Search

Party Favourite: Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Goat Cheese and Pesto

Share Post:

IMG_20140525_170932

 

How awesome does this look?

What if I told you that you can change it up depending on what you have on hand?

What if I also told you that you can make this ahead of time?

What if I also told you that can freeze it and take it out at a moments notice?

Would ya love me??

Well, roll up your sleeves …this sandwich is a winner!

 

Ingredients:

 

1 baguette, sliced down the middle

3 portobello mushrooms, grilled or baked at 400 (just to release the water)

3 tbsp pesto (homemade or store bought)

3 tbsp tapenade (or, if you don’t have that, use chopped olives)

3 tbsp sun dried tomatoes diced or sun dried tomato paste

2 roasted red peppers, sliced (you can use a good quality bottled brand if you like)

1/2 log goat cheese (you can also use crumbled feta)

sauteed greens (I used swiss chard)

* see below for another variation

 

IMG_20140525_161038

 

1.  Get all of your ingredients together.

 

IMG_20140525_151413

 

2.  Prepare the swiss chard (cut out the ribs [middle] and chop, then slice the leafy part; saute the ribs for a few minutes then add the rest of the leafy part) and saute until soft.

 

IMG_20140525_161255

 

3.  Open the bread and coat one side with the pesto and the other side with the sun dried tomato paste/sun dried tomatoes.

4.  Spread the goat cheese (easier if it’s been softened at room temperature) and then spread on the tapenade.

 

IMG_20140525_161416

 

5.  Place the mushrooms (cut in half if they are big) along one side.

 

IMG_20140525_161615

 

6.  Place the Swiss chard along one end and then top with the peppers.  If you have whole peppers and want to try your hand at roasting them yourself, check out this previous post.

 

 

IMG_20140525_161724

 

7.  Close the sandwich and press down hard.  Wrap in foil really tightly!

If you don’t want to eat it now (or if you’ve made a few and want to save some for later), wrap the foil wrapped sandwich in plastic wrap (so it is double protected!) and freeze for up to 1-2 months.

 

 

IMG_20140525_161808

 

8.  If you are serving it now, place the foil wrapped sandwich on a grill or  in a hot oven (around 425) for about 10-15 minutes just to warm the insides a bit and crisp the outside of the bread.  If you are serving a frozen loaf, remove the plastic wrap and place the foil wrapped sandwich directly on the grill or in the oven and leave it for about 25-30 minutes.

 

 

IMG_20140530_193842

 

9.  For a change, use the binders (the moist stuff like pesto, sun dried tomato paste, tapenade, cheese) which is important because that’s what holds the sandwich together…you can change these according to your preference.  This time try it with grilled zucchini, grilled eggplant, fried peppers and onions, and if you aren’t vegetarian, some good quality prosciutto like the one pictured above.

 

 

IMG_20140525_171327

 

 

See, how easy?  If you cut it in thinner slices, tuck a long pick into it to make sure it doesn’t fall apart.  If you serve a bigger slice with a nice green salad, you have  a beautiful lunch…lickety split!

 

Next time you’re at the grill cookin’ up some burgers, throw some veggies on and make a few sammies like this…you will thank me later!!