Sandwich Bored; Recipes from Mary Makes It Easy

Mary believes that sandwich possibilities are endless. Never get bored by a sammy again with her stacked recipe lineup. Stream full episodes of Mary Makes It Easy at CTV.ca and the CTV app.

Classic Muffuletta

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Total Time: 30 minutes 

Serves: 8 

INGREDIENTS:  

Olive and Pickle Salad 

¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar 

¼ cup (60 ml) olive or canola oil 

2 garlic cloves, minced  

1 ½ teaspoons dry oregano 

1 teaspoon dry basil 

½ teaspoon celery salt, optional 

Freshly ground black pepper 

1 cup (180 g) pimento stuffed olives 

½ cup (90 g) kalamata olives  

½ cup (90 g) pepperoncini 

½ cup (90 g) giardiniera (Italian pickled mixed vegetables) 

¼ cup (45 g) sweet cocktail onions 

2 tablespoons (15 g) capers 

Sandwiches 

1 Italian loaf 

200 g spicy or mild genoa salami, thinly sliced or shaved 

200 g smoked or oven roasted deli ham, thinly sliced or shaved 

200 g Swiss cheese, sliced 

200 g provolone cheese, sliced 

200 g mortadella, thinly sliced or shaved 

DIRECTIONS: 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, garlic, dry oregano, dry basil, and celery salt, if using. Season well with pepper and set aside. 

2. Place the olives, pepperoncini, giardiniera, onions, and capers on a large cutting board and chop relatively finely. Alternatively, you can pulse in a food processor. You still want to be able to tell all the ingredients apart, but you want a bit of everything in every bite. Transfer to the bowl and stir well to combine. Set aside for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavours to mingle or, alternatively, transfer to a container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.  

3. To assemble the sandwich, split the loaf in half and tear some of the dough out from the centre to make room for all the filling. Using a slotted spoon, scoop half of the salad mixture into the loaf, spreading into an even layer. Layer the salami, ham, cheese, and mortadella into the loaf and carefully spoon over the remaining salad. Add the top half of the loaf on top and press to sandwich everything together.  

4. The muffuletta can be cut and eaten right away or, better yet, wrap tightly in plastic, place a baking pan or small sheet pan on top, and weigh the sandwich down with a few heavy cans. This will help the sandwich hold together when cut and allow the flavours to come together beautifully. 

TUNA NIÇOISE SANDWICH

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 10 minutes 

Total Time: 20 minutes 

Serves: 2 

INGREDIENTS: 

Kosher salt 

1 handful green beans, trimmed 

2 eggs 

½ shallot, minced 

1 garlic clove, minced 

½ lemon, zested and juiced 

¼ cup (45 g) pitted niçoise or kalamata olives 

1 tablespoon capers 

3 tablespoons mayonnaise  

Freshly ground black pepper 

2 ciabatta or focaccia buns 

170—180 g jarred or canned tuna, oil or water-packed 

2 small handfuls arugula or butter lettuce 

1 tomato, sliced  

2 handfuls kettle cooked potato chips 

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard  

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Place a small pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Season well with salt and add the green beans to blanch until bright green, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the green beans into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.  

2. Add the eggs to the boiling water and cook for exactly 8 minutes. Remove them to the ice bath to stop the cooking process and cool completely. 

3. Meanwhile, add the shallot and garlic to a small bowl and stir in the lemon zest and juice. Finely chop the olives and capers, add to the bowl along with the mayonnaise, and stir well to combine. Season with pepper and set aside. 

4. Split and lightly toast the buns, if desired, and drain the tuna. If using water-packed tuna, mix in a little of the mayo mixture as it can be a bit “fall-apart-y” without. Peel and halve the eggs and drain and dry the beans. 

5. To assemble the sandwiches, spread the mayo onto the bottom of each bun and top with the arugula or lettuce, green beans, tomato, and tuna. Squash the eggs yolk-side down on top of the tuna and lay over some potato chips. Spread the top bun with the mustard and lightly press the sandwiches together. 

TURKEY PATTY MELTS

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 35 minutes 

Total Time: 45 minutes 

Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS: 

6 tablespoons butter, divided 

2 medium yellow onions  

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper 

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or lemon juice 

500 g ground turkey 

1 tablespoon mayonnaise  

1 garlic clove, minced 

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 

2 tablespoons breadcrumbs  

8 slices rye bread  

2 cups (about 230 g) grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese 

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Place a medium skillet over medium heat. Halve and thinly slice the onions and add to the pan along with 2 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until the onions soften slightly and pick up a little colour. Turn the heat down to medium-low and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the onions are well-caramelized. If the onions start to catch at any point, just add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan. When the onions are caramelized, stir in the vinegar or lemon juice and transfer the onions to a dish. Wipe out the pan and set aside.  

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the turkey, mayonnaise, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and breadcrumbs and season with ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form into patties roughly the same shape as the bread. Season the patties well with kosher salt.  

3. Place the skillet back over medium heat and melt in 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the patties into the pan and, using a spatula, squash them down slightly. This will ensure a good golden-brown crust on the patties and allow for a bit of shrinkage that, like with any ground meat patties, is sure to happen. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through to 165°F. Set the patties aside and wipe out the pan. 

4. To assemble the sandwiches, use the remaining butter to butter one side of the bread. Add half of the bread to the pan, butter-side down, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Divide over the cheese and onions and top each with a patty. Place a piece of bread butter-side up on top of each and cover the pan with a lid. Cook until golden on the first side and the cheese has melted then remove the lid, flip, and continue to cook until golden brown. 

CURRIED CHICKPEA AND ARTICHOKE SALAD SANDWICH

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Total Time: 10 minutes 

Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS:  

1 (540 ml) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed  

1 (396 ml) can artichoke hearts, drained 

½ small red onion, finely diced 

1 celery stalk, finely diced 

¼—1/3 cup (60–80 ml) mayonnaise, vegan or regular  

½ lemon, juiced  

1 tablespoon curry powder 

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper 

White bread or Pita pockets 

Mango chutney 

Sprouts 

Cilantro, optional 

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Add the chickpeas into a large bowl and, using a fork or potato masher, roughly mash the chickpeas leaving at least half whole. Dice the artichoke hearts and add to the bowl along with the onion, celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and curry powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This salad can be used immediately or stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

2. To assemble a sandwich or pita, spread over some mango chutney and top with the curried chickpea salad. Top with sprouts and cilantro, if using, and serve.