Muffuletta sandwich

Muffuletta is a classic New Orleans meat, cheese and pickle sandwich. It was created in 1906 at Central Grocery Co on Decatur Street by an Italian immigrant called Salvatore Lupo. It’s a mainstay on the menu at Cochon Butcher and can be served toasted or cold.

Muffuletta sandwich

  • Serves icon Serves 2
  • Time icon Hands-on time 25 min, oven time 5 min (optional), plus 2 days pickling

Muffuletta is a classic New Orleans meat, cheese and pickle sandwich. It was created in 1906 at Central Grocery Co on Decatur Street by an Italian immigrant called Salvatore Lupo. It’s a mainstay on the menu at Cochon Butcher and can be served toasted or cold.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
489kcals
Fat
27.9g (11.2g saturated)
Protein
26.1g
Carbohydrates
31.8g (1.5g sugars)
Fibre
2.4g
Salt
1.2g

Ingredients

  • 1 ciabatta loaf (or 1 Sicilian muffuletta if you can get it), cut in half horizontally
  • 2 tbsp Cochon giardiniera (see Know-how and recipe, below)
  • 60g sliced coppa (or any dry-cured ham)
  • 60g sliced mortadella
  • 30g sliced salami
  • 30g sliced provolone cheese (if you can’t find it, use gruyère)

For the cochom giardiniera (makes around 800g) 

  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 tsp black peppercorns
  • 240ml white wine vinegar
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • Large pinch chilli flakes
  • Large pinch dried oregano
  • 200g cauliflower florets (from about ½ small cauliflower)
  • 2 carrots, cut into 4mm slices
  • ½ small onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, bashed
  • 2 celery sticks, sliced into 1.5cm chunks
  • 50g pepper-stuffed green olives, roughly chopped
  • 25g mild pickled green chillies

 

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Method

  1. For the giardiniera, toast the bay leaf and peppercorns in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes until fragrant, then set aside. Combine the vinegar, olive oil, salt, sugar, chilli flakes and oregano in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns, then leave to infuse for 5 minutes.
  2. Put the rest of the ingredients in a large container (about 5 litres), then strain the pickling liquid over the vegetables (discard the bay leaf and peppercorns). Cover the container and keep somewhere cool for 2 days before using. When ready to use, strain and discard the liquid, then pulse the pickled veg in a food processor to give a coarse purée (see tip).
  3. Spread each half of bread with giardiniera. On the bottom piece of the bread, lay out the coppa, then the mortadella, followed by the salami. Finish with the provolone, then top with the other half of bread.
  4. If you want your sandwich hot, put it in a 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 oven for about 5 minutes (or serve at room temperature). Slice and serve.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
489kcals
Fat
27.9g (11.2g saturated)
Protein
26.1g
Carbohydrates
31.8g (1.5g sugars)
Fibre
2.4g
Salt
1.2g

delicious. tips

  1. For a chunkier pickle, chop the giardiniera by hand. You’ll have lots left over to use in sandwiches and burgers or with a plate of cheese. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks in a sterilised jar – find out how to sterilise jars with this easy guide.

  2. You need to begin this recipe 2 days ahead to let the giardiniera (see Know-how) pickle properly.

  3. Giardiniera is a popular, tangy US vegetable pickle that originated in Italy.

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