Happy 4th of July! This Independence Day don’t leave your vegetarian friends out of your menu planning. This sandwich is simple enough that it can be prepared in your backyard, or a gathering at the park. Enjoy it while celebrating our country’s independence, watching fireworks, and of course, grilling!
Quality ingredients are what shine through in this dish. Crusty caibatta bread (pictured below right) makes a ideal delivery system for perfectly grilled veggies. My veggies of choice are zucchini and mushrooms. Use a grill topper to keep veggies from slipping through the grill rack, like I did with my mushrooms (pictured right). Additional veggies are also great to much on while you grill, like the stray carrot that I hadn’t eat yet before this photo was snapped. Play around with your vegetables of choice, or if hosting a party, have multiple options available for guests to choose from.
To amp up the flavor I use olive tapenade (pictured above left), a condiment made with pureed olives, garlic, and olive oil. You could also try basil or sun-dried tomato pesto. And don’t forget the cheese. Plenty of sliced cheese makes this simple sandwich rich in flavor.
Happy grilling!
- 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 large portabella cap, sliced
- Olive oil spray (I use a Misto)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ TBS olive oil
- ½ TBS balsamic vinegar
- 1 large caibatta bread loaf
- 1 cup olive tapenade
- 6 oz provolone cheese, sliced
- Spray zucchini and mushroom slices with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Grill over medium high heat until starting to soften and are charred with grill marks.
- Combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl with a whisk. Set aside.
- Cut the caibatta loaf in half lenthwise and spread the tapenade on the bottom slice. Top with veggies, drizzle with balsamic mixture, add cheese, and top with the remaining bread.
- Press the sandwich loaf together by applying slight pressure to the top with your hands, this will help everything to stay together. If not serving right away wrap tightly with plastic wrap to keep the sandwich together.
- Cut into 4 sandwiches and serve! Makes 4 servings with a side dish, or 2 large servings.
