Olive salad for muffuletta sandwich
Contents:
pimento-stuffed green olives
kalamata olives
giardiniera (pickled carrots, celery, cauliflower, celery root, cucumber, pearl onions)
roasted red bell peppers
pickled onions
pickled pepperoncini
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
I picked up 10 to 11-ounce jars of both pimento-stuffed green and kalamata olives, and a 20-ounce jar of giardiniera. The rest of the ingredients I already had in the fridge. Using my creative instincts, I just "eyeballed" the amounts. More of the olives (in equal amounts) in ratio to everything else. I felt that the rest of the stuff should just compliment the olive salad anyway. Please note that ingredients were drained; none of that pickling liquid was used.
I smashed the olives with the broad side of a knife and rough-chopped everything else (especially the giardiniera since the vegs were larger). As most of the vegs were already soaking in sugar, white wine vinegar and salt, I didn't add anymore of that stuff, just a splash of balsamic vinegar and extra olive oil to get that seasoned liquid to brush the muffuletta halves.
In retrospect I should have added a little sugar to sweeten it up a bit. With the salty flavors of the italian deli meats and cheese, the sandwich leaned heavy on the sodium side with that olive salad sitting on top of it all. I'm glad that I chose to omit the capers!