Hat Trick Hero Sandwich

“I'm Jenn -- ever changing, learning, and exploring, but always “double NN” Jenn. I'm 38 and am the mother of two card-carrying hambones, my daughters: the princess (9) and the punk rocker (5). My past careers have been varied ~ I worked for the Candid Camera TV show, owned a home furnishings/Country Store for 8 years, and was a pastry chef with a successful business specializing in sculpted, "Ace of Cakes"-style cakes. I put the business on the back burner when it became clear that the hours weren't conducive to being the type of mom I wanted to be. So now I'm pouring all my creative energies into my children, friends and community. My blog, Rook No. 17 is a vehicle to expand my "community" and share my discoveries, creative endeavors, inspirations, and joyful findings. I feature crafts, recipes, chocolatiering, and other ways to celebrate life artistically. My husband, the girls and I make our home in the small town where I grew up, nestled amidst the fog and pines along the Monterey Bay, about 2 hours South of San Francisco. We live in a quirky and charming 1800s Victorian and have two little spunky dogs and a giagantic cat (that thinks he’s a dog too).

You can visit Rook No. 17 and chat with me here:

http://www.rookno17.blogspot.com/”

If you're fond of summer barbecuing, and often have leftover steaks, briskets, or tri-tips, you'll want to add this quick and easy recipe to your repertoire.

It's been exciting to see the way the world has been swept up in World Cup Fever. Despite the fact that it's a competition, it seems to have had an overall unifying influence on fans around the globe. My husband has enjoyed following the games, as well as the camaraderie it's rousted up amongst his friends.

Yesterday, I couldn't help but be drawn in to the game between the US and Ghana. I decided to whip up a quick lunch, and join my husband in cheering on the US. The US may have lost the game (Grrrr....), but we came out feeling we had gained something ~ a new appreciation for this worldwide sport, and a new sandwich to enjoy and to share.

This tasty concoction featured smoked brisket, sharp cheddar cheese, fresh arugula, and a garlic-pesto aioli on a toasted ciabatta roll. I'm calling it the Hat Trick Hero (taking a little licence since it's not actually on a Hero roll). For those not familiar with soccer (or, as most of the rest of the world calls it, Football, or Futbol), a Hat Trick is when a player scores three or more goals in a game. In this sandwich creation, the "player", the brisket, scores big flavor with the spicy and citrusy aioli, the freshness and bite of the arugula, and the richness of the cheddar cheese.

Here's how to create your own

Hat Trick Hero

--Sliced brisket, steak, or tri-tip

(lately we've been enjoying the Sadler's Smokehouse Pit-Smoked Brisket from Costco. It comes already cooked and sliced, so you can reheat a few slices whenever you see fit)

--Ciabatta or other soft sandwich roll (I used the Trader Joe's Michette Rolls)

--Fresh Arugula

--Sliced Sharp Cheddar Cheese

--Garlic-Pesto Aioli (recipe below)

1. Heat the brisket or other meat until just warm.


2. Split and toast the rolls.


3. Spread both sides, generously, with Aioli


4. Top bottom half of each roll with a portion of meat


5. Top the meat with a slice of sharp cheddar


6. Broil for a few minutes to melt cheese, until bubbly and lightly browned


7. Remove from broiler and add a handful of arugula


8. Complete the sandwich by adding the top half of the roll

Serve with a good beer and kettle-cooked chips.

Quick Garlic-Pesto Aioli

5 TB mayonaise

1 tsp pesto

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 small garlic clove


Place all ingredients in a mini food-prep, food processor, or blender and process until smooth.