Kitchen Encounters

~Hoagies, Heros, Grinders & Submarine Sandwiches~

Me on any given day.  Grab two slices of super-fresh bread.  Layer of some thin-sliced meat and cheese on top of one of them.  Add, almost always, a slice of onion and tomato along with a leafy green, plop the top on it, and, I'm in sandwich heaven.  When asked what food I couldn't live without, the sandwich is always my answer.  'Tis true, I can slap almost anything between two slices of bread, slather it with some sort of a spread, sauce or dressing and make it taste really, really good.  On days when I swap out the bread for a round or elongated roll, in my book, that's a great big day -- it's still a sandwich (don't roll your eyes, it is), only way, way better. 

Hoagies, Grinders & Subs.  Whatever you choose to call them, on-line research will reveal that each has a distinct origin.

Depending on where you're from, these long, over-stuffed sandwiches, each with its own nuances and origin, are known by other names too:  blimp, zeppelin, torpedo, spuckie, bomber -- and there's likely a few more that I missed too.  What they all have in common is a high-quality, not-too-firm, not-too-soft roll, stuffed with lots of meat, cheese, veggie fixings and dressing.  Some are a long 12"-16", some are a short 6"-10", some are served cold and others are served hot, but, "sub" is probably the most widely used name that everyone is familiar with -- and so named for its resemblance to a submarine.  That said, growing up in Eastern PA, they were hoagies.  When I moved to Central PA, I learned quickly to order a sub from our local sandwich shops.

Hoagie:  These "sub" sandwiches are associated with the Italian-American culture, and, in hoagie land, they typically refer to sandwiches containing cold deli-meats and cheeses.  It's said they were named by the Italian immigrants who worked at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, once known as Hog Island.  The workers were know as "hoggies" which naturally transitioned to "hoagies".

Hero:  This is the word you'll hear throughout the New York area.  In my experience, these "sub" sandwiches, which contain a wide range and long list of ingredients, can be served hot or cold, are the quintessential definition of oversized and overstuffed -- they're huge.  It said the name implies the heroic effort it takes to eat one, and the hero is the person who can actually finish one.

Grinder:  This is the word you will hear a lot if you travel into or thru New England.  These "sub" sandwiches, which can be served hot or cold, while they can be filled with cold cuts and cheeses, tend to be filled with items like grilled and thinly-sliced meats, poultry or meatballs, then baked to melt the cheese.  It's said the name refers to the fact that they require a lot of grinding or chewing.

Sub:  It is this writer's opinion that the word "sub" is pretty much ubiquitous nationwide.  It's the all-purpose word that everyone understands and no one is confused by.  As stated above, there are long subs, short subs, hot subs and cold subs, but, when one orders sub, there are no misconceptions about what you are about to partake in -- a fantastic sandwich.

Incredible Edible Caprese Chicken Meatball Subs:

South African Steak, Stilton & Peppadew Mayo Subs:

Sweet, Succulent & Snowy-White King Crab Subs:

Batter-Dipped Buffalo Chicken & Blue Cheese Subs:

Not Your Mama's Chicken-Parm Garlic-Bread Subs:

Tex-Mex Chipotle Beef and Chorizo Meatball Subs:

Brownbag it with Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Subs:

Mel's Bone-Suckin' Copycat-McRib & Onion Subs:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)

~ Mel's Bone-Suckin' Copycat-McRib & Onion Subs ~

On those rare occasions when McDonald's returns the McRib to its menu for a limited time, I'm not ashamed, well maybe a little ashamed, to admit to making the pilgrimage to the golden arches drive thru.  For the ten or twelve minutes it takes to sit in the parking lot and eat it with a side of fries and a diet Coke, I lock my nutritional conscience in the glove compartment and indulge in what I believe to be their greatest achievement.  Perhaps the "blush would come off the rose" if it were available whenever I wanted one, and, "if wishing made it so", I'd be willing to find out.

The McRib was introduced in the USA in 1981 and developed by McDonald's first Executive Chef René Arend, who invented Chicken McNuggets in 1979.  His McNuggets were so successful that every franchise immediately wanted them, but there wasn't a system in place to supply enough chicken.  Arend had to come up with something to give the franchises as an alternative to chicken -- a new product.  The McRib came about because of a chicken shortage.  It was Arend's idea to shape the McRib like a slab of ribs, even though a round patty served on a standard hamburger bun would have been cheaper.  The process of restructuring meat was first developed by the US Army as a means to deliver large volume of low cost meat products to troops serving in the field. The McRib was born, and despite its name, it is composed of pork shoulder (Boston butt),   

Hold the pickles hold the lettuce special orders don't upset us.

Yes, there is a way to copycat the McRib at home, but, the machinations of stripping the meat from uncooked pork ribs, grinding it in a food processor, then forming and freezing the elongated patties prior to grilling them, while worthy of mention:  is freekin' tedious.  Just reading it made me tired -- tired enough to come up with my own pickle-free way of doing it.  Armed with a sub roll, my recipe for the perfectly-broiled 22-minute pork blade steak (a 1"-thick pork steak cut from the Boston butt, which mimics rib meat with 100% accuracy), my favorite Bone Suckin' Seasoning and Bone Sucking' Sauce, plus a diced sweet onion, from start to finish, in 30 minutes, my user-friendly version of the McRib is done, and I'm no longer longing for one.

Steaks cut from the pork shoulder are marbled with lots of fat and rich with collagen, which, like the roast, makes them extremely flavorful.  

Because overcooking renders them dry and tough, this quick-cooking cut is perfect for the grill, sauté pan or broiler.  Choose pinkish-gray steaks that are generally the same size and thickness (3/4"-1" thick is ideal), and, have been trimmed of excessive fat from the fat-cap-side.

The four steaks pictured above, weighing a total of 6.48 pounds, cost $10.87.  That's a whole lot of economical porcine wonderfulness -- especially if you've got a big family with big appetites. Depending on the recipe du jour, sometimes I marinate these steaks, sometimes I don't.  When it comes to pork blade steaks, absorb this: marination (which does not affect the cooking time), is a flavorizer not a tenderizer.  Please know: these steaks are super-tender with zero marination.

* Note:  I have electric ovens and none of mine have a hi or low setting for the broiler.  With the door cracked (which is how broiling, a from-the-top-down dry-heat-method of cooking, is done in an electric oven), an oven-thermometer reads 325-ishº throughout the cooking process.

For each copycat McRib sub sandwich: 

1  1"-thick pork blade steak

Bone Suckin' Sauce Seasoning & Rub

1/2-3/4  cup diced yellow or sweet onion

1/4 cup Bone Suckin' Barbecue Sauce

1  high-quality 8" sub-type roll

additional Bone Suckin' Barbecue sauce , for drizzly topping

~Step 1. Place the steak, about 1 1/2-1 3/4-pounds, on a corrugated broiler pan -- allow to come to room temperature, 20-30 minutes.  Lightly season top with Bone Suckin' Seasoning & Rub.  Place steak 5 1/2"-6" underneath preheated broiler for exactly 11 minutes -- 5 1/2"-6" is a key measurement when broiling pork blade steaks.  Remove steaks from oven, flip steak over, season second side with a bit more (not too much) Bone Suckin' Seasoning and Rub.  Return to oven and broil for 11 more minutes.  Remove from oven, set aside, and allow steaks to rest, in pan, for 5-6 minutes.

~Step 2. Slice steak on a diagonal, in half lengthwise -- half bone-in, the other boneless.  Thinly-slice the boneless half across the grain while holding the knife at a 30° angle, into (1/8"-1/4"-thick) strips.  Carve meat away from bone on the second half, then slice that meat in the same manner. Place the still-warm meat strips in a medium sized bowl as you work.  Add the Bone Suckin' Sauce.  Using a spoon toss the meat to coat.  Add the diced onions and toss again.  If you have the time (make the time), set aside for about 10-15 minutes to allow all the flavors time to marry.

