Sunday, November 6, 2011

Caesar Club Sandwich

This is my favorite homemade sandwich and after looking at my recipe lists I determined it was time to add more lunch recipes.  The recipe is adapted from a Barefoot Contessa recipe and one of the first things I ever cooked outside my comfort zone.  It's wonderful with some homemade chips or a hot bowl of soup.  I hope you like it!

Serves:  3
  Ingredients: 
  - 2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
  - good olive oil
  - 4 oz thinly sliced pancetta (can substitute bacon but pancetta is tastier)
  - 1 large garlic clove
  - 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
  - 1 1/2 tsp anchovy paste (found in the asian food aisle usually)
  - 1 tsp dijon mustard
  - 1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  - 1/2 cup good mayonnaise (good mayonnaise should only have 3 ingredients!)
  - 1 large ciabatta bread (french bread works well too)
  - 2 oz baby arugula, washed and spun dry
  - 12 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
  - 2 to 3 oz Parmesan cheese, shaved

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan skin side up.  Rub the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through.  Cool slightly, discard the skin (or feed it to the dog!) and bones, and slice the meat thickly.  Set aside.
  Meanwhile, place the pancetta on another sheet pan in a single layer.  Roast for 10 to 15 min. until crisp.  Set aside to drain on paper towels.  (This step can be done after the chicken and the same sheet pan can be used to make clean-up easier).
  Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor (or a blender) and process until minced.  Add the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice, and mayo and process again until smooth dressing like consistency.  (Refrigerate dressing if not using immediately - this part could be doubled or tripled and the extra dressing stored in the fridge for later)!
  Slice the bread in half horizontally and separate the top from the bottom.  Toast the bread in the oven, cut side up for 5 to 7 minutes.  Cool slightly.  Spread the cut sides of each piece with Caesar dressing.  Place half the arugula on the bottom piece of bread and then layer in order:  sun-dried tomato, shaved Parmesan, crispy pancetta, and sliced chicken.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and finish with another layer of arugula.  Place the top slice of ciabatta on top and cut in thirds crosswise.  Serve at room temp.

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