August 04, 2005
Who Says I Can't Turn a Man On?
At least on to a New Orleans Muffaletta...
A couple weeks ago I promised this guy I would turn him on to something known as a muffaletta.
To my knowledge, New Orleans is the only place one can enjoy an original muffaletta sandwich. In a nutshell, in the 1880's Italians began settling in the Crescent City. According to one tale:
the muffuletta sandwich was invented by Signor Lupo Salvadore, who opened the now-famous little Italian market called Central Grocery on Decatur Street in the French Quarter in 1906 and created the muffuletta sandwich, named for a favored customer (although I had also heard that the sandwich was named for the baker of the round Italian bread on which the sandwich is served).
However, I must admit, Central Grocery was terribly crowded on the Saturday we were there, so I took Zonker two doors down and we enjoyed our muffaletta at Frank's Restaurant.
As with most things, there's more than one way to skin a cat or make a muffaletta. Here's a basic recipe for this fantastic sandwich, including the marinated olive dressing or olive salad that makes it special.
Muffaletta
1 loaf muffuletta bread (Italian bread, focaccia or po' boy roll can be substituted in a pinch)
4 ounces salami, thinly sliced (Genoa)
4 ounces Italian ham, thinly sliced (Cappicola)
3 ounces Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
3 ounces Provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup *Olive Salad Dressing (recipe below or buy already prepared)
Cut bread in half length-wise. Spread the olive salad on inside of the top and bottom of both halves of bread. Fold and layer each of the meats and cheeses. Close sandwich and cut into fourths.
Serve and enjoy!
*Olive Salad
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives
1 cup pitted and chopped "black-ripe" olives or Calamatas
1 small jar cocktail onions, drained
1/2 cup roasted sweet red peppers cut into chunks
1 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly coarse ground pepper
Combine all ingredients and store in a jar in refrigerator. Be sure to make at least one day before. Will store indefinitely.
The very lovely and energetic SarahK of Mountaineer Musings is hosting this week's Carnival of the Recipes!
Posted by Christina at August 4, 2005 07:34 PMTrackBack URL for this entry:
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The recipe for the Olive Salad is what I've been looking for. I haven't had a decent Muffaletta since I was in New Orleans several years back.
'tis greatly appreciated.
Now if I could just find somebody to fix me a oyster po' boy I'd be happy.
I'll fix you a proper oyster po'boy, Phin. Cornmeal batter, too. Will that be cocktail or tarter sauce?
; )
Posted by: Christina at August 4, 2005 08:31 PMI'm going to stop visiting your site on Thursdays, Christina. Especially if I haven't eaten in the last few hours.
I'M STARVING now! ;-)
Posted by: zonker at August 4, 2005 08:52 PMChristina,
As you know, I have no appetite (actually I’m fed primarily through a tube) but can remember having a Muffaletta and a REAL Oyster Po’Boy sandwich during Mardi Gras of my sophomore year in college (1966). Believe it or not, just thinking of the two right now has made me extremely hungry! Thank you, thank you, thank you…
Posted by: Ed at August 4, 2005 09:29 PMmy dear friend uwe and his family used to live down in NOLA. on the day of the act test, a group of us headed to subway, only to leave there upon arriving for some muffalettas at his home, which his mother had made quite recently. my first taste, and it was DIVINE. just thinking about it makes me miss him [his family moved to antigua this last year]
Posted by: amelie at August 4, 2005 10:09 PMDamn!!! I am down on my knees in pain. I need a Muffaletta...bad...
You're killing me.
Posted by: Yabu at August 4, 2005 11:15 PMOne of my 'goals' the last time we were in NO was to get a muffaletta from Central Grocery. The other was a BIG OLE oyster po'boy...from anywhere. I accomplished both. Several times. hehe
Posted by: Pammy at August 5, 2005 12:26 AMOn a trip to New Orleans a few years back, we went to Central Grocery, and got a muffaletta on a whim, not knowing anything about it, other than that they recommended it.
Amazing.
Anything called a muffaletta has got to be good. Hell, dive right in. :>
Actually, I had one when I went to NO this spring and it was pretty darn good.