Stuff the roll w/crispy-edged perfect-fat-to-pork-ratio meat:

Drizzle w/additional sauce & eat, eat, eat:

Mel's Bone-Suckin' Copycat-McRib & Onion Subs:  Recipe yields instructions to make 1, very hearty 8" copycat McRib sandwich.

Special Equipment List: 11 3/4" x 8 1/2" x 1 1/4" disposable aluminum broiler pan w/corrugated bottom; cutting board; chef's knife; spoon; serrated bread knife

Cook's Note: When my foodie friends start talking about a yummy salad made in the style of McDonald's iconic Big Mac, I listen -- because these are friends I listen to, and, because I have been known to indulge in an occasional Big Mac. Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun is, perhaps, the yummiest cheeseburger creation in the fast-food circuit.  ~ The McDonald's-Style Big Mac Cheeseburger Salad ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019) 

~South African Steak, Stilton & Peppadew Mayo Subs~

The addictive Peppadew pepper is one of my favorite things.  I first encountered them at a cocktail party at a friend and neighbor's home a few years ago.  Everyone was asked to bring an appetizer.  A couple who hailed from South Africa brought a plate of antipasto.  I asked if the peppers were hot.  The answer, which came to me complete with a lovely South African-British accent, was "it'twill be a pleasant, sweet-heat".  That, is how I fell in love with the Peppadew.

Peppadew is a brand name for a small, pickled red pepper, resemblant of a grape-tomato, known as Juanita.  The Juanita plant was discovered in 1993 by Johannes Steenkamp, who found it growing in the garden of his vacation home in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.  A taste of the pepper revealed a spicy, sweet-heat flavor profile.  Johan wasted no time.  In order to protect the species, plant breeder's rights were applied for and granted by the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and, in 1995, he founded Peppadew International and the Peppadew Brand.  Johan cultivated and processed the peppers (pickling them in a simple sugar and vinegar mixture to enhance their spicy flavor) in the Tzaneen region (where the factory is still headquartered today). He was the first to market this type of pepper to the world -- which resulted in the Peppadew brand being the foremost singularly-associated with this piquanté pepper.  Steenkamp sold his interest in the company in 2004, and they now market a wide variety of other food products too.

For the steak sandwiches:

1  2-2 1/2-pound flank steak, seasoned, broiled, rested and sliced as per the instructions for Melanie's Perfectly-Cooked 18-Minute Flank Steak recipe

4  6"-6 1/2" submarine/hoagie rolls

2  cups baby arugula leaves

For the blue cheese sandwich-spread:

1  cup blue Stilton cheese crumbles, or your favorite blue cheese crumbles

1/4 cup blue cheese dressing

1/4-1/2 cup additional blue Stilton cheese crumbles, for topping sandwiches

For the Peppadew mayonnaise-topper:

1  cup Peppadew peppers, well-drained

1/4  cup mayonnaise

~ Step 1.  Season, broil, rest and thin-slice the flank steak according to my instructions, or, if you prefer, grill a flank steak to rare- medium-rare.  These sandwiches are best served with same-day broiled (or grilled), slightly-warm or room temperature steak, meaning:  steak that has not been refrigerated (aka leftovers).

~ Step 2. In a small-capacity food processor, place the blue cheese crumbles and blue cheese dressing. Starting with a series of 30-45 on-off pulses, then with motor running on high speed, process until a thick, semi-chunky consistency is reached*, about 25-30 more seconds. Transfer to a 1-cup food storage container and set aside. Wash the processor work bowl and prepare the Peppadew mayo.

* Note:  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I see this spread as a lovely blue-green color.  You many not, BUT, be aware, there is no other way to achieve an amped-up, flavor-packed blue-cheesy spread (which this indeed is) without using lots of blue-veined cheese -- hence the color.

~Step 3.  Measure and drain 1 cup of Peppadews on a paper-towel-lined plate.  In a small-capacity food processor, place the Peppadew peppers.  Using a series of 30-45 rapid on-off-pulses, mince the peppers.  Add the mayonnaise.  With motor running on high, process until smooth and drizzly, 25-30 seconds.

~Step 4.  To assemble sandwiches, use a serrated knife to slice each roll in half.  Using a spoon, slather a generous coating of the blue cheese spread over the inside of the roll on both sides. Add a goodly amount of arugula leaves, then stuff in as much steak as it will take.  Sprinkle blue cheese crumbles over the top, followed by a drizzle of the Peppadew mayo and serve ASAP.

Blue cheese spread, rare steak & the sweet-heat of Peppadew:

It just might be the best steak-combo sub ever.  Open wide:

South African Steak, Stilton and Peppadew Subs:  Recipe yields 4, 6"-6 1/2" sub sandwiches.

Special Equipment List: 11 3/4" x 8 1/2" x 1 1/4" disposable aluminum broiler pan w/corrugated bottom; cutting board; chef's knife; 1-cup measuring container; paper towels; small capacity food processor; rubber spatula; serrated bread knife

Cook's Note: Chef Paul Prudhomme is credited for helping to put New Orleans cuisine on the map.  ~ Chef Paul's Blackened Flank Steak Sandwiches ~ are another example of a scrumptious steak sandwich. Seasoned with Chef Paul Prudhomme's store-bought blackened steak magic, and paired with blue cheese and bacon, take it from me, the Peppadew pepper is a great topper to these family-favorite, crowd-pleasing sandwiches too.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)

~ Sweet, Succulent & Snowy-White King Crab Subs ~

When I was growing up, in addition to the deli-meat and cheese, on any given trip to the grocery store, my mom would purchase a container of creamy krab (not a typo) salad.  At home, she'd scoop it onto cottony-soft 'burger rolls, open a bag of Wise potato chips, and lunch was served.

As far as childhood memories for preprepared at the deli-counter salads or side-dishes go*, this store-bought mixture of imitation krab meat, mayo, lemon and paprika, was the singular mayo-based item that ever made it into our grocery cart.  Why?  Neither my mother or father cared one bit for mayonnaise, which then and to this day I find unusual.  In our house, the egg-, tuna-, potato-, macaroni- and slaw-type salads made by my mom all got dressed with either PA Deutsch Sweet and Sour- or Wish-Bone Italian- dressing (and I loved them).  All kidding aside and no joking, when I wanted mayonnaise, I went to my grandmother's house.

*  I loved grocery shopping with mom or dad, but, I humorously question how many kids harbor memories of grocery shopping and/or deli- salads.  

Imitation krab meat or king crab meat.  It is your choice...

... &, as a matter of preference, it's absolutely no indication of your bank balance.  The two can be used interchangeably.

When I was growing up back in the '50's and '60's, king crab legs were not available in any grocery store -- and no one was looking for them either.  Inexpensive imitation crab (krab as it is spelled for differentiation purposes), also known as poor man's crab, was very trendy, and housewives, whether they were on a budget or not, used it in all sorts of recipes for appetizers, salads and main dishes -- everyone from the ditch digger's wife to the doctor's wife.  Culinarily, it was a one of the staples of mid-century entertaining -- up there with fondue, Spam and molded Jell-O -- and life was good.  While imitation crab is indeed a seafood product made from surimi (an Asian fish paste made mostly from pollock), there is no shellfish in it (which is a plus for those who are allergic).  Once processed, surimi is pressed into blocks, coated with a reddish food coloring, then cut to be sold in the form of flakes, chunks or sticks.  In Japanese, "surimi" means "ground meat" and, FYI, imitation crab is used exclusively to make California Roll sushi (krab stick, avocado and rice wrapped in seaweed).  Imitation krab is sometimes described as the ocean's version of a hot dog (both are ground, processed food products), and, there's no denying both are tasty -- there's nothing wrong with enjoying either, but, if it's nutritional value you want, choose something straight out of the sea or from the pasture.    

