Hailee Catalano's Mean, Green Turkey Sandwich
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This turkey sandwich is a bit spicy, pleasantly crunchy and bound together with a delicious cilantro variation of [my] roasted garlic sunflower seed dip: a dairy-less dip! Soaked sunflower seeds blend into the creamiest, smoothest dip, with a texture similar to a hummus but without the chickpeas or tahini. (Substitute agave for the honey, and it’s vegan.)
The [sandwich’s] heat comes from lightly pickled jalapeños, which have a great vinegary tang while still remaining crisp and vibrant green. Thinly sliced cucumber and onions bring a fresh crunchiness that I find essential to a great sandwich. I use aged white cheddar here, but mild provolone or creamy havarti would be equally delicious. It’s a perfectly fresh and light sub for any occasion, but it’s especially lovely wrapped up and enjoyed at the beach. To make this come together even quicker, you can skip making the sunflower dip and substitute with an 8-ounce tub of roasted garlic hummus. It’s not an exact swap, but it’s definitely a suitable one!
Watch Hailee Catalano make the Mean, Green Turkey Sandwich.
Make the jalapeños: Mix the jalapeños, vinegar, kosher salt and sugar in a small bowl. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the sandwiches, at least 20 minutes. The jalapeños will not be totally submerged in the vinegar at first but will release liquid as they sit.
Meanwhile, make the spread: Heat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack positioned in the center.
Place the sunflower seeds in a small bowl and cover with about ½ inch of boiling water. Set aside to soak.
Place each head of garlic on a small sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil and wrap tightly. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 35 to 45 minutes, until very soft and lightly golden. Unwrap the garlic and let cool until it’s easy to handle, about 15 minutes.
Drain and discard the soaking liquid from the sunflower seeds, and transfer the seeds to a high-powered blender.
Squeeze in the cooled garlic cloves (discarding the skins). Add ½ cup olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, water, honey, a generous pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper. Blend on high until very smooth. Blend, blend, blend! Season with more salt and pepper.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat. In a separate bowl, prepare a large ice bath.
Season the boiling water with a generous amount of kosher salt. Add the cilantro, and blanch for 30 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to the ice bath to shock.
Squeeze out all the excess moisture in the cilantro, roughly chop it and transfer it to a high-powered blender along with the rest of the sunflower seed dip. Blend until the cilantro is fully blended into the dip and the mixture is very green.
Assemble the sandwiches: Spread 2 or 3 tablespoons of the dip on the bottom of each sub roll. Add the turkey and cheddar and then add a layer of cucumber, a layer of onion and a layer of pickled jalapeños to each sandwich.
Top each with a generous handful of sprouts, a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Sprinkle with flake salt and pepper. There will be more dip left, so feel free to also spread some on the other side of the bread, but I prefer just one side! (Save any leftover spread for dipping crackers, chips or raw veggies. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
Close the subs, cut each into halves or quarters and serve.
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