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The GREATEST ITALIAN SUB

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The GREATEST ITALIAN SUB

Wicked Kitchen's Italian Deli Sub (Vegan)

Ingredients

For the Capicola (Swede/Rutabaga):

  • Swede / Rutabaga

For the Pepperoni (Celery Root/Celeriac):

  • Celery Root / Celeriac

Spices for the Celeriac Pepperoni Marinade:

  • 3 TBS Beet Powder (or ¼ cup Beet juice)
  • 1 tsp chili flakes
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • ¾ tsp all spice

Toasted & Ground Spices for Celeriac Marinade:

  • 1 TBS fennel seed
  • 1 TBS white peppercorn
  • 1 TBS black Pepper

Other Ingredients for Celeriac Marinade:

  • 3 TBS chopped fresh oregano
  • 3 TBS chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 cup (230 ml) hot water
  • 3 TBS soy sauce

Spices for the Capicola (Swede) Marinade:

  • 1 tsp fennel
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ¾ tsp cloves
  • 2 dry Bay leaves
  • ¾ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp sugar

Other Ingredients for Capicola Marinade:

  • 1 cup (230 ml) pepperoncini juice (from sweet and tangy pickled green chili peppers)

Sandwich Assembly:

  • Tomato, sliced
  • Onion, sliced paper-thin and washed in cold water
  • Pickles (gherkins), diced
  • Hots (green chili peppers), diced
  • Wicked Kitchen sliced gouda cheese (or provolone)
  • Lettuce, sliced thin
  • French baguette
  • Oil & vinegar (optional, for topping)
  • Salt and pepper (for topping)

Instructions

Hot Boxing the Vegetables:

  1. Preheat oven to 180c / 350f.
  2. Lightly coat the swede/rutabaga and celery root/celeriac with oil (optional, for crisping the skin).
    • The oil is used for functional purposes, not as an ingredient.
  3. Place carrots on the bottom of a closed container for hot boxing.
    • This prevents the other vegetables from scorching.
  4. Add the celery root/celeriac and swede/rutabaga to the container on top of the carrots.
  5. Add potatoes to the leftover space (optional).
  6. Roast in the hot box at 180c / 350f for 1 hour, then check.
    • Cooking time may vary; the video took 90 minutes.
    • Cook until a skewer can pass through with slight resistance; they should be soft but firm, not squishy.
    • Remember there is carry-over cooking.
  7. Let the vegetables cool completely, preferably overnight.

Preparing the Celeriac Pepperoni Marinade:

  1. Combine beet powder, chili flakes, paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder, and allspice in a bowl.
  2. Toast fennel seeds, white peppercorns, and black peppercorns in a dry pan on the stovetop until fragrant and lightly browned.
    • Watch carefully to prevent burning.
  3. Grind the toasted spices using a mortar and pestle.
    • Place a towel under the mortar to reduce chatter and vibration.
  4. Add ¾ of the ground spice mixture to the bowl with the other spices (save the rest for the capicola marinade).
  5. Add fresh chopped oregano and thyme (about 3 TBS total) to the bowl.
  6. Mix in about 1 cup (230 ml) of hot water to loosen the mixture and draw out the flavors.
  7. Add 3 TBS of soy sauce for saltiness and color.

Preparing the Capicola (Swede) Marinade:

  1. Combine 1 tsp fennel, 1 tsp black pepper, ¾ tsp cloves, 2 dry bay leaves, ¾ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp sugar in a mortar and pestle.
    • Grind to combine
  2. Add the ground spice mixture to a bowl.
  3. Add 1 cup (230 ml) of pepperoncini juice (from pickled green chili peppers).
    • Mix well to combine.

Slicing and Marinating:

  1. Peel a thin layer of skin off the cooled swede/rutabaga and celery root/celeriac.
  2. Carefully slice each vegetable thinly using a mandolin.
    • Use caution when using a mandolin.
  3. Place the sliced celery root/celeriac in a container and add the pepperoni marinade.
    • Toss gently to ensure each slice is coated.
  4. Place the sliced swede/rutabaga in a separate container and add the capicola marinade.
    • Toss gently to ensure each slice is coated.
  5. Marinate both vegetables for at least 1 hour.

Sandwich Prep:

  1. Slice tomatoes.
  2. Slice onions paper-thin using a mandolin.
    • Rinse the sliced onions in super cold water.
  3. Dice pickles (gherkins) and hots (green chili peppers).
  4. Slice Wicked Kitchen gouda cheese (or provolone).
  5. Shred lettuce.
  6. Remove the marinated vegetable slices from the marinade and arrange them on a sheet pan to dry slightly.

Assembling the Sandwich:

  1. Slice the French baguette.
  2. Fold the capicola (swede/rutabaga) slices and add them to the bread.
  3. Fold the celeriac pepperoni slices and add them to the bread.
  4. Add cheese slices.
  5. Add sliced tomato, onions, diced pickles, and diced hots.
  6. Drizzle with oil and vinegar (optional).
  7. Season with salt and pepper.

Finishing & Serving:

  1. (Optional) Toast in oven preheated to 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.
  2. Wrap the sandwich tightly in parchment paper.
  3. Slice in half and serve.
    • This helps to contain and compact the sandwich for a restaurant-style presentation and makes it easier to eat.
  4. This recipe makes 4 oversized subs, enough for 8 portions.