Fast forward.  High-quality fully-cooked flash-frozen king crab legs are available everywhere -- it's not for special occasions anymore.  No matter what brand or size you choose, it's all cooked on the fishing boats (or immediately upon landfall) and blast-frozen to preserve the sweet, slightly-salty taste and firm, succulent texture.  Unless you live in or close to a crabbing community, you will never get fresh, raw crab legs.  Once thawed according to the directions, this means it is ready to be cracked-open using a pair of kitchen shears and served, or steamed for a few short minutes to heat it through.  King crab is measured by how many legs it takes to equal ten pounds.  The flavor doesn't vary between sizes, but larger legs yield better textured meat.  Comparison charts courtesy of alaskankingcrabonline: 

 

 

For my divinely-decadent king crab submarine sandwiches:

The following crab salad submarine sandwich is my divinely-decadent king crab version of the celebrated, traditional New England lobster salad/world-famous lobster roll sandwich.  It is an unembellished mixture of nothing more than king crab meat and diced celery.  I flavor my mayonnaise mixture with nothing more than lemon juice, celery seed, sugar and black pepper. That said, while the New England lobster roll is best served just-that-minute-mixed and slightly-warm, using freshly-steamed lobster meat, the crab salad sub is best served chilled, because of the aforementioned nature of the blast-frozen, fully-cooked ahead-of-time king crab leg. 

For the creamy king crab salad:

1 1/2  pounds coarse-chopped or chunked king crabmeat, removed from 3 1/2-4 pounds king crab legs

1-1 1/2  cups diced celery

2  teaspoons lemon juice, fresh or high-quality store-bought not from concentrate 

3/4  cup high-quality store-bought mayonnaise, your favorite brand

1/2  teaspoon celery seed

1/2  teaspoon sugar

1/2  teaspoon coarse-grind black pepper

1 lemon, cut into 6-8 wedges, for a squirt-of-fresh-lemon garnish

For the submarine sandwiches:

4  6"-6 1/2" submarine/hoagie rolls, your favorite brand (Note:  I like medium-textured rolls, and, I do not recommend toasting them for these serve-cold subs.) 

2  cups baby arugula leaves, about 1/2 cup per sandwich

6  cups creamy king crab salad, from above recipe, a generous 1-1 1/2 cups per sandwich

~Step 1.  Thaw the king crab legs according to manufacturer's directions.  Using a pair of kitchen shears, clip your way through the shell of each leg on two sides.  Using your fingers, pull the shells from the meat, then, using your fingertips, remove the meat remaining in the shells.  Using a chef's knife, chop meat into large bite-sized chunks. 

~Step 2.  In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery seed, sugar and black pepper.  Set aside.

~Step 3.  In a large bowl, place the crab meat and celery.  Add the seasoned mayonaise.   Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the three ingredients together until all the crab meat is mixed with the celery and both are enrobed in the flavored mayonnaise.  Transfer to a 2-quart food storage container, cover, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or overnight) to allow flavors time to marry.

~ Step 4.  To assemble the sandwiches, use a serrated bread knife to slice each roll in half. Place a layer of baby arugula leaves in the bottom and up the sides of each roll, to protect the soft bread in the center from the creamy crab salad.  Spoon a generous amount of crab salad (1-1 1/2 cups) into each, squeeze a lemon wedge, to squirt some fresh lemon juice over over the top, and serve immediately.

A semi-soft roll, baby arugula & creamy king crab salad:

Eat first, we can talk about it later, "E'YEAH baby"!

Sweet, Succulent & Snowy-White King Crab Subs:  Recipe yields 6 cups king crab salad/enough for 4, 6"-6 1/2" sub sandwiches.

Special Equipment List:  kitchen shears; cutting board; chef's knife; kitchen scale; large rubber spatula; 2-quart food storage container w/tight-fitting lid; serrated bread knife

Cook's Note: If you have ever traveled along the New England coast in the Summertime, you are surely familiar with and have most likely eaten a lobster roll sandwich at one of the many roadside stands or clam shacks. Decadent, delicious and simple to prepare, slightly-warm, creamy-crunchy lobster salad is generously heaped inside of a soft, rather ordinary, top-split hot dog roll that's been buttered and grilled.  Aside from an occasional pickle and/or potato chips, it is served pretty much "as is".  ~ Lobster Rolls:  The Official Summertime Sandwich ~ served up on ~ My New England Top-Split Brioche Hot Dog Rolls ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary & Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)

~ The Difference Between Imitation Krab & King Crab ~

If you grew up eating imitation krab (as it is often spelled for differentiation purposes, you never felt you were consuming a compromising product.  Culinarily, it was a one of the staples of mid-century entertaining -- right up there with fondue, Spam and molded Jell-O -- and life was good. Krab Salad and Krabby's (crab on cheesy toast) were two of my favorites.  Imitation crab revealed nothing about ones standing in life either -- from the ditch digger's wife to the doctor's wife, everyone used it.  Truth told, unless you grew up in or within driving distance of a crabbing community, it would be decades before the words "king crab" would enter your vocabulary.

Imitation krab or king crab meat.  It's your choice, &, as a matter of preference, it's absolutely no indication of your bank balance.  The two can be used interchangeably in any recipe. 

When I was growing up back in the '50's and '60's, king crab legs were not available in any grocery store -- and no one was looking for them either.  Inexpensive imitation crab (krab as it is spelled for differentiation purposes), also known as poor man's crab, was very trendy, and housewives, whether they were on a budget or not, used it in all sorts of recipes.  While imitation crab is indeed a seafood product made from surimi (an Asian fish paste made mostly from pollock), there is no shellfish in it (which is a plus for those who are allergic).  Once processed, the surimi is pressed into blocks, coated with a reddish food coloring, and then cut to be sold in the form of flakes, chunks or sticks.  In Japanese, "surimi" means "ground meat" and, FYI, imitation crab is used exclusively to make California Roll sushi (krab stick, avocado and rice wrapped in seaweed). Imitation krab is sometimes described as the ocean's version of a hot dog (both are ground, processed food products), and, there's no denying both are tasty -- there's nothing wrong with eating or enjoying it, but, if it's nutritional value you're looking for, choose something straight from the sea or pasture.

Fast forward.  High-quality fully-cooked flash-frozen king crab legs are available everywhere -- it's not for special occasions anymore.  No matter what brand or size you choose, it's all cooked on the fishing boats (or immediately upon landfall) and blast-frozen to preserve the sweet, slightly-salty taste and firm, succulent texture.  Unless you live in or close to a crabbing community, you will never get fresh, raw crab legs.  Once thawed according to the directions, this means it is ready to be cracked-open using a pair of kitchen shears and served, or steamed for a few short minutes to heat it through. King crab is measured by how many legs it takes to equal 10 pounds.  The flavor doesn't vary between sizes, but larger legs yield better textured meat.  Comparison charts courtesy of alaskankingcrabonline: 

 

Can I interest you in a creamy-crunchy king crab salad sub?

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)

~ Batter-Dipped Buffalo Chicken & Blue Cheese Subs ~

In case you haven't noticed, I have my own way of going about all things culinary.  I'm not apprehensive about experimenting within reason, am not afraid of failure, although I hate it when it happens, and, I'm more than willing to play around with a recipe until I get it exactly where I want it to be.  Yes, I'm picky like that.  I'm not big into dieting, never have been and never needed to, but, I refuse to swallow one calorie unless it represents scrumptious taste and pleasurable texture.  In the case of my version of the all-too-often greasy-soggy-mess of an ill-conceived buffalo chicken sub, the end definitely justifies the means, and everything in between.

Batter-dipped & deep-dried vs. grilled chicken strips.

While classic chicken wings get deep-fried, they don't get batter dipped because they've got skin on them, and, it's when that crispy, deep-fried skin gets enrobed in the spicy sauce that the magic happens. Unfortunately, the only way the magic can be enjoyed is to strip it from the flavorful bones using ones teeth, making it remarkably impolite and totally in bad taste (the horror) to transition the actual chicken wing meat to any version of a buffalo-wing-meat sandwich.  Sigh.

