Commentary by Ceci Martinez
Don’t you love winter Fridays? There is nothing better than to kick back with a glass of wine in front of the fireplace with no agenda in mind except dinner. Take a break of the Friday’s pizza and put to good use all the vegetables left in your fridge from the week. Roasted Vegetable Sandwich is so simple to prepare; delicious, healthy, and colorful. You can even serve it as a tray with the bread surrounding the veggies. Kick off the New Year with some healthy foods like this!
Note: There is plenty of room to experiment! You can use Ciabatta, French sourdough baguette or whole-grain rolls. Use your favorite spread: pesto, mayonnaise or no spread at all!
Serves: 4 to 6
Here is a selection of vegetables:
1 small eggplant, thinly sliced into rounds
Handful asparagus, cut in halves
2 Portobello mushrooms, sliced
Handful cremini mushrooms, cut in quarters
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in sliced
1 medium red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, with skin
Handful Kalamata olives or green olives (optional)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Watercress (you can also use arugula or spinach)
Fresh Mozzarella (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F. In a large baking pan toss vegetables with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables, stirring occasionally, until tender and starting to brown, about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. Hollow out the center of each side of the bread. Brush sliced bread with a little oil, cover with a slice of mozzarella and toast. To assemble, spread both sides lightly with your choice of spread. Carefully lay roasted vegetables mixture and arrange watercress on bottom layer.
