Gourmet Sandwiches for Tailgating

Try this twist to the usual tailgating fare at your next football game!

According to the latest Weber Tailgating Study(tm), tailgaters are going gourmet! The standard tailgating foods like burgers and hotdogs just won't cut it anymore. Football fare is becoming flavorful and adventurous.

Weather your team wins or loses, these winning sandwich ideas from this year's Mezzetta's Make That Sandwich contest are sure to make you an all-star this season.

Kickoff your tailgate party in style with:

The consumer winners:

The Balboa - Italian Philly Sub (Grand Prize Winner Hot Category) - this sandwich is piled high with sautéed, shaved prime rib, melted provolone, mushrooms and then topped with all of the flavors associated with the quintessential Philly cheesesteak.

Polynesian Style Grilled Pork Sandwich with Peach and Pepper Chutney (Honorable mention) - This grilled pork sandwich combines the sweetness of the peaches with the hotness of the jalapeno and is sure to score a touchdown!

The celebrity chefs:

Michael Symon's Sopressata Sandwich with Magical Mezzetta Pepper Sauce and Fried Egg (Celebrity Chef Winner) - mozzarella cheese is the perfect companion to Michael's Magical pepper sauce. All the condiments can be prepared prior to the final assembly.

Jody Adams' Sesame Eggplant in Pita with Peppers, Walnuts and Feta - classic Middle Eastern flavor combinations inspired this sandwich. This sandwich has tons of flavors but with the exception of cooking the eggplant, the only effort involved is blending the ingredients and assembling the sandwiches.


"The Balboa" (aka, the Italian Philly - picture above)

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

2 tablespoons Mezzetta® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2/3 cup Mezzetta® Deli-Sliced Roasted Sweet Pepper Strips (drained)
2/3 cup Mezzetta® Golden Greek Pepperoncini, diced
2/3 cup Mezzetta® Hot Cherry Peppers, diced
1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
24 oz. shaved prime rib (or comparable quality beef)
2/3 cup Mezzetta® Crushed Garlic (divided)
1 cup Mezzetta® Sun Ripened Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Focaccia loaf
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
8 oz provolone, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup fresh basil, chopped

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle cooking surface with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Add red onion, Roasted Sweet Pepper Strips, Pepperoncini, Hot Cherry Peppers, and cremini mushrooms. Sautee for 5 minutes or until onions are near translucent.

Add shaved prime rib, 1/3 cup Crushed Garlic, and Sun Ripened Dried Tomatoes. Continue to sauté for 5-10 minutes, until beef is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat broiler.

Slice focaccia loaf in half, horizontally, and then into quarters (to create 4 rolls for the sandwiches). Brush with melted butter and toast till golden brown.

Distribute sautéed steak mixture evenly on focaccia and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Cover sautéed steak mixture with provolone cheese. Place under broiler until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Combine mayonnaise, remaining garlic, and fresh basil. Spread this mixture on crowns of bread.

Top sandwich with crown. Serve immediately.

Polynesian-Style Grilled Pork Sandwich with Peach and Pepper Chutney Servings: 4
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 40

Sandwich Ingredients:
Kona Coast(tm) Polynesian Orange Teriyaki Sauce
Mezzetta® Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb. pork tenderloin
12 oz. thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma
2 oz. thinly sliced Manchego cheese
1 loaf Pugliese bread
Fresh cracked pepper
Sea salt

Chutney Ingredients:
2 ripe peaches, peeled and diced
4 Tbsp. Mezzetta® Gourmet Deli Tamed Diced Jalapeño Peppers
6 cloves Mezzetta® Spicy Pickled Garlic, diced
1 tsp. juice from the jar of the Mezzetta® Spicy Pickled Garlic
6 Mezzetta® Sweet Cherry Peppers, diced
2 Tbsp. red onion, diced
1 ½ Tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped
¼ tsp. fresh cracked pepper
½ tsp. sea salt

Mix all chutney ingredients in small bowl and set aside until ready. This can be made a day ahead of time and kept refrigerated.

Season both sides of pork tenderloin with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt to taste.

Grill on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes then generously glaze entire pork tenderloin with teriyaki sauce, approximately ¼ of jar or to taste. Continue to grill other side for approximately 8 minutes or until pork is cooked. Internal temperature of cooked pork should be 160°F. (Temperatures will vary for different grills.)

Let the pork rest until the sandwiches are ready to assemble then thinly slice.

Meanwhile, on medium-high heat, saute the Proscuitto di Parma in 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil until slightly crisp.

Cut Pugliese bread lengthwise and lightly brush inside of bread with extra virgin olive oil. Grill the bread on the same section that the pork was cooked on to soak up the pork and marinade flavors.