Batter-dipping and deep-frying boneless, skinless strips of chicken breast (thigh meat is too greasy), to give them a crispy crust, is a great way to mimic the the crispy skin. Time consuming? Start to finish, batter-dipping and deep-frying a batch of chicken strips (enough for one sandwich) takes about 9-10 total minutes, and, deep-frying a batch of chicken wings (enough for one serving) takes 13-14, so, aside from a little extra mess (three dishes to wash), it's a wash.

Yes, grilling a boneless, skinless piece of chicken breast or thigh (thighs work fine on the grill), cutting the grillmarked chicken into thin strips and tossing it with some wing sauce is an option -- plenty of restaurants and home cooks do it all the time.  It is indeed tasty (not ideal, but tasty), so, feel free to substitute grilled in place of the batter-dipped, deep-fried chicken used in my recipe.  Texturally, you know your palate will obviously be missing the crunch, and if your ok with that, you have my blessing.

Decided to fry?  Set up an assembly line (left to right): 

Nine chicken tenders, 1 1/2 per sandwich, sliced into short 1/2"-wide strips .

One 8" x 8" x 2" dish containing 2 cups dry pancake mix.

One loaf-pan containing 2 1/2 cups pancake mix whisked with 22 ounces beer (Note:  Beer lends wonderful flavor with yeasty undertones to the breading.  That said, if I can't convince you that the heat of the deep-fryer will evaporate all the alcohol, feel free to substitute club soda.)

One 8" x 8" x 2" dish containing 1, 8-ounces box panko breadcrumbs.

Deep-fryer w/corn or peanut oil heated to 375° according to manufacturer's specifications.

Misc:  forks, 3-minute timer, wire cooling rack, paper towels, sea salt grinder.

~ Step 1.  When everything is measured and in place, whisk together the pancake mix and beer (or club soda). Set aside for about 5 minutes before starting the frying process. This will give the batter time to thicken a bit, to a drizzly consistency.  If at any point during the frying process (even at the outset) if the batter seems or gets too thick, whisk in a little more beer (or club soda) to maintain a VERY drizzly consistency.

~ Step 2.  This step is actually optional, so skip it if you like.  When it comes to chicken cutlets, I prefer the texture of my panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs) to be less coarse.  To make that happen:

Place panko in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Using a series of 50-60 rapid on-off pulses, process these super-crispy breadcrumbs to finer crumbs.

~Step 1.  Working in batches of 2 tenders at a time, slice and dredge the strips in the dry pancake mix to lightly-coat the pieces on all sides. Note:  I fry 2 at a time because that is what fits comfortably in the basket of my fryer without overcrowding it.  Gather up the dredged strips and pile them on a large slotted spatula.  Move up the assembly line, and, lower the spatula of tenders into the batter and swish them around a bit. Lift the spatula full of the strips out of the batter and hold it over the bowl for a second or two, to allow the batter to drizzle back into the bowl.  Move up the assembly line and use your fingertip to drop the chicken strips into the panko.  Return to the bowl of batter with the spatula to retrieve any strips you might have missed.  Using a fork, toss/dredge all of the strips in the panko.

~Step 2.  Two-four at a time, using your fingertips, carefully drop the breaded strips down into the 375° oil and into the fryer basket.  Close the lid and allow tenders to deep-fry for 3-3 1/2 minutes. Tenders will be a beautiful golden brown and just cooked through.  Do not overcook.

~ Step 3.  Open fryer lid and slowly lift basket up and out of deep-fryer. Transfer tender strips to a wire rack in a baking pan that has been lined with paper towels.  Tip:  To transfer the strips, simply tilt the basket onto its side directly over the rack.  Using tongs is a mistake -- it's an easy way to damage their crust.  Once out of the fryer, immediately sprinkle strips with freshly ground sea salt and repeat process until all tenders are dipped and deep-fried.

Assembling the buffalo chicken & blue cheese subs.

For 4, 6"-6 1/2" Buffalo chicken sub sandwiches (listed in order of assembly):

4, 6"-6 1/2" high-quality submarine/hoagie-type rolls, your favorite brand

12-16  soft Boston or bibb lettuce leaves

2-2 1/2 cups my recipe for My RedHot-Ranch Slaw, prepared several hours or a day before deep-frying the chicken (Stir together: 8 cups/16-ounces store-bought coleslaw mix, 1 cup peeled and very thin-sliced carrots, 1 cup very-thin sliced celery, 3/4 cup Hidden Valley ranch dressing*, 1/4 cup Frank's RedHot wing sauce.  Refrigerate overnight.)

* Note:  Any high-quality creamy blue cheese dressing may be substituted in place of the Ranch.

1-1 1/2 cups blue cheese crumbles, 1-1 1/4 cups for topping sandwiches and 1/4 cup for garnishing sandwiches 

all the batter-dipped and deep-fried chicken strips, from above recipe (hot out the deep fryer, warm, or, at room temperature, your choice

Hidden Valley Ranch dressing, for drizzling on sandwiches

Frank's RedHot Wing Sauce, for drizzling on sandwiches

~Step 1.  To assemble the sandwiches, use a serrated bread knife to slice the rolls, placing each one on a plate as you work.  Arrange 3-4 soft Bibb lettuce leaves on each sandwich, to generously cover and protect the soft bread on the inside of each sandwich from the creamy coleslaw that will come next.  Place a generous but judicious layer of the slaw along the bottom of the sandwich -- being aware that this slaw is quite spicy.  Sprinkle a few blue cheese crumbles atop the slaw.  Stuff the sandwich with as many tender strips as it can handle, and, don't be shy about gently pressing them down into the bottom as you work -- the more the merrier. Garnish the top with a few more of the salty blue cheese crumbles.  Drizzle with a bit of the Ranch dressing followed by a drizzle of the RedHot wing sauce.  Serve immediately.

A few tender lettuce leaves, creamy-crunchy-spicy 'slaw, super-crispy chicken, blue cheese crumbles + a drizzle of sauce: 

Batter-Dipped Buffalo Chicken & Blue Cheese Subs:  Recipe yields 4 hearty and hot, warm or room temperature Buffalo chicken sub sandwiches.

Special Equipment List: 2, 8" x 8" x 2" baking dishes; medium mixing bowl; large slotted spatula; tongs; deep-fryer; wire cooling rack; paper towels; cutting board; vegetable peeler; chef's knife; serrated bread knife

Cook's Note: Buffalo-style chicken recipes, served in any number of ways are 100% always a crowd pleaser -- they're kid-friendly too.  If it's Buffalo-style pub grub your looking for, I recommend you try ~ My Spicy Baked Blue-Cheese Buffalo-Style Chicken Dip ~, or, ~ My Spicy Blue-Cheesy & Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas ~.  

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)

~ Not Your Mama's Chicken-Parm Garlic-Bread Subs ~

Interestingly, I am not one who believes chicken parmesan, or "chicken parm" as it is affectionately referred to, should be slapped between two slices of bread and eaten like a sandwich.  I simply prefer it on a plate with pasta and a side of garlic bread -- I feel the same way about meatballs.  AND, along the same lines and in the same manner that meatballs got taken away from spaghetti and transitioned to the incredible, edible Italian-American meatball sub, many folks, a few of them in my own family, do not subscribe to my opinion on this point.  

Pollo alla parmigiana:  Chicken- parmigiana, parmesan or parm.

Like its predecessor eggplant parmesan, and its cousin veal parmesan, chicken parmesan is an Italian meal familiar to many living outside of Italy.  For example: Italian-Australians are as fond of it as Italian-Americans, where home cooks, fine-dining restaurant chefs and fast-food eateries take some creative license with it to offer their own variations of the dish (a thinly-sliced or lightly-pounded chicken breast that gets coated in breadcrumbs then baked,  pan-fried or sometimes deep-fried until crispy. A combination of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses get melted over the top followed by a drizzle of tomato sauce and a basil-leaf garnish.  Interestingly, the dish typically doesn't contain as much parmesan cheese as the name would lead one to believe -- it gets its name from the the Italian region of Parma, where it's said the dish hails from.

