Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Lobster? Foie gras? You call these hoagies?

This article was originally published in the Philadelphia Inquirer on Aug. 21, 2003

This article was originally published in the Philadelphia Inquirer on Aug. 21, 2003.

Hoagie lovers united - and won.

With the ban on bringing Philadelphia's hero sandwich and other food into Lincoln Financial Field rescinded, fans attending the Eagles' preseason opener at the new stadium tomorrow night are free to enjoy their favorites field-side.

To help fans make the most of this opportunity - and take their at-home noshing to a new level - we asked three top local chefs what kind of hoagie-style sandwich they'd make for themselves and friends when headed to an Eagles game or other sporting event.

The participating chefs:

Joe Brown, chef/owner of Melange Cafe in Cherry Hill, whose New Orleans version of a hoagie - his Muffuletta - is on the cafe's lunch menu, paired with Cajun fries. (See recipe: Joe Brown's Muffuletta Hoagie.)

Gene Betz, executive chef at the Saloon in South Philadelphia, who chose a Lobster Hoagie reminiscent of the New England lobster rolls he enjoyed growing up in Connecticut. (See recipe: Gene Betz's Lobster Hoagie.)

Master chef Georges Perrier, chef/owner of Le Bec-Fin and Brasserie Perrier in Center City and Le Mas Perrier in Wayne. His Hoagie Francais comes luxuriously (if optionally) with sliced cured foie gras. (See recipe: Georges Perrier's Hoagie Francais.)

Making sandwiches to go to Veterans Stadium was in Betz's playbook for ages. "My boss had Eagles season tickets for about 35 years," said the chef, who occasionally used those tickets himself.

"We brought all kinds of sandwiches to the Vet and we'd go tailgating, eating ribs and such. You could always find someone to party with down there."

Brown, who played football on a Police Athletic League team while growing up in Willingboro 30 years ago, spends his time out of the kitchen coaching the Vikings, his son Jordan's team in the Gibbsboro-Voorhees Athletic Association.

It's the third year for both the chef and 8-year-old Jordan, who at 90 pounds has a line position, Brown said while making his sandwich in the family's sunny, white-tiled kitchen overlooking the wooded lot at their Voorhees home.

Perrier's view of the American sport differs from that of his culinary cohorts.

"I am sitting with the owner, Jeffrey Lurie, so I don't have to bring food," Perrier explained as he prepared the pickled onions and cured foie gras for his hoagie in his home kitchen in Haverford. The luxurious kitchen is outfitted with Gaggenau and Viking ovens, a six-burner stovetop, pullout pantry cupboards and has mixed formal and country French decor that includes candelabra on the thick glass-and-granite-topped snack bar/work counter.

When the Eagles imposed their ban on carrying food into the Linc last month - claiming it posed a security risk, threatening fans' safety - Philly food and football fans were fed up.

The three-week furor ended with team president Joe Banner dropping the no-food rule on July 31. Fans toting food, however, will be directed to "inspection gates."

Granted, as good as they are, our chefs' gourmet hoagies won't appeal to every sports fan. Many a Joe Sixpack will no doubt stick to his traditional Italian hoagie from Lee's or some other favorite shop.

But all three of our chefs' choices provide new taste combinations and some touches that may be applied to other dishes.

Perrier's fresh-cured foie gras and Brown's olive salad spread, for instance, make excellent toppings for bruschetta appetizers. The pickled and caramelized onions can be used as condiments with meats and other foods. And Betz's idea of using oven-dried plum tomatoes is a good way to concentrate tomato flavor for any sandwich or entree.

If you do tote your own food to your $55-and-up seats at the Linc, remember to wrap everything in clear plastic (sandwich bags are recommended).

Joe Brown's Muffuletta Hoagie As published in the Inquirer on Aug. 21, 2003

Makes 2 sandwiches (2 to 4 servings)

1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed manzanilla olives (see note)

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

1/8 cup chopped red onion

4 to 6 fresh basil leaves

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1-1/2 teaspoons prepared grated horseradish

2 or 3 cloves garlic

1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Dash of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

Oregano to taste (optional)

2 round (6- to 7-inch) Italian or French rolls

6 slices spicy Italian ham

6 slices provolone cheese

6 slices hard salami

2 to 3 ounces shredded lettuce

6 slices tomato (1 small)

1. In a food processor or blender, combine the olives, onion, basil, lemon juice, horseradish, garlic, mustard, and Worcestershire and pepper sauces. Pulse (quickly turn the machine on and off) to chop.

2. With the machine running, add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Blend to a coarse spread. Transfer to a bowl and add the salt, pepper and, if desired, oregano. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 to 24 hours.

3. To serve, slice the rolls horizontally and drizzle remaining tablespoon of oil inside the rolls. Spread each roll, one or both halves, with a thick layer of the olive spread. (Leftover spread tastes great on bruschetta.)

4. Assemble sandwiches by layering half of the ham, cheese, salami, lettuce and tomato on the bottom half of each roll. Cover with the top half of the roll and press lightly.

5. Cut each sandwich in half, then in quarters. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Keep cold until time to serve.

Note: Manzanillas are small green Spanish olives. They are sold in the condiment aisle at most supermarkets.

