Olive Salad
2 cups (about 8 ounces) pitted green olives, rinsed and finely chopped
1 cup (about 4 ounces) pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed and finely chopped
2 medium red bell peppers (about 12 ounces), roasted and finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1½ tablespoons dried oregano
Salt and ground black pepper
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 teaspoons finely grated zest plus 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Sandwich
1 12-inch loaf scali bread or large Italian round
1/3 pound Genoa salami, sliced
1/3 pound baked ham, sliced
½pound provolone, sliced
1/3 pound sweet capicola, sliced
1/3 pound mortadella, sliced
Make the olive salad in advance. In a large bowl, mix the olives, roasted bell peppers, celery, onion, capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, oil, vinegar, and lemon zest and juice. Cover and set aside at room temperature to marinate, at least 2 and up to 24 hours. Just before using, add the parsley and taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and black pepper, if necessary.
To assemble the sandwich, cut open the loaf and pull a little bit of the crumb from both halves to make a shallow well. Spread about 1 ½ cups olive salad (with juices) on each side. On the bottom, evenly arrange the meat and cheese in layers. Top with the other half of the loaf, slice, and serve, passing extra olive salad alongside.
CUBANO WITH ROASTED PEPPERS
Serves 4
Traditionalists may blanch at the roasted peppers here (and maybe the mustard, too), but I think their smoky sweet flavor works well with the pork and ham. Slice fillings very thinly, and choose bread with a thin, crisp crust.
1 12-inch loaf Italian or French bread
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons mustard
4 ounces dill pickles, sliced
2/3 pound roasted pork loin, sliced
2/3 pound baked ham, sliced