In the United States, the dish originated in the Northeast.  Recipes were created by Italian-Americans and Italian immigrants looking to take advantage of America's affordable meat market by incorporating chicken into parmigiana.  By the early 1950's, it, was a popular menu item in almost all Italian-American restaurants.  A recipe, using frozen fried chicken patties or cutlets and other processed foods, was published in the 1953 issue of The New York Herald Tribune, which became trendy with the average home cooks of the era.  A decade later, in 1962, a recipe for real-deal chicken parmigiana was featured in The New York Times, and, the rest is history. 

"When ya can't beat 'em, join 'em", so, here I am, making my own kick-ass version of this popular submarine sandwich.  There's more, I'm taking my own creative license (as I should).  I'm batter-dipping and deep-frying my chicken, and, assembling my sandwiches on garlic bread.

My choice of bread crumbs, & why I batter-dip & deep-fry.

Why in the name of crunchiness would anyone want to continue to use old-fashioned breadcrumbs to make parmigiana if they knew about panko?  They wouldn't.

Meet the first change I made to this classic recipe.  "Panko" is the Japanese word for "bread crumbs", and theirs are considerably crispier and crunchier than our Western ones.  Whats more, they absorb less grease, more flavor and stay crispy a lot longer.  This simple substitution is a game changer.

The ties that bind.  After a showdown between the traditional watery egg-milk mixture vs. a trendy beer batter, the beer batter won hands-down.  In fact, it wasn't even a competition.  Who wouldn't want a super-crunchy coating that doesn't fall off or separate from the parmigiana afterwards?  No one.  

My beer batter doesn't use ordinary all-purpose flour either.  I added pancake mix to the new playbook too. Having fun so far?

In my humble opinion, God put deep-fryers on this earth for a good reason and I now believe that parmigiana might have been at the top of his list -- 'tis true.

Put away that skillet and enjoy the mess-free ease of how this relatively inexpensive (about $60.00) countertop appliance regulates temperature and perfectly cooks each piece of parmigiana. Who wants a crunchy, crispy, stay-put coating on a succulent, moist and juicy piece of chicken or veal parmigiana?  Of course, we all do.

Who wants a stovetop full of grease spatters and a ton of cleanup?  Not me, but this choice remains yours.

Use breast tenderloins & tenderize the tenderist part of the chicken.

For about $14-$15 at any of my local markets, I can purchase a "value pack" of 6-pounds chicken breast tenderloins, It contains approximately 30 tenderloins, which when breaded and deep-fried, are good-sized cutlets -- one or per two person.  Once I get them home, I arrange them side-by-side, on a large cutting board, between two sheets of plastic wrap.  Using the flat-side of a meat mallet, I lightly-pound them, with "lightly" being the key word here -- do not smash them to smithereens.   Start-to-finish, this process takes less than five minutes and renders them fork tender.  

Tip from Mel:  No matter how many I need for the recipe, sometimes just ten or twelve, I always pound them prior to freezing for future use -- they thaw quickly and are ready in use in minutes.

Set up a deep-frying assembly line (left to right):

Chicken tenderloins, prepped as directed above.

One 8" x 8" x 2" dish containing 2 cups dry pancake mix.

One loaf-pan containing 2 1/2 cups pancake mix whisked with 22 ounces beer (Note:  Beer lends wonderful flavor with yeasty undertones to the breading.  That said, if I can't convince you that the heat of the deep-fryer will evaporate all the alcohol, feel free to substitute club soda.)

One 8" x 8" x 2" dish containing 2, 8-ounces boxes panko breadcrumbs.

Deep-fryer w/corn or peanut oil heated to 375° according to manufacturer's specifications.

Misc:  forks, 3-minute timer, wire cooling rack, paper towels, sea salt grinder.

~ Step 1.  When everything is measured and in place, whisk together the pancake mix and beer (or club soda). Set aside for about 5 minutes before starting the frying process. This will give the batter time to thicken a bit, to a drizzly consistency.  If at any point during the frying process (even at the outset) if the batter seems or gets too thick, whisk in a little more beer (or club soda) to maintain a very drizzly consistency.

~ Step 2.  This step is actually optional, so skip it if you like.  When it comes to chicken cutlets, I prefer the texture of my panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs) to be less coarse.  To make that happen:

Place panko in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Using a series of 50-60 rapid on-off pulses, process these super-crispy breadcrumbs to finer crumbs.

Fry Baby Fry -- It's all about Fearless Frying.

~Step 1.  Working in batches of 2 tenders at a time, dredge each pair in the dry pancake mix to coat it on all sides.  Note:  I fry 2 at a time because that is what fits comfortably in the basket of my fryer without overcrowding it.  Next, move up the assembly line, and, one-at-a-time dip each tender into the batter.  As you lift each one out of the batter, hold it over the bowl for a second or two, to allow the batter to drizzle back into the bowl.  As you batter dip each tender, place it into the dish of panko. Dredge both of the cutlets in the panko ASAP.

~ Step 2.  One-at-a-time, and with the aid of a fork, carefully lower the pair of breaded tenders down into the 375° oil and into the fryer basket.  Close the lid and allow tenders to deep-fry for 3-3 1/2 minutes.  Tenders will be a beautiful golden brown and just cooked through.  Do not overcook -- residual heat will continue to cook them.

~ Step 3.  Open fryer lid and slowly lift basket up and out of deep-fryer. Transfer tenders to a wire rack in a baking pan that has been lined with paper towels.  Tip:  To transfer the tenders, simply tilt the basket onto its side directly over the rack.  Using tongs is a mistake -- it's an easy way to damage their crust.  Once out of the fryer, immediately sprinkle tenders with freshly ground sea salt and repeat this process until all tenders are breaded and fried.

Assembling & baking the chicken-parm garlic-bread subs.

For 4, 6"-6 1/2" chicken parmigiana sub sandwiches (listed in order of assembly):

4, 6"-6 1/2" high-quality submarine/hoagie-type rolls, your favorite brand

a great garlic bread spread for great garlic bread, preferably homemade, prepared in advance of baking the chicken parmesan (Stir together: 1 1/2 sticks room temp salted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dehydrated minced garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, 4 tablespoons finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.) 

8  slices deli-style, sliced provolone cheese

a sprinkling of Italian seasoning blend

a sprinkling of red pepper flakes

6  batter-dipped, panko-crusted, deep-fried chicken tenders, warm or at room temperature, cut in half lengthwise to form 12 chicken fingers (3 per sandwich)

1/3-1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, or, 2 slices deli-style mozzarella cheese 

1-1 1/2  cups marinara sauce, preferably homemade, or your favorite store-bought brand

2  tablespoons finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

chiffonade (a French word meaning "thin-strips" or "little ribbons") of fresh basil leaves, for garnish

~Step 1. To assemble the sandwiches, use a serrated bread knife to slice the rolls, placing each one on an aluminum foil sheet as you work.  Slather both sides of the open-faced roll with a generous coating of the garlic bread spread.  Gather the foil up to form a loose, wide-open-at-the-top packet and place packets 5 1/2" under preheated broiler for 1 1/2-2 minutes, until bubbly and golden.  Remove from oven.  Arrange 2 slices of provolone over each roll and lightly season with a sprinkling of Italian seasoning blend and red pepper flakes.  Reset oven to bake at 350º.    

~Step 2.  Slice chicken tenders in half lengthwise, to form thin strips (chicken fingers).  Arrange 3 strips/fingers in the center of each roll.  Top tender strips with either 2 slices sliced mozzarella or 1/3-1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, your choice.  Gather the foil up and around each sandwich and form a tight seal.  Bake on center rack of 350º degree oven for 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven, unwrap and top each sandwich with 4-6 tablespoons marinara sauce, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and a light chiffonade of fresh basil leaf garnish.  Serve ASAP.

