Great Cold-Cut Subs/Hoagies

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

There is this little drive-in restaurant that's been in my home town since the 1950's, called The West Pier Drive-In. It is famous for it's way above average butgers, fries, amazing shakes/malts, and other great foods. But what put it on the map as the place to go was it's cold-cut Italian Sub. I've since found a similar recipe from New Orleans called a muffaletta. Here;s how it was made at West Pier.

Ingredients:
3 slice Mortadella
5 slices good soprasseta
3 slices prosciutto, or thin sliced ham
3 slices Provolone Cheese
Very thin slice fresh, sweet onion
4 thin slices ripe tomato
Chopped black olives
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Fruity Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Super-soft hoagie roll, with thin crust

The order in which you build the sandwich is important to balance the flavors, and help it all hold together properly.

Soak the onions in ice water for ten minutes to remove some of the bite.
Drizzle oil on bread. Layer on the meats to cover. Spread the chopped black olives on top of the neat. Place the onions on top of the olives, followed by the tomato. Finally, put on the cheese, and shredded lettuce. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge for 3 to four hours for the best sandwiches, or you can eat it right away. If allowed to sit in the fridge, the flavors permeate each other to make the best subs ever.

My favorite Italian sub is:
Super soft sub bun, with thin crust
slices of hard salami to cover
slices of pepperoni to cover
hot capicoal to cover
chopped black olives
thin slices of sweet vidalia onion
Extra-Virgin Olive oil
Shredded iceberg lettuce

Build as you did the previous sandwich. Leave off the lettuce. Place in a 425 degree, f. toaster oven for seven minutes, to crisp the crust, and melt the cheese. Remove and put the lettuce on. Enjoy hot. Oh this is such a great sandwich, if you like spicy.

IMHO, both of these are way better than anything you can get at Subway, or Jimmy-Johns. Plus, you can change the recipes to your own tastes.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Aunt Bea]

Sounds good to me!

I would add a teaspoon or two of Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce to give it a little more heat.

https://www.huyfong.com/

 

[Caslon]

I never thought to put onions into ice water to take the bite out of them.

 

[Just Cooking]

Sounds good to me!

I would add a teaspoon or two of Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce to give it a little more heat.

https://www.huyfong.com/

That has been a staple in our family for years..
I first learned of its goodness when visiting my daughter and SIL many years ago.. They were at work and had their grocery list on the fridge.. I thought I'd save them some time and took the list to their grocery store..
I found everything on the list except "chicken sauce"..

We had a good laugh later when they told me what "chicken sauce" is..
Bottle of hot sauce with the chicken on the label..

Ross

 

[taxlady]

Great timing Chief. I'll probably make something along those lines later today.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

In the first sandwich recipe, it's the high quality meats, andblack olives that make it great. The other ingredients just compliment and enrich the sandwich. It's best if you can make it ahead, even the day before, and let it hang out all wrapped up in the fridge. It really helps the sub rise to a better level.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[larry_stewart]

I was first introduced to hoagies back in the day when I was living in Philly. To raise money for our class, we would buy a variety of hoagies for a low price at a local Hoagie place, then cut them in half and sell them for a marked up price. There always a few left over , so one day I took a left over Provolone hoagie home for my wife and I ( being a broke student, any free food was welcome, and being a vegetarian, cheese hoagies were my only option). Anyway, I was hooked!!! I always remember places I've been, or times in my life by certain foods that act as a reminder. Hoagies and soft pretzels always bring me back to Philly every time.

Ive always been limited to the Provolone hoagie until recently. As the veggie meat products are improving and becoming more widely available, I have been experimenting with the some of the veggie meats on the hoagies wining my hoagie experience .

I actually ordered a large variety / sample pack of vegetarian cold cuts ( Online) from The Herbivorus Butcher ( in Minneapolis)

https://www.theherbivorousbutcher.com

and got some also at the Reading Terminal Market in Philly ( Luhv Food Vegan Deli)

https://deli.luhvfood.com

Im glad to be able to experiment , but I can honestly say, they've got a lot of work to do. Vegan/ veggie cold cuts, although can be used in a similar fashion ( on a hoagie) are not all that great ( or even good). but are edible. My go to is still the provolone.

Typical hoagie for me :
-Keiser roll with mayo spread on both sides
( reason for keiser roll is they are round and so is the provolone slice , so no empty bites)
- a couple of slices of provolone
-Kosher Pickle slices
-Tomato slices
-Red Onion
-Sliced Pepperoncini
-Shredded Lettuce
-Some type of vinaigrette ( preferably Good Seasons Italian Dressing)

I could eat this all day, every day.

Which reminds me, going to Philly next week. Cant wait for those pretzels!!!
(Tip, go to center city pretzels on Washington ave near the Italian Market ( where rocky ran through in Rocky 1). This is one of the placse that makes them and sells them to everyone else. Right out of the oven, whole sale prices, Bagel store hours ( Extremely early in the morning until about noon), Best soft pretzels Ive ever had.

 

[Just Cooking]

Interesting post, Larry.. Thank you..

Ross