Monjunis Muffuletta Food

MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the oil, the carrot, celery, cauliflower, oregano, thyme and 3 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are somewhat tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a small bowl and stir in the olives, pimento and salt. Set aside to cool.
• When the olive-vegetable salad has cooled, stir in the parsley.
• Slice the bread in half lengthwise. Using your hands, scoop out the inside of each bread half to make a shallow pocket. Brush the inside of the top half with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Fill the bottom bread half with the olive-vegetable salad and pack it down with your hands. Layer the provolone, mortadella and soppressata over the salad (without letting any hang over the sides).
• Cover with the top bread half and tightly wrap the sandwich with plastic wrap. Place the sandwich on a cutting board or baking sheet and weigh it down with a heavy object, such as a cast-iron skillet, for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.
• Remove the plastic wrap and cut the sandwich into fourths or sixths. Serve.

KICKED-UP NEW ORLEANS MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spread the cut sides of each half of bread with equal amounts of the olive salad and oil, about 1 1/2 cups per side. Arrange the mozzarella over the olive salad on the bottom piece of bread and top with the salami, cappocolo, mortadella, and pepperoni. Arrange the provolone on the top piece of bread, completely covering the olive salad, and place on top of the bottom half to make a sandwich.
• Tightly wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and bake until sandwich is heated through and cheeses have melted, 15 to 20 minutes.
• To serve, unwrap the sandwich and slice into portions.
• Combine all ingredients in a large nonreactive bowl and mix well. Place in a nonreactive jar (preferably glass) and store tightly covered in the refrigerator. Salad should be made at least 24 hours before using and only improves with age, can keep for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

MUFFULETTAS

Steps:

• Whisk the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Gradually blend in the oil. Stir in the olives and roasted peppers. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Cut the top 1-inch of the bread loaf. Set the top aside. Hollow out the bottom and top halves of the bread. Spread some of the olive and roasted pepper mix over the bread bottom and cut side of the bread top. Layer the meats and cheeses in the bread bottom. Top with the onions, then the arugula. Spread the remaining olive and roasted pepper mix on top of the sandwich and carefully cover with the bread top. You can serve the sandwich immediately or you can wrap the entire sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator a day before serving.
• Cut the sandwich into wedges and serve.

MONSTER MUFFALETTA

Steps:

• Cut the loaves in half horizontally. Drizzle some of the olive salad liquid on the bottom halves. Dividing everything by two, layer the cheese, mortadella, genoa, capicola and then the Olive Salad on top. Cover with the top halves, and then cut into pie-shaped wedges and serve to the masses.
• Add the black olives, green olives, olive oil, roasted red peppers, capers, vinegar, crushed red pepper and sugar to a food processor and pulse until uniform but still coarse, about 10 times. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

MISS RACHAEL'S MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• Chop pepper salad or giardiniera in a food processor with olives. Split bread and drizzle bread with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with chopped rosemary. Spread the olive salad on the bottom of the bread very liberally. Pile the meats on top of the olive salad, then layer cheese over meat and cover the giant sandwich with the bread top. Press down to set the sandwich, then cut into 4 wedges.