Video Description

In this episode we're mastering a Wicked Kitchen original in this GREATEST ITALIAN Deli Sub, Grinder, Hoagie or Sandwich made completely from vegetables, episode. Whatever you want to call it, this is awesome! Made with inexpensive and underrated, Root Vegetables. This is next level. Especially if you want to create whole food, plant based, no oil (OPTIONAL), recipes. Soy free, animal free, dairy free and can easily be gluten free -- if you switch out the bread

Make sure to watch the full recipe to see the detailed steps. If you don’t want to hear me babbling check out the ASMR version with no talking. I prefer that one myself.

Capicola: Swede / Rutabaga cost less than £1

Swede or 'Rutabaga' for our North American friends is a cross between a cabbage and a turnip. It’s slightly sweet and earth tone flavoured with a texture similar to potato but without the starch. Swede is a great source of fiber, vitamin C and potassium and rich in nutrients

Pepperoni: Celery Root / Celeriac: cost less than £1.75

Celery root, also called 'Celeriac', is a round, gnarly, knobby root vegetable with light brown, rough outer skin and a creamy-white, aromatic flesh inside. It is part of the celery family. The flavor is similar to that of celery, but with a slightly sweeter and more intense taste. Celery root is a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, particularly vitamin C, vitamin K, phosphorus, and potassium. It is also relatively low in calories and carbohydrates,

Preheat the oven to 180c / 350 f

Any Oil used is for functional use to rub the veg outer skin or clean the pans and supports optimum cooking quality. It’ll help crisp the skin and seal in the natural juices it’s NOT used or listed as an ingredient in this dish. #wfpbno

Hot box is cooking in a closed container under high heat in the oven. Carrots go on the bottom to help keep the rest of the ingredients from touching and scorching on one side. I added potatoes to the leftover space, cause, why not?!

Roast in Hot Box, in oven set at 108c / 350f for 1 hour then check. Times may vary. This took 90 minutes in the video - cook until a skewer can pass through. We’re looking for a soft firm texture not squishy or fall apart – keep in mind there is carry over cooking. That’s when it’ll continue to cook itself after pulling out of the oven.

It's best to let the veg cool overnight.

Next morning: Get the mis en place together.

Wash and clean herbs. Handful of fresh Oregano & Thyme

Spices For the Celeriac Pepperoni:

- 3 TBS Beet Powder – you can use ¼ cup of Beet juice here as well.

- 1 tsp chili flakes

- 1 tsp paprika

- 1 tsp garlic powder

- 1 tsp mustard powder

- ¾ tsp all spice

To toast and grind

- 1 TBS fennel seed

- 1 TBS white peppercorn

- 1 TBS black Pepper

Toast on stovetop and grind. Add ¾ mixture for this marinade. MAKE SURE TO SAVE THE EXTRA FOR THE NEXT MARINADE

Add in fresh chopped oregano and thyme about 3 TBS in total –

Mix with about a cup of hot water, that’s about 230 ml

Add 3 TBS soy sauce. This will be the salt and will help with deepening the color to be a darker red.

Peel thin layer of skin off each root

Carefully slice thin with a mandolin. Slice each vegetable chub (chubs are what we called loafs of meat in the deli).

Once sliced add the marinade and make sure each slice is coated with the flavour to penetrate to do this I’ll use a couple containers to gently toss and cover to store,

FOR THE CAPICOLA - SWEDE marinade

- Grind with the 1 TBS or so of fennel and pepper if you have left over

In total, use:

- 1 tsp fennel

- 1 tsp black pepper

- ¾ tsp cloves

- 2 dry Bay leaves

- 3/4 tsp cinnamon

- ½ tsp nutmeg

- 1 tsp kosher salt

- 1 tsp of sugar

And for the liquid about 1 cup /230 ml of pepperoncini juice /. Juice from sweet and tangy, pickled green chili peppers. Mix well and add to the sliced swede and coat evenly.

Set aside to marinate for at least an hour.

Sandwich prep – mise en place

Slice tomato

Slice Paper thin onions and wash under wicked cold water

Dice pickles

Dice hots, or green chili pepper pickles

Wicked Kitchen sliced ghouda – I didn’t have provolone

Lettuce, sliced thin

French baguette

-

Assemble cold cuts on a sheet pan to dry off a bit

Make the sandwiches:

Slice bread

Fold capicola Swede and add

Fold celeriac pepperoni and add

Cheese

Tomato

Onion

Pickles

Hots

Oil & vinegar

Salt and pepper

To slice and to make it feel authentic, wrap in parchment paper first. Slice and serve

This helps contain and compact for that restaurant style and it’s the best way to save for later or take on a trip.

This recipe shown will make 4 huge oversized subs fully loaded enough for 8 portions/people

Here's the Wicked site with all the info on where to find Wicked products with a map locator and everything. https://wickedkitchen.com/

If you want to work with me: hit me up on my brand new site:

https://dereksarno.com/

THANK YOU,

Derek

#wickedkitchen #veganchef #vegan #deli #wfpb #oilfree