Evenly layer each bottom portion of bread with Manchego cheese, pork and prosciutto. Top with chutney mixture and close sandwich. Garnish with mint and enjoy!

Celebrity Chef Winner - Symon's Sopressata Sandwich with Magical Mezzetta Pepper Sauce and Fried Egg

Serves 4

For Michael's Magical Mezzetta Pepper Sauce (Makes about 3 cups)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Mezzetta Sweet Banana Wax Peppers
6 Mezzetta® Brand Spicy Pickled Garlic Cloves
4 Mezzetta® Brand Hot Chili Peppers, coarsely chopped
1 cup yellow mustard
1 cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1/3 cup flour

Toss the Sweet Banana Wax Peppers, Spicy Pickled Garlic cloves, and Hot Chili Peppers into a food processor with the mustard, and vinegar, and puree.

Pour the puree into a nonreactive saucepan, add the sugar, and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Combine the flour and ½ cup water and mix to a smooth paste.

Whisk the flour mixture into the simmering liquid and return the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring regularly, until very thick.

Let the sauce cool, pour it into a nonreactive container, and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

For the Sandwich:
8 paper-thin slices red onion
8 to 12 ounces (about 16 to 24 slices) soppressata or dry-cured Italian salami
4 large eggs
8 slices (about 8 ounces) thin sliced prosciutto
8 thin slices fresh mozzarella
¼ cup Mezzetta® Brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 thick slices sourdough bread, toasted or grilled
½ cup Mezzetta® Brand Roasted Red Bell Pepper Strips and Caramelized Onions
16 large fresh basil leaves
½ cup Michael's Magical Mezzetta Pepper Sauce

Soak the onions in a small bowl of ice water for 2 minutes.

While the onions are soaking, in a medium nonstick sauté pan over low heat, fry the soppressata over medium-high heat until lightly crisp and some fat has rendered, about 2 minutes per side. Remove it to a plate.

In the same pan, fry an egg sunny-side up.

Lightly brush the 2 slices of sourdough with Mezzetta Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

While the egg is cooking, drain the onion slices and layer the soppressata, 2 slices prosciutto, 2 slices mozzarella, 2 onion slices, and 2 tablespoons Roasted Red Bell Pepper Strips and Caramelized Onions on a slice of bread.

Top with the other slice and place the sandwich in the pan next to the egg, pressing down on the sandwich with the palm of your hand. When that side is lightly toasted, about 3 to 4 minutes, flip the sandwich and toast the other side.

Remove the sandwich to a cutting board, and open the sandwich. Lay down four basil leaves, place the egg in the center, and spoon on 2 tablespoons Michael's Magical Mezzetta Pepper Sauce. Continue process with remaining ingredients for the other sandwiches.

Close the sandwiches and slice them in half to serve.

Sesame Eggplant in Pita with Peppers, Walnuts and Feta

Serves 6

Pepper Walnut Spread:
6 ounces by weight, Mezzetta® Brand Roasted Bell Peppers, drained
2 ounces chopped Mezzetta® Brand Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes, by weight, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated garlic
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, available in Middle Eastern markets
¼ cup toasted breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes or dried Aleppo pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup Mezzetta® Brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the peppers, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, pomegranate molasses, bread crumbs, cumin and sugar in a food processor.

Turn on the machine and process until smooth, adding the olive oil in a steady stream.

Transfer to a bowl and fold in the nuts. If you like a smoother paste, add the nuts to the food processor and process with the pepper mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Feta Mix:
1 cup Greek Yogurt
1 teaspoon finely grated garlic
½ cup crumbled feta cheese, broken up into small pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions

Combine all the Feta Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

The Sandwich:
3 Japanese eggplant, about 1 ½ pounds
1 whole egg
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup pure olive oil
6 small high quality whole wheat pita breads, about 1 ½ ounces each
6 ounces thinly sliced cucumbers
6 cups arugula

Trim the ends off the eggplants. Cut the eggplants in half cross-wise and then cut in half lengthwise. Lay out on the counter, cut side up. Season the eggplant with salt and black pepper.

Beat the egg in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of water

Brush the cut side of the eggplant with the egg mixture. Dip the cut side in the sesame seeds forming a light coating.

Heat 2 tablespoons pure olive oil in two large saute pans over medium heat. Add the eggplant, cut side up and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side for 4 minutes or until the seeds are toasty and the eggplant is tender. Cool on a rack or a plate.

To assemble the sandwiches:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Cut the pitas open halfway. Spread one side with the pepper spread. Spread the second side with the feta mix. Put 2 eggplant pieces in each pita. Arrange the pitas on a sheet pan and bake 5 minutes or until warm.

Stuff with cucumber slices and arugula. Serve immediately