Crispy garlic-bread, gooey cheese, tender parm, sauce & basil:

There's no right or wrong way to eat a chicken parmigiana sub:

Not Your Mama's Chicken-Parm Garlic-Bread Subs:  Recipe yields 4 hearty and hot chicken parmigiana sub sandwiches.

Special Equipment List: plastic wrap; cutting board; flat-sided meat mallet; 2, 8" x 8" x 2" baking dishes; 9" x 4" loaf-type dish; tongs; deep-fryer; wire cooling rack; paper towels; aluminum foil sheets; serrated bread knife

Cook's Note: In my food world, there is  no right or wrong way to make or eat any Italian-style sub -- they're pretty straightforward.  In my recipe for  ~ The Incredible Edible Caprese Chicken Meatball Sub ~ my ground chicken meatballs are infused with lots of onion, garlic, basil, egg and fresh Italian-bread crumbs.  What do they do?  They add the requisite moisture and flavor to an otherwise dry, rather tasteless, lackluster protein. These will make you rethink ground chicken.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)

~ Tex-Mex Chipotle Beef and Chorizo Meatball Subs ~

Who doesn't love a meatball sandwich -- I know I do.  Besides a high-quality roll, a well-constructed meatball sub only requires three components:  tender meatballs, a great melting cheese and a savory sauce.  Culinarily, the meatball sandwich is, understandably and correctly, associated with Italian-American fare, with meatballs being a spinoff of meatloaf, which is an all-American invention.  In turn, my Southwestern-Style meatballs, are a spinoff of my Mexican-style beef and chorizo meatloaf (but should not be confused with Mexican albóndigas (albóndiga is the word for meatball in Spanish), which contain rice, not a bread product, as a binder.          

It's worth mention that aside from the bright-to-tawny red color, Mexican chorizo and Spanish chorizo are not the same, so, purchase with precision.  Mexican chorizo is a fresh, ground-pork sausage with spices added, ranging from mild to spicy -- sold loose or in a casing, it is raw and must be cooked before eating it. Spanish chorizo is a dried and fully-cured or semi-cured chopped-pork sausage with spices added, ranging from mild to spicy -- sold in a casing, fully-cured is fully-cooked and can be eaten as is, while semi-cured requires cooking prior to eating.

Ground beef + chorizo = Mexican-Style meatball perfection.

For 6-61/2 dozen meatballs*:

2-2 1/2  pounds lean or extra-lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10)

1  pound ground Mexican chorizo sausage

2  extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

4  ounces saltine crackers (1 sleeve of crackers from a 1-pound box), crumbled by hand into small bits and pieces, not processed to crumbs.

1  cup milk

3  tablespoons salted butter

3/4-1 cup whole corn kernels, shaved from cooked or grilled corn on the cob, or, well-drained canned corn kernels

3/4-1  cup thin-sliced green onion, white and light green parts only

3/4-1 cup small-diced green bell pepper

3/4-1  cup small-diced red bell pepper

1/2-3/4  cup minced, fresh cilantro leaves and some tender stems

1  tablespoon chili powder

1  tablespoon ground cumin

2  teaspoons sea salt

1 1/2-2  teaspoons coarsely-ground black pepper

no-stick cooking spray, for preparing loaf pans

~Step 1.  Place ground beef in a large bowl.  If the sausage is in casings, remove the casings then place the sausage in the bowl with the ground beef.  Using a fork, lightly beat the eggs and add them to the meat.  Using your hands (it's the most efficient), thoroughly combine the two.

~Step 2.  Using your fingertips, crush the crackers into small bits and pieces, letting them fall into a medium mixing bowl as you work. Add the milk and stir to combine. Set aside about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the crackers to absorb all of the milk.  The mixture will be thick, chunky and pasty -- just perfect.  Add the cracker mixture to the meat/egg mixture, and once again, using your hands, thoroughly combine.

~Step 3.  In a 10" skillet melt butter over low heat. Add the corn kernels along with the bell peppers and green onion.  Season with the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Adjust heat to medium- medium-high and sauté until peppers are softened but still crunch-tender, 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the cilantro, remove from heat and cool 30 minutes.

~Step 4.  Add the cool but still-warm vegetable mix to the meat mixture.  Using your hands, thoroughly combine -- thoroughly!

~Step 5.  Line a 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pan with parchment, then place a wire rack atop the parchment.  Using a 1 3/4" ice-cream scoop as a measure to portion the meat mixture, roll each portion between the palms of your hands, placing the meatballs atop the wire rack as you work.  Bake meatballs on center rack of 350° oven 25-28 minutes.  Remove from oven, and assemble sandwiches as directed below.

*Note:  This recipe is written to make a lot of meatballs (6-6 1/2 dozen).  Feel free to cut the recipe in half, but, know they freeze great.  At this point, I always use what I need (1/3-1/2) and freeze the rest to have on-hand for one or two additional weeknight meatball-sandwich meals. 

For my easy spicy-tomato & chipotle-chile chili sauce:

For the sauce:

2  tablespoons corn oil

1  cup diced yellow or sweet onion

4  large garlic cloves, run through a press

1/2  teaspoon ancho chile pepper

3/4  teaspoon Mexican-style oregano

1  teaspoon ground cumin

1/2  teaspoon sugar

1/2  teaspoon sea salt

1  14 1/2-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained

2  whole chipotle chile peppers in adobo, plus 1-2 tablespoons sauce from can, to taste

1/4  cup minced, fresh cilantro leaves, some stems are ok

~ Step 1.  In a 1 1/2-2-quart saucepan, heat the corn oil over medium- medium-high heat.  Add the diced onion, pressed garlic, ancho chile pepper, Mexican-style oregano, ground cumin, sugar and salt.  Give the ingredients a thorough stir.  Adjust the heat to sauté gently, until onion is softened, 5-6 minutes.

~Step 2.  Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, two whole chipotle chiles and 1 tablespoon sauce from can of peppers.  Stir to combine and adjust heat to simmer gently and steadily, 5-6 minutes. Reduce heat to low, then taste.  For more heat, add another tablespoon sauce from chipotles.

~Step 3.  Stir in the minced cilantro, adjust heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 1-2 more minutes.  Turn the heat off or remove from heat completely.  With the aid of a stick blender (also called an immersion blender), process the sauce to semi-chunky texture.  If you do not have a stick blender and are using a conventional blender, cool the sauce 1 hour prior to processing.  Transfer sauce to food storage container(s) and keep stored in refrigerator.  Reheat gently in the microwave.  Sauce freezes well.

To assemble & bake the Mexican-style meatball sandwiches:

For the sandwiches:

6  6"-6 1/2" submarine/hoagie rolls, the best available, your favorite brand

18-24  slices jalapeño pepper-Jack cheese

2 1/2  dozen meatballs, from above recipe

1 1/2  cups chipotle-chile chili sauce, from above recipe

minced cilantro leaves, for garnish

~Step 1.  To assemble the sandwiches, use a serrated bread knife to slice the rolls, placing each one on an aluminum foil sheet as you work  Place 3-4 slices of cheese in each roll, to generously cover and protect the soft bread on both sides -- from the sauce that will come later.  Slice 2 meatballs into thirds and place them flat in the bottom of each roll.  Place 4 meatballs atop the meatball slices on each sandwich.  Gather the foil up and around each sandwich and form a tight seal.

~ Step 2. To bake and serve the sandwiches, place sandwiches, side-by-side on center rack 350º oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove the foil and drizzle chipotle-chile chili sauce over the meatballs, to taste, without drenching the sandwich in sauce -- be aware, this sauce is quite spicy.  Garnish each sandwich with minced cilantro leaves and serve immediately (with additional sauce to the side if desired).

A crispy roll, gooey cheese, tender meatballs & spicy sauce: 

There's no right or wrong way to eat a meatball sandwich:

Tex-Mex Chipotle Beef and Chorizo Meatball Subs:  Recipe yields approximately 6-6 1/2 dozen meatballs/3 cups sauce/enough for 18 sandwiches.

