Weekend Recap, featuring the Infamous Brick Pressed Sandwich

So last Friday I mentioned that we were going to see Bruce Springsteen and would be spending Saturday afternoon tailgating. We had an awesome time, the show rocked (despite getting a face full of beer from a fight that broke out in front of us), and, most importantly, it didn't rain! I also promised to share some pix of my mother-in-law's infamous pressed sandwich, which she has adapted over the years from this Martha Stewart recipe.

Well...wait no longer! Behold the pressed sandwich:

It's really the best tailgating companion. For me, going to see Bruce is less about the music and more about the pressed sandwich that precedes it.

As I said, my m-i-l has modified this recipe a bit, the biggest departure being that we are vegetarian, so she obviously leaves off the prosciutto and salami and supplements with sauteed mushrooms and greens instead (I like broccoli rabe best, but chard is also good). She also often uses Portugese bread (and has even made individual pressed sandwiches on mini Portugese loaves!) or fresh mozzarella instead of goat cheese. The point I'm making is that once you learn this technique you can tailor the fillings to fit your tastes, and you'll have a great picnicking sandwich added to your repertoire.

We also never tailgate (or have pretty much any other meal) without ample olives. These mazillas are done in a marinade my m-i-l learned in St. Martin. It's so simple, fresh and light--not overly herb-y or oily like some of the olives you get off the Mediterranean bars.

And lastly, I believe I also alluded that there would be no shortage of beer throughout the weekend, and, indeed, there wasn't. On Friday night, even Zelda wanted to join in!

(Subsequent photos show her licking out the necks of these empty bottles! HA!)

Anyhoo...I hope you have a tailgate picnic coming up soon and will put the pressed sandwich on your menu. If you do, and you tweak the recipe, please send me your variations!