Weekend (or Labor Day) Lunch

To make up for my weeks of not cooking, today is going to be a cook-fest. We started the cooking day off with a wonderful lunch: Havana Sandwiches and a cabbage slaw. The Havana sandwich is a panini-like sandwich with charred onions and peppers with a tangy mayo spread. The cabbage slaw used the same ingredients for the dressing as in the spread. Super simple and perfectly delicious.


Havana Sandwiches (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1 very fresh baguette (the soft French or Italian bread sold in supermarkets is fine)
1 1/3 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups sliced onions
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin julienne strips
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 or 2 chipotle peppers, dried and soaked in hot water 30 minutes, or canned in adobo sauce, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 large ripe tomato, sliced thin
salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

1. Cut the bread crosswise into two pieces, each one about 7 inches long (use the leftover bread for another use). Split each piece horizontally, then press the pieces with a large stockpot or cast-iron skillet weighted with heavy cans or books. Press with your own weight on the skillet or pot for a few seconds, so that the bread flattens to a 1-inch thickness. Leave the weights in place.
2. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, and coat it with 1 tsp. olive oil. Saute the onions and pepper, shaking the pan every 2 to 3 minutes, until they become somewhat blackened, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. While the vegetables are cooking, combine the garlic, chopped chipotles, and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Stir well.
4. Remove the weights from the bread. Spread the mayonnaise on all four halves. Lay the onions and peppers, topped by the tomato slices, over two halves. Top the tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Place the other two bread halves over these to form two sandwiches.
5. Heat the 1 Tbs. olive oil in a large skillet or on a griddle over medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the skillet or griddle, then place a skillet on top of them to weight them down. Let them cook for 4 minutes, checking once or twice to make sure they aren't burning on the bottom. Turn the sandwiches over, and cook them 4 minutes more, checking the undersides frequently. Serve the sandwiches right away.