Special Equipment List: fork; 1-cup measuring container; cutting board; chef's knife; 10" nonstick skillet; nonstick spoon or spatula; 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pan; parchment paper; wire cooling rack; 1 3/4" ice-cream scoop; serrated bread knife; aluminum foil sheets

Cook's Note:  In my food world, there is  no right or wrong way to make a meatball sandwich -- they are pretty straightforward.  In my recipe for  ~ The Incredible Edible Caprese Chicken Meatball Sub ~ my ground chicken meatballs are infused with lots of onion, garlic, basil, egg and fresh Italian-bread crumbs.  What do they do?  They add the requisite moisture and full-throttle flavor to an otherwise dry, rather tasteless, lackluster protein.  

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)

~Brownbag it with Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Subs~

Whether you're sending kids back to school in a few days, looking for something different to lunch on at your office computer, or yeah baby, a sandwich that will be the hit of your next tailgate party -- this sub has got your back.  It's on my short-list of most-popular in-my-house-made deli-style hoagie- submarine-type sandwiches.  It's extremely easy-to-make and user-friendly too.  Chop and toss the ingredients together in a bowl, stuff 'em into a sub roll just before eating, then go to town. It's akin to feasting on a tuna sub, only full of classic Caesar salad flavors and textures.

The concept of a Caesar salad sub is hardly a new one, but, I'm here to tell you, if you've been wasting time layering lettuce leaves, shaving parmesan and placing thin slices of chicken on a roll with a drizzle of dressing (all are musts when making a chicken Caesar salad panini), it's time to rethink it. Chopped ingredients are easier to eat, and, because each and every bite-sized piece is enrobed in a light coating of creamy Caesar dressing, the end result tastes amazingly better.  The (obvious) key, however, is to load the salad concoction with chicken (lots and lots of chopped chicken) -- because, after all, this is a sandwich, not a salad.  That said, if you're not planning on eating these sandwiches within a few hours of making them, don't add the lettuce until the last moment, because it will get a bit wilty (but it'll still be delicious though).

The key is to load the salad w/lots & lots of chopped chicken -- because, after all, this is a sandwich, not a salad.

For two sandwiches:

1 3/4-2  cups, chopped or pulled into bite-sized pieces, grilled, chicken tenderloins or thighs

1-1 1/2  cups "chiffonade" ("thin strips"/"little ribbons") of romaine lettuce leaves

1  diced hard-cooked egg

1/2  cup small-diced tomato

1/4  cup small-diced red onion

2  tablespoons finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

6-8  tablespoons creamy Caesar dressing, preferably homemade or high-quality store-bought

2  6-6 1/2" high-quality submarine- hoagie- type rolls, the best available

~Step 1.  Prep and place the chicken, lettuce, egg, tomato and red onion in a medium bowl.  Using a large rubber spatula, toss to combine.  Add the cheese and toss again, to incorporate cheese throughout the mixture.  Gently fold in the dressing, 4 tablespoons at first, 2 more after that, and, the last two if you think you need it. Using your fingertips, pull/remove a bit of the soft bread from the center of each half of the sliced roll, to create a cavity for stuffing as much Caesar filling into the sub sandwich as it can handle.

Stuff a roll w/as much chicken Caesar as it can handle & eat: 

Brownbag it with Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Subs:  Recipe yields 2 light but filling sandwiches.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; large rubber spatula; serrated bread knife

Cook's Note:  Over the past three decades, the Caesar salad, #1) became America's most popular main-dish salad, #2) altered the lettuce industry as demand for romaine has skyrocketed, and, #3) turned the chicken-topped Caesar into the chicken item most frequently found on restaurant menus -- more than wings and chicken fingers. Now considered the All-American salad, it was invented in Mexico in 1924 by an Italian-born Mexican immigrant, Caesar Cardini (a co-owner in a Tijuana restaurant).  Making a classic Caesar salad requires a some technique.  I learned from some experts, then, took what they taught me to create my own  ~ Hail Caesar:  Roasted Chicken Salad a la Melanie ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)

~Lighten Up w/a Refreshing Tuna-Mac Garden Salad~

Occasionally, on a day off or a Saturday, my dad would fix his version of tuna salad for us.  On mom's medium-sized meat platter, he'd make a bed of soft garden lettuce leaves, then add a layer of tomato slices followed by a sliced cucumber.  He'd scatter a lightly-drained can of chilled tuna-packed-in-oil over the veggies, followed by a few dollops of cottage cheese.  His creation ended with a sprinkling of salt and black pepper.  Mom would make some rye toast, put a pitcher of iced tea on the table and lunch was served.  It wasn't fancy, but our family of four loved it.

It's a charming story about an easy Summertime recipe. 

We'd each put a slice of toast on our plate, then, with a large scooper-type spatula, top it with a generous portion of dad's salad.  Considering it didn't contain any fresh or dried herbs, special seasonings or flavor-enhancing ingredients, it was amazingly tasty and refreshing.  Nowadays, a proper term for it might be "deconstructed tuna salad".  That said, over the years, I added some onion (dad refused to eat raw onion), sneak in a bit of lemony mayonnaise (dad detested mayonnaise), and, a tad of tangy whole-grain mustard (dad only ate ballpark mustard, and, in all seriousness, only on a fried bologna sandwich or a hot dog).  There's more.  Instead of the unruly layering, I now dice and stir my ingredients together and add some cooked elbow macaroni too -- it's so light and refreshing I don't feel the least bit guilty about taking a second helping.

My mixed-up version of dad's deconstructed tuna salad:

For the tuna salad:

1  5-ounce can high-quality tuna-packed-in-oil, drained

6  tablespoons cottage cheese

2  tablespoons mayonnaise

1  tblsp. whole-grain mustard

1/2  cup  small-diced celery

1/2  cup peeled, seeded & small-diced cucumber

1/4  cup seeded & small-diced tomato

1  teaspoon dried onion flakes

For the macaroni and (optional) shredded lettuce:

1  cup medium shell pasta or elbow macaroni, cooked al dente and drained as directed below

6  cups water + 1  teaspoon sea salt, for cooking macaroni

1  cup shredded crunchy lettuce, iceberg or romaine lettuce work best (optional)

~ Step 1.  Prep the tuna, celery, cucumber and tomato as directed, placing them in a medium bowl as you work.  Using a large rubber spatula, toss the tuna and vegetables together.  Set to the side while preparing the dressing as follows:

~Step 2.  In a small bowl, place and stir together the cottage cheese, mayonnaise, mustard and dehydrated onion.  Add the dressing to the vegetables.  Using the spatula, fold the two mixtures together until vegetables are evenly enrobed in dressing.  Cover and refrigerate while cooking, thoroughly draining and cooling the macaroni, and, shredding the lettuce as directed below.

~Step 3.  In a 2-quart saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a boil.  Add the salt.  Add the pasta shells and cook until al dente, about 6-7 minutes.  Do not overcook.  Drain into colander and rinse under cold tap water to halt the cooking process. Transfer to and spread pasta shells out on a baking pan that's been lined with parchment.  Drain and "dry" (meaning free from moisture, not dried out), 20-30 minutes.

~Step 4.  Place the cooled pasta shells in a large bowl.  Add the tuna salad to the macaroni.  Use the rubber spatula to fold the tuna salad into the shells.  Shred the lettuce into thin short strips, as thin as you can -- the technical term for this is chiffonade, which means "little ribbons" in French.    Fold the lettuce into the tuna-macaroni salad, followed by the lettuce, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, 1-2 hours.  It's worth mention that after 24 hours the lettuce will become a bit wilty (still delicious though), so, if preparing salad a day ahead, shred and add the lettuce just prior to serving.

Prefer to skip the pasta shells or macaroni?  No problem:

Lighten Up w/a Refreshing Tuna-Mac Garden Salad:  Recipe yields about 5 cups tuna-macaroni salad.

