make it my own. I love the idea of shredding the beef instead of having to attempt to slice it as thinly as they do in a restaurant. This is such an easy and delicious recipe (it also freezes VERY well) that I'm sure it'll become a regular on your dinner table as it has on mine!

Yields: eight HUGE sandwiches (this will feed 8-10 hungry people)

*Note: I usually divide the beef and jus into four separate meals (3 of which go into the freezer for later)

Ingredients: 

4 batches of Italian bread shaped into eight small loaves

1- 3 lb. chuck roast

3 cans of reduced sodium beef broth 

2 tsp. red pepper flake

2 tbsp. Italian seasoning

Kosher salt and pepper (to taste)

2 tbsp. canola oil

8 smashed garlic cloves

1 roughly chopped yellow onion

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 cups red wine (I usually use Cabernet)

4 green peppers 

4 red peppers 

2 tbsp. olive oil

For the beef:

In a dutch oven, heat the canola oil on high. Liberally salt and pepper the chuck roast (I usually let the meat rest on the counter for about 15 minutes before I sear it) then carefully place it into the dutch oven (go slowly so the oil doesn't splatter!). Leave it alone for a good five minutes; you'll know it's ready to flip when it comes up easily from the pan. If it sticks, let it cook a little longer. Flip and sear the other side. Remove the roast to a plate. Lower the heat to medium and cook the onion and garlic for a few minutes until translucent stirring in the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes in the last minute or so. Add the wine and raise the heat to high, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all of the bits and pieces from the roast incorporated. Once the wine has reduced by about a third, add the broth, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a low boil (you may want to taste and adjust the salt at this point). Place the roast back into the pan and cover. Cook at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours, turning about every 45 minutes or so. The meat will be falling apart when it's done. Cool then strain the liquid through a sieve. Shred the beef with two forks and place it into the liquid. This is the most important part, in my opinion: refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. It makes a HUGE difference in taste!

For the roasted peppers:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle olive oil over the peppers and put them on a baking sheet with a lip (to avoid spilling) and roast for about 40 minutes, turning occasionally. Place the peppers in a brown paper bag and allow to cool (this helps remove the skins). Remove the skins and sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper. You can make these a day or two ahead!

Assembly:

Slice your freshly baked rolls and top with provolone slices, beef, jus and roasted peppers. Serve with additional warmed jus for dipping (jardiniere is also delicious with this sandwich). You can also dip the sandwich in its entirety into the jus (this recipe yields plenty!) then wrap it in foil, throw on a bib and go to town!

Muffaletta My Way

I adore a good Italian sandwich! This is my version of a muffaletta, the delicious Italian sandwich that features olive spread and a variety of meats and cheeses on freshly baked bread. I happen to loathe olives in just about any form, so my version doesn't have them (nor does it have ham). I use homemade Italian bread drizzled with olive oil before baking, giving it a nutty, delicious flavor. I've also added pesto mayonnaise and a jardiniere spread along with several quality Italian meats and cheeses to really make this sandwich shine! You can also add roasted vegetables like peppers, asparagus or zucchini for a splash of freshness and color.

Serves- 5-8 adults

Ingredients:

2 loaves of Italian Bread (search the sidebar for my recipe and double it)

10 slices of Genoa salami

10 slices of mortadella

10 slices of hot capicollo

6 slices of prosciutto

5 slices of provolone

5 slices of mozzarella

4 oz. fresh pesto mixed with 3 tbsp. mayonnaise

1 cup jardiniere, pulsed in a Cuisinart

Assembly:

Heat oven to 350. Slice entire loaf of bread lengthwise and spread the top with the pesto mayonnaise and the bottom with the jardiniere spread. Layer the meats and cheeses then close the sandwich. Toast for 10 minutes then slice into individual servings (usually about eight sandwiches).

