Tuscan Pork Sandwich

This entrée sandwich comes together quickly, but do make the olive topping ahead of time to allow flavors to fully blend.

Recipe Ingredients:

6 boneless pork chops, 1/2-inch thick
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 cup pitted chopped oil-cured black olives (such as kalamata)
6 slices unpeeled eggplant, 1/4-inch thick
1 loaf crusty French or Italian bread, cut in half horizontally
1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, halved
4 (1-ounce) slices Fontina or Provolone cheese

Cooking Directions:

1. Prepare grill with medium-hot fire. Combine olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, garlic and rosemary in work bowl of food processor or blender; cover. Process until smooth and thickened, about 1 minute. Set aside 1/3 cup of mixture for basting chops and eggplant. Add olives to remaining mixture and reserve.
2. Brush chops with olive oil mixture (without olives). Grill chops 5 to 7 minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove to plate. Brush eggplant with same olive oil mixture. Grill 2 to 3 minutes per side or until just tender. Grill bread halves, cut side down, during last 1 to 2 minutes of grilling eggplant.
3. To assemble sandwich, spread reserved olive mixture evenly over bottom half of bread; top with eggplant and cheese slices. Thinly slice pork chops; layer over cheese and top with roasted pepper halves and top half of bread.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of National Pork Board.