- From Joe Brown, chef/owner, Melange Cafe, Cherry Hill

Per serving, based on 4 servings: 585 calories, 27 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams sugar, 38 grams fat, 70 milligrams cholesterol, 2,304 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.

Gene Betz's Lobster Hoagie

As published in the Inquirer on Aug. 21, 2003

Makes 1 large sandwich (2 to 4 servings)1 pound steamed lobster meat, cut into bite-size pieces (see note)

6 tablespoons Roasted Garlic Aioli (recipe below)

Pinch of fresh herbs (parsley, thyme or tarragon)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 (24-inch) French baguette, split

1/4 cup Boursin cheese

4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta (Italian cured bacon)

4 shallots, sliced

1 teaspoon grapeseed oil

10 slices oven-dried plum tomatoes (see note)

4 ounces mache (delicate dark leafy greens)

1. Mix the lobster meat, aioli, herbs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Refrigerate.

2. Warm the baguette in a hot oven.

3. Spread the Boursin on the baguette.

4. Grill or fry the pancetta for 2 minutes per side and layer it over the cheese. Spread lobster mixture over pancetta.

5. In a hot skillet, saute the shallots in the oil, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

6. Top the sandwich with the shallots, dried tomatoes, mache and top half of baguette. Slice, wrap in plastic, and chill until time to serve.

- From Gene Betz, executive chef, The Saloon, PhiladelphiaNote: To prepare the lobster meat, steam a live 2-pound lobster or two 1-pound lobsters or four 4-ounce lobster tails. (As a less expensive alternative, substitute a lobster-flavored processed seafood product or cooked monkfish.)

For oven-dried tomatoes, place the peeled, seeded halves of 5 ripe plum tomatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with fresh or dried thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Roast at 175 degrees until dry but still soft, about 3 hours.

Per serving, based on 4 servings: 669 calories, 39 grams protein, 44 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams sugar, 38 grams fat, 181 milligrams cholesterol, 1,198 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.

Roasted Garlic Aioli

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 large head garlic

2 tablespoons plus 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar or lemon juice

1. Slice off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves. Place head on a sheet of aluminum foil in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with the foil and roast in a preheated 500-degree oven until garlic is very soft, 30 to 40 minutes. (Or roast in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour.)

2. Remove garlic from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Squeeze the pulp from the cloves and set it aside.

3. In a food processor or blender, process the egg yolks, vinegar and garlic pulp, adding remaining cup of oil in a slow stream, until a thick, mayonnaiselike emulsion forms.

4. Use as a spread or as directed in recipes.

Per tablespoon: 90 calories, 0.4 gram protein, 0.6 gram carbohydrates, no sugar, 10 grams fat, 27 milligrams cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium, no dietary fiber.

Georges Perrier's Hoagie Francais

As published in the Inquirer on Aug. 21, 2003

Makes 1 large sandwich (2 or 3 servings)1 cup sherry vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

Salt

1 small Spanish onion, sliced into thin rings

1/2 cup kosher (coarse) salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 pound fresh raw foie gras (optional; see note)

2 tablespoons freshly cracked black peppercorns

1 (20- to 24-inch) French baguette

6 tablespoons Pommery or other whole-grain mustard

1/2 pound thinly sliced jambon de francais (French ham; see note)

1/2 pound thinly sliced Gruyere cheese

1/4 pound saucisson (French salami; see note)

1/2 head frisee (curly endive), rinsed and dried (about 6 ounces)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 heirloom tomato, thinly sliced

2 hard-cooked eggs, thinly sliced

1. The day before serving, pickle the onions: Mix the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Put the onions in a bowl and cover with the hot liquid. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

2. Cure the foie gras: Mix the kosher salt and cayenne. Coat foie gras with salt mixture and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. Rinse off the salt and pat dry. Coat foie gras with the black pepper and refrigerate.

4. To assemble: Split the baguette and spread with the mustard. Layer the ham, Gruyere and salami on the bottom half. In a bowl, toss the frisee with the oil and a pinch of salt. Add the frisee, tomatoes and pickled onions to the sandwich. Top with thin slices of the cured foie gras and the eggs. (To make cutting the foie gras into smooth slices easier, place it in the freezer about 30 minutes before assembling sandwich. Slice with a sharp knife blade heated in boiling water.)

5. Drizzle a little of the pickling juice into the bread, close the sandwich, press lightly, and cut into portions as desired.

- From Georges Perrier, chef/owner of Le Bec-Fin, PhiladelphiaNote: French duck foie gras (flash frozen, $30 a pound) is sold at the Caviar Assouline shops at Liberty Place, 17th and Chestnut (215-972-1616), and at the Reading Terminal Market, 12th and Arch (215-629-9200). Fresh North American duck foie gras (1.5 pounds, $76 plus shipping) may be ordered from D'Artagnan, 280 Wilson Ave., Newark, N.J. (1-800-327-8246).

Jambon de francais ($10.99 a pound) and saucisson (10-ounce roll, $10.99) are sold at DiBruno Bros., 930 S. Ninth St. (215-922-2876) and 109 S. 18th St. (215-665-9220) or online at www.dibruno.com.

Per serving (based on 3 servings): 1,204 calories, 71 grams protein, 97 grams carbohydrates, 41 grams sugar, 60 grams fat, 527 milligrams cholesterol, 7,820 milligrams sodium, 5 milligrams fiber.