When we take the boat out, I’m always racking my brain for something tasty to bring. Our default in a hurry to pack the cooler is often a bucket of fried chicken, hummus, fruit, beer…. the standard fare. If we get our act together sometimes we’ll put the grill on the boat but you can’t always guarantee the conditions are right for that.
Sandwich assembly: capicola, goat cheese, grilled veggies, fresh herbs (basil and oregano), roasted red pepper….
These sammies combine the flavor and char of grilled veggies (that I grilled the night before with our dinner), spicy capicola ham, rich goat cheese, arugula and fresh herbs for a match made in boating/picnic sandwich heaven. I put them on ciabatta bread I bought at the farmer’s market the day before for a truly gourmet take on your average sandwich.
Print
Capicola Ham, Goat Cheese and Grilled Vegetable Summer Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 4 small loaves ciabatta bread- sliced in half (each about the size of a hoagie roll)
- 1/2 lb capicola ham, sliced thin
- 5 oz goat cheese (one container)
- grilled veggies: I used 1 fennel, 1 squash, 1 zucchini – These were sliced lengthwise. (These were grilled and then refrigerated from the night before).
- bunch of fresh herbs (I used basil and oregano)
- cup of arugula
- 1 cup of roasted red pepper from a jar (this is optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil- for drizzling
Instructions
Toast it in the oven for 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees to get it nice and crispy. Slice the bread lengthwise and start assembling the ingredients. Layer capicola ham on the bread on both sides. The ham is going to be the barrier so the moisture from the cheese and veggies does not get the bread soggy. Next, add the goat cheese- 2 heaping teaspoons per sandwich. Next, layer the grilled veggies and add arugula, herbs, roasted red peppers, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Combine the sandwich halves and smoosh them together. Wrap in parchment paper tightly so they stay together and protected from the moisture of the cooler. Slice in half so they are easier to eat and share and then store in a tupperware
container to protect them from all the activity of boating/picnicking, etc. I always wrap the container in 2 plastic bags before putting into a cooler to ensure the moisture of the cooler does not get to them.
Enjoy your colorful, tasty sammies out on the water or in a beautiful location somewhere- even your backyard!
View of Miami from the boat on Biscayne Bay. Food always tastes so much better when in the outdoors!
These sammies are perfect for a hearty yet elegant picnic lunch.
Brilliant, Robyn! These look amazing and I think they would only improve being wrapped up for a couple of hours en route to the waypoint! NICE.
You’re right Chris. The flavors meld together after being in the cooler for a few hours.
This looks outstanding Robyn. Living in South Jersey, I became a big fan of capicola – the local Italian owner corner market made their own and it was always on subs from the several sub shops in town – and adding the grilled veggies sounds super good. I have everthing but the fennel in the garden, so I feel one of these coming on.
Larry- my hubby is from Jersey and I had never heard of capicola until I married him. He wishes he was italian so he just eats like one! 🙂