Here is my spontanteous, sandwich contest entry story. (Mezzetta Foods annual "Make that Sandwich" Contest is underway, and entries are due on September 1, 2013 "Labor Day").
Back from Connecticut with the twins, and a day after their orientation to 6th grade, I remembered I'd purchased a Groupon for surfing lessons at Stinson Beach Surf Camps and we raced out there to join Tommy and his band of merry, banana wielding monkeys, ages 6 to 16, in the balmy waters of late summer Pacific Ocean surf. What a beautiful day it was... but for the fact that Blake, my 50 lb. eleven year old ballet dancer, arrived at the beach with a pounding headache and stomach ache. I have to give the kid huge credit, as he managed to make it through an afternoon of surfing and stood up on his own several times before he had to let loose the rage within his tummy in a sand bucket. He was fine afterwards, another amazing miracle of youth; surfing one minute, sick the next, and then singing songs with his brother all the way home on winding roads. Impressive, right?
Well, this little day trip lead me to create something of a small miracle of my own, although I am not as youthful and bouncy. Well, maybe bouncy, but not necessarily in a good way.
The open-faced sandwich was a spontaneous, Stinson Beach gourmet and refrigerator concoction that will be repeated soon. I had picked up a large artisan round loaf of Brickmaiden Breads (Pt. Reyes)whole grain, sourdough bread at the Stinson Grocery, and another round of Cow Girl Creamery's Mt. Tam, soft cheese. The previous night, I had sauteed several dark green and heirloom zucchini from the garden, with fresh garlic, olive oil, and sea salt. These were great cold, having been refrigerated overnight. I had fresh tomato from the garden, and specialty olives on hand. A 3/4" slice of the fresh, whole grain sourdough with the creamy cheese spread on top, then layered with tomato slices, zucchini coins, and salty olives was really an amazing and quick dinner after a long day at the beach. Add a glass of red wine, and "Mangia, mangia!" My Italian Grandmother used to say this at our feast-like, family meals. An appropriate salute, given that Mezzetta Foods is a 4th Generation, Italian family run company and this sandwich reminded me of the Mezzetta "Make that Sandwich" contest that I have seen on Twitter. This sandwich could easily be made using several of their products.
Sauté
1/4" fresh Zucchini coins until lightly browned on each side in:
• 2-3 TBS of Mezzetta Olive Oil
• with 1 TBS Mezzetta Crushed Garlic
Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, drain liquid, and refrigerate over night in covered glass pyrex.
Slice• several 3/4" slices of Brickmaiden Whole Grain Sourdough Bread
Spread
• bread with Cow Girl Creamery, Mt. Tam Cheese
Layer
• thinly sliced, fresh tomato and cold zucchini coins
Top with
• halved, seasoned olives (You may wish to use Mezzetta Pitted Kalamata Olives or Mezzatta Greek Olives, or others of your choice.)
I'm sure it would have been even more yummy with the addition of roasted bell peppers sauteed with the zucchini, but I did not try this yet. Mezzetta also makes jarred, Roasted Bell Peppers, that would be perfect for my next attempt.
