For years now I’ve had this work-fantasy of dropping the rat race and being a mail carrier or owning a sandwich shop.
The mail carrier seems obvious, right? Seriously, get paid to walk around all day in the beautiful California weather, listening to your earphones, leaving your work at work?
Then there’s the sandwich shop thing. If I won a significant chunk of money, not enough to retire but enough to take a career risk, I would open a sandwich shop. It would probably also have beer and wine, coffee, art shows, bands, sell cool gifts, have a kick ass patio, etc, etc. (yes, this is really like five business dreams wrapped in one but let’s just roll with it.) So basically a place serving great sandwiches where you might also like to hang out.
Tonight I think I made up a sandwich worthy of my pretend establishment…
TRI-TIP, ARUGULA, GRILLED ONION, “GREEN SAUCE” MAYO SANDWICH
Make each of the components below and then stack in your favorite crusty bread. I sliced a slab of herb Focaccia and grilled it for a short time but I think a good, crusty italian or torpedo roll might be even better.
GREEN SAUCE MAYO:
The green sauce without mayo is a Saveur recipe found HERE but this will make WAY more than you need so I’ve scaled it down below and added the mayo part.
– 1 packed cups of fresh parsley leaves chopped coarsely
– 8 anchovy filets (little less than 1 2-oz. can)
– 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
– 1/2 tbsp. capers
– 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
– 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
– 1 cup mayo
Mash anchovy filets with a fork and add to parsley. Add garlic, capers, and vinegar. Mix well with a wooden spoon while drizzling in olive oil. Then mix this into 1 cup of mayonnaise. Make this ahead and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to build your sandwich. And for those who are anchovy shy, trust me it’s fairly subtle when all ingredients are together in this, you can barely notice them but it adds a nice flavor.
TRI-TIP:
– Grill up a tri-tip until Med-rare. I did a small 1.5 lb that was marinaded in Bourbon, brown sugar, star anise, garlic and salt. I grilled it for about 15 mins and then let it stand for 15 mins. Then sliced it up and put it on the sandwich bread.
GRILLED ONIONS:
– Slice 1 sweet onion into 1/2″ thick slices, coat with olive oil and salt
– Grill until soft and slightly charred on the edges, 15-ish mins
ARUGULA SALAD:
Mix the following ingredients together while you’re meat and onions are on the grill. This will go on the sandwich too. Don’t be shy with the vinegar, it adds a nice tanginess.
– 2 cups Arugula
– 1/4 cup grated parmesan
– 1 tbsp olive oil
– 2 tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar
BUILD YOUR SANDWICH:
Slather the Green sauce mayo on the toasted bread, stack some tri-tip slices on, then add a handful of the arugula salad and some onions.
It’s rare that I try out a new concoction and don’t have major changes or criticism. But this was so good my husband and I couldn’t stop eating it.
Enjoy!
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