Honey Dijon Grilled Chicken Wraps

My husband is a huge fan of these chicken wraps which really surprised me at first because they are completely loaded with raw vegetables! This is one of my favorite things to make for a quick dinner~ it's got all sorts of crunchy, fresh vegetables, but it also has deliciously marinated chicken, pepper jack cheese and, of course, bacon! It's one of those great sandwiches that everyone will like, even if they swear up and down they don't like raw veggies. You can just go right ahead and forget that you're eating bacon, cheese and mayo (they're cancelled out by the veggies, of course). Because I'm posting this on Thanksgiving, I wanted to mention that you can easily swap out the chicken for turkey. You can also combine some cranberry sauce with mayonnaise instead of using the mayonnaise/dijon blend. YUM. Serves 2

Ingredients:

For the wrap:
2 large flour tortillas

4 strips of cooked bacon

2-4 sliced mushrooms

julienned red pepper

julienned red onion

a small handful of greens (I prefer spring mix)

sliced avocado

sliced pepperjack

For the mayonnaise: mix 3 tbsp. mayonnaise with 1 tbsp. djion mustard

For the chicken:
1 chicken breast

juice of 2 lemon

3 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

salt

black pepper

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

Assembly:

Grill the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side over medium heat. Let the chicken rest for about 5-10 minutes then slice it on the bias. Using a spoon, smear the mayonnaise/dijon mixture on the tortilla then add a few slices of chicken and each of the vegetables. Be careful not to overfill the tortilla, otherwise you will have problems closing it, and it might rip. Wrap one side over, then wrap the bottom and roll the tortilla over (burrito-style). Slice in the center and serve.

Make 'Em Feel Loved Balsamic Chicken Sandwich

A month or so ago I posted a sandwich recipe that had marinated steak and veggies on a hoagie roll with melted cheese and aioli. I mentioned in that blog post that I make a million different sandwiches that are a variation on this theme: chopped veggies, marinated meat, melted cheese and aioli on a toasted bun. The possibilities are endless! These sandwiches are a great idea if you're short on time or want to make a super cost effective meal to share with friends and family. This sandwich in particular pairs chicken breast (one breast magically serves 2 adults!) marinated in a balsamic vinaigrette, veggies sauteed in a balsamic-brown sugar reduction, melted provalone and fragrant aioli. Delicious!
Ingredients:
2 hoagie rolls, split
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 slices of provalone
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette http://happiestbelly.blogspot.com/2009/04/honey-dijon-balsamic-vinaigrette.html
3 tbsp. basic aioli http://happiestbelly.blogspot.com/2009/05/technique-tuesday-messing-with-mayo.html
6 button or baby bella mushrooms, quartered
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt, pepper

Assembly:
Marinate chicken in vinaigrette for 15 minutes-3 hours. Grill over medium high heat until juices run clear (4-6 minutes/side depending on thickness). Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before dicing. While chicken rests, saute vegetables in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add vinegar and brown sugar then reduce heat to low. Add salt, pepper to taste. Cook until liquids are almost absobed (about 10 minutes). Add chicken and mix. Add mixture evenly to split rolls. Top with 1 1/2 slice provalone per sandwich. Bake, open-faced, for 5-7 minutes at 375 degrees. Drizzle aioli, press sandwiches closed and serve.

Roast Beef and Smoked Gouda Sandwich

This is my hands-down FAVORITE sandwich. It's super simple to prepare and is absolutely delicious. Smoked gouda is one of the best cheeses I've ever eaten. If you haven't tried it, you don't know what you've been missing! It's smoky and creamy and pairs excellently with roast beef. This sandwich is one of those things I make when I am too tired to make a more elaborate meal. It's an easy sandwich that is great for lunch or a summer supper.
Ingredients:
2 sub rolls or a baguette
6-8 thin slices of deli roast beef
four slices of smoked gouda (make sure it's smoked and not plain!)
6 button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. butter or olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. creamy horseradish (adjust based on how much 'kick' you want)

Assembly:
Split sub rolls. In a saute pan, add oil/butter and cook mushrooms over medium-high heat until golden. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add roast beef to the sub rolls. Next, add mushrooms and cover with 2 slices of cheese per sandwich. Toast in a 350 degree oven (open-faced) 5-7 minutes or until cheese melts. While sandwiches toast, mix horseradish and mayonnaise. Remove from oven and spread horseradish/mayonnaise sauce inside the bun. Press sandwich together and serve.