Special Equipment List: cutting board; chef's knife; rubber spatula; spoon; 4-cup food storage container w/tight-fitting lid; 2-quart saucepan; colander; 12 1/2" x 8 3/4" baking pan; parchment

Cook's Note:  My dad's mac & (cottage) cheese is a comforting, flavor-packed dish that will provide almost instant gratification because it goes from stovetop to table in the time it takes to cook the macaroni. His unusual combination of hot, spicy, buttered elbow macaroni, tossed with cold cottage cheese (he liked farmers' cheese more but began substituting cottage cheese as farmers' cheese started to get harder find)  literally bursts with flavor.  ~ Dad's Mac and Cheese, or:  What I Cook just for Me ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019

~Tuna Salad w/Cottage Cheese, Tomato & Cucumber~

I picked a cucumber this morning.  I walked to the the other side of the vegetable garden and picked a couple of tomatoes too.  Checking out the vegetable garden in the early hours of the day, as soon as it's light enough to see, is part of my routine.  My dad used to do the same thing.  He'd come in the house, rinse off whatever he'd picked, put all the "stuff" in the dish drainer, then go out to mow the grass.  Dad thrived on his routines, and, sans the lawn mower, so do I.  While carrying my cucumber and two tomatoes into my kitchen, a childhood memory hit me head on.

A charming story about an easy Summertime recipe: 

Occasionally, on a day off or a Saturday, dad would fix his version of tuna salad for us.  On mom's medium-sized meat platter, he'd make a bed of soft garden lettuce leaves, then add a layer of tomato slices followed by a sliced cucumber.  He'd scatter a lightly-drained can of chilled tuna-packed-in-oil over the veggies, followed by a few dollops of cottage cheese.  His creation ended with a sprinkling of salt and black pepper.  Mom would make some rye toast, put a pitcher of iced tea on the table and lunch was served.  It wasn't fancy, but it sure was healthy, and we loved it.

We'd each put a slice of toast on our plate, then, with a large scooper-type spatula, top it with a generous portion of dad's salad.  Considering it didn't contain any fresh or dried herbs, special seasonings or flavor-enhancing ingredients, it was amazingly tasty and refreshing.  Nowadays, a proper term for it might be "deconstructed tuna salad".  That said, over the years, I added some onion (dad refused to eat raw onion), sneak in a bit of lemony mayonnaise (dad detested mayonnaise), and, a tad of tangy whole-grain mustard (dad only ate ballpark mustard, and, in all seriousness, only on a fried bologna sandwich or a hot dog).  There's more.  Instead of the unruly layering, I now dice and stir my ingredients together, to serve on toast points or crackers.  

1  5-ounce can high-quality tuna-packed-in-oil, drained

6  tablespoons cottage cheese

2  tablespoons mayonnaise

2  teaspoons whole-grain mustard

1/2  cup  small-diced celery

1/2  cup peeled, seeded & small-diced cucumber

1/4  cup seeded and small-diced tomato

1  teaspoon dried onion flakes

~ Step 1.  Prep the tuna, celery, cucumber and tomato as directed, placing them in a medium bowl as you work.  Using a large rubber spatula, toss the tuna and vegetables together.  Set to the side while preparing the dressing.

~Step 2.  In a small bowl, place and stir together the cottage cheese, mayonnaise, mustard and dehydrated onion.  Add the dressing to the vegetables.  Using the spatula, fold the two mixtures together until vegetables are evenly enrobed in dressing.  Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours.

Serve on crackers, with toast points, or, in a sandwich.

Tuna Salad w/Cottage Cheese, Tomato & Cucumber:  Recipe yields 3 cups tuna salad.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; rubber spatula; spoon; 4-cup food storage container w/tight-fitting lid.

Cook's Note: My dad's mac & (cottage) cheese is a comforting, flavor-packed dish that will provide almost instant gratification because it goes from stovetop to table in the time it takes to cook the macaroni. His unusual combination of hot, spicy, buttered elbow macaroni, tossed with cold cottage cheese (he liked farmers' cheese more but began substituting cottage cheese as farmers' cheese started to get harder find)  literally bursts with flavor.  ~ Dad's Mac and Cheese, or:  What I Cook just for Me ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)

~Sweet, Savory & Slightly-Spicy Curried Potato Salad~

For most of us, potato salad conjures up memories of exactly what our grandmothers made.  And, for the most part, in terms of ingredients, the recipes for our grandmothers potato salad do not vary much.  Various quantities of the usual suspects:  potatoes, eggs, celery and/or onion, with a dressing made of mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, pepper, sometimes pickles or pickle relish, and, an occasional fresh herb.  Voila:  potato salad.  While we all have our favorite recipe or recipes, when offered potato salad at a gathering, this is the kind we Americans expect to be served.

From my Eastern European heritage, in my repertoire, Classic Creamy Potato and Egg Salad, Baked Russet-Potato Salad, Red Potato Salad w/Horseradish-Mayonnaise, and, Vintage Pea, Carrot & Potato Salad Olivier, are amongst my family's favorites. That said, unlike almost all of our grandmothers, we of subsequent generations began moving or visiting different areas of the US and/or started traveling around the world -- we eat globally and regionally, as well as locally. Our pantries contain spices and ingredients from many cultures, and, because potatoes are a great foil for foodie creativity, it should come as no shock to anyone that potato salad has been fused with flavors from other cuisines.  Example:  My Russet & Sweet Potato Salad w/Chile-Lime Mayo, pairs great with almost any Tex-Mex-style grilled chicken, steak or ribs.

Indian-style potato salad w/chutney, cashews & raisins.

3  pounds unpeeled and 3/4" chunked gold potatoes

2  teaspoons sea salt

1 1/2  cup medium-diced celery

1  cup golden raisins

1/2-3/4  cup  small-diced roasted & salted cashews

1  cup high-quality mayonnaise

1/2  cup Major Grey's sweet mango chutney

2  tablespoons curry powder

1  tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes

~Step 1.  Slice potatoes into fork-friendly bite-sized 3/4" cubes.  Place in a wide-bottomed 4-quart stockpot with enough water to cover by 1".  Add the salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Adjust heat to a gentle, steady simmer and cook until potatoes are fork tender, but still firm and slightly undercooked in their centers, 5-6 minutes.  Remove from heat and drain into a colander.  Do not overcook potatoes.

~ Step 2.  Drain potatoes into a colander and rinse under cold running water, until cool to the touch. Take enough time to thoroughly rinse the potatoes, as you really want to lower their temperature to halt residual heat from overcooking them. Transfer to and spread potatoes on a baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper and allow potatoes to drain and "dry" (meaning free from moisture, not dried out), 30-40 minutes. 

~Step 3.  Place cooked and cooled potatoes, celery, raisins and cashews in a large bowl. Set aside.  In a food processor fitted with steel blade, place mayonnaise, chutney, curry powder and onion flakes.  With motor running, process until thoroughly combined, 45-60 seconds.  Using a rubber spatula, transfer mayo mixture to potato mixture and gently fold all ingredients together, stopping when everything is enrobed in the creamy dressing.  Cover and refrigerate until well-chilled, 6-8 hours or overnight (is best).

Serve w/my Super-Easy Tikka Masala Roasted Chicken:

Sweet, Savory & Slightly-Spicy Curried Potato Salad:  Recipe yields about 9-10 cups potato salad.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; wide-bottomed 4-quart stockpot; colander; 12 1/2" x 8 3/4" baking pan; parchment paper; food processor; large rubber spatula

Cook's Note: Just like I have preferences in movies, I have preferences in chicken salads. I prefer white-breast- over dark-thigh- meat, roasted chicken over poached, greasy rotisserie chicken makes me cringe, and, I want my chicken hand-pulled instead of diced or cubed, because the latter looks plasticy and fake.  Error on the side of under-dressing mine, as I want to taste the chicken, but yes, by all means, please add some lightly-toasted seeds or nuts for crunch.  I enjoy it served as a forkable salad or as a sandwich, but, if served as a salad I want it on tender soft bibb lettuce, and if served as a sandwich, I want it on a croissant: ~ Chick Flicks and Curried Chicken Salad Croissants ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)