Cooking With Clarion River Organics : Not your Mother's Hoagie

"The CRO" hoagie

I think you have to be from this region to know the term "hoagie". When I used this word with my Philadelphia friends when I was in college (long ago!) they didn't know what I was talking about. A "hoagie" (in case you don't know) is any sandwich on a long roll. It's what people in other geographic areas call a "submarine sandwich" or simply a "sub" and is sometimes also called a "hero". There is a national fast food chain called "Subway" so I'm pretty sure that "sub" must be the actual name of this type of sandwich that most people are familiar with. Otherwise, they would have called their restaurant "Hoagieway".

Anyway, the inspiration for this hoagie recipe came from a salad recipe I recently saw in Vegetarian Times magazine. This is not the hoagie that I used to eat forty years ago when my family ordered takeout from the local pizza shop. That hoagie was called "The Italian" and had some sort of mystery meat, tasteless tomatoes, mushy cheese, and soggy, shredded head lettuce. I'll call this hoagie "The CRO" since I have totally remade the whole concept of a hoagie using many of the recent vegetables in our boxes. Really only the roll is the same. Enjoy!

"The CRO"
Serves 4

4 "hoagie" rolls (or whatever name you use for sandwich rolls)
1 small avocado, pit and outer skin removed
2 Tbs tarragon leaves (strip from the stalk)
1/4 cup chopped (easier to snip with scissors) chives, plus 2 Tbs for garnish
juice of a large lemon
1 tsp agave nectar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 collard green leaves, center stalk removed and leaves chopped into small pieces
4 small CRO potatoes
12 stalks CRO asparagus
4 CRO radishes

First make the avocado "mayonnaise". Since there is no egg in this, it is not technically a mayonnaise, but that is what I call it since it has the consistency of mayonnaise and is to be used as a sandwich spread. Place the avocado, 1/4 cup chives, tarragon leaves, lemon juice, agave nectar, and garlic in a blender or food processor. How much you chop these up first really depends on how powerful your machine is. Since I have a Vitamix (just saying), I don't really have to chop anything at all except maybe to cut the chive stalks up a little. If your machine is not particularly powerful you will want to chop up the ingredients a bit first. Process/blend until smooth. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow steady stream and process/blend until emulsified. Remove from blender/processor into a dish, stir in salt and pepper, cover and chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and carefully drop in potatoes so as not to splatter the boiling water. Boil approximately 10 minutes. While potatoes are boiling fill a large bowl with ice water (you'll see why). When potatoes are just fork tender remove them with a slotted spoon and place in the ice water (don't skip this step - it does make a difference - you don't want to end up with mushy potatoes that can't be sliced). Drop asparagus in the boiling water and boil 1 minute. Remove the asparagus with tongs to the ice water (again - do not skip this step - it's worth it to have bright green crisp tender asparagus).

When potatoes and asparagus have cooled, slice them - the potatoes into thin rounds and the asparagus into 1-inch pieces.

Now assemble your hoagies (see photos below): Slice open each roll and spread about 2 tbs of the avocado mayo on each. Next top the bread with some of the chopped collards. Layer the potato slices and asparagus pieces over this. Finally, top with radish slices, some additional chopped chives, and salt and pepper. Close the sandwich and voila! You have an updated take on an old fashioned sandwich - it's "The CRO" hoagie!