Sloppy Joes Two Ways: Meat and Meatless

Since we have a pescatarian and a meateater in our two person household, dinner is sometimes a challenge. I had my heart set on making my husband sloppy joes using ground turkey – a less fatty version.  But what to cook for myself? Well, I wanted a good old sloppy sandwich as well. I made my sloppy joe with tofu.  Don’t you dare cringe! It was super and I entered both in the Mezzetta Make That Sandwich Contest 2009. Yes…this was my 2nd and 3rd entry.

The Turkey Sloppy Joe – Ted style, Serves 4

• 1 lb ground lean turkey (use lean then you don’t have to drain any fat)
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1/2 onion, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup Red wine
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 TBS chopped Mezzetta Calamata Olives
• 1 TBS Mezzetta Deli-Sliced Golden Greek Peperoncini
• 1/2 can Red Kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
• 1 Jar (25 oz) Napa Valley Bistro Puttanesca Sauce
• 1 to 2 TBS grated Parmesan Romano cheese (optional)
• 8 slices of Crusty, Thick Sliced Italian Bread, Toasted and buttered. (I used fresh unsliced from Napoli’s Bakery on Culver – YUM!)

Add olive oil to pan on medium high heat. When heated, add turkey and cook on medium high heat about 5 minutes. Add onion slices and continue to cook 5 minutes.  Add wine and deglace any stuck pieces from the bