Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with Broccoli Sprouts and Hummus
It's a Process, But It's Worth It
I have made this sandwich on and off for years, but I was recently inspired to post this recipe, because the executive chef where I work ran a similar special. It looked delicious, however, the flatbread used was not vegan. Alas, my excitement dwindled as I would not be having a panini that day, just a salad like usual. My elation only abated more as none of our guests decided to sample our vegetarian option. Though our seemingly carnivorous guests did not care for it, I know that there are plenty of other people out there who would. The world is going vegan, after all, and many times that requires us to learn new techniques and try different ideas. I mean, 'cause vegans don't just eat salads every meal right? Right.
Disclaimer - this is not a simple recipe. However, it is well worth the effort you will put into it. The caramelized onions take the longest out of everything, but it is mostly a hands off task. If you ever have a day when you're spending a lot of time in the kitchen, it would be a good idea to just whip these up while you're in there. That way it's not taking extra time out of your day. If you don't know how to make them, I have an easy to follow step-by-step guide on how to do it here. Roasting the red bell peppers is also a bit time consuming, but I believe in doing it myself. I enjoy the process, though I know not everyone does, but it is really not so bad when you do a large batch all at once. I just keep a big jar of them in the fridge and use them as needed. You can buy them already prepared at the store, but they are expensive if you ask me and there are usually preservatives in them which I like to avoid at all costs. If nothing else, this is a good technique to learn to develop your cooking knowledge, so let's just use that as motivation.
The remaining components are easy and quick to prepare. A good tip is to make extra amounts of each ingredient and use them to create different recipes. I used the leftover veggies to create Mediterranean bowls for myself, which were out of this world! Of course you could use them with pasta, to make a pizza or casserole, etc. Experiment and have fun with it!
Preparing the Sandwich
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How to Roast a Red Bell Pepper
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How to Prepare the Eggplant
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Ingredients
- 4 red bell peppers, rinsed, whole
- 1-2 eggplants, 1/2 inch slice
- 3-4 yellow onions, 1/4 inch slice
- 10-12 portabella mushrooms, stem and gills removed, 1/2 inch slice
- 1-2 tablespoons chablis or riesling
- 3-4 zucchini, 1/4 inch slice
- 1 loaf bread or pita, of your choosing
- 1 container hummus, of your choosing
- 1 container sprouts, of your choosing
- To taste salt and pepper
Instructions
- Caramelize the onions according to the recipe above.
- Roast the bell peppers according to the instructions above. Then set them aside to cool until the remaining ingredients are prepared.
- Bake the eggplant according to the instructions above. Set aside.
- Prepare the portabellas by wiping them with a dry cloth to remove any dirt. Then remove the stems and scoop out the gills with a spoon. As you slice them into 1/2 inch slices, heat a pan over medium-high heat, add the oil, and toss in the mushrooms. Do not stir them! Let them sear for about a minute and toss in the wine and then the garlic, salt, and pepper. Let them cook for about 7-10 minutes or until they are completely tender. Set aside.
- Slice the zucchini using a mandoline for even slicing, and arrange them onto an oiled sheet pan. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and bake at 375° for about 6-8 minutes. They should still have bite to them when they are removed from the oven because they will continue to cook afterwards. Set aside.
- At this point the red bell peppers should be cool enough for you to remove all the seeds, stems, and skins from them. Place them aside.
- The caramelized onions should be about complete at this point. Don't forget to deglaze one final time before removing them from the pan.
- Prepare your sandwiches by layering all the ingredients as you wish. I started with a layer of hummus, sprouts on one half and portabellas and onions on the other, then all the flat laying vegetables in between. Serve with alongside sliced cucumbers and kalamata olives.
© 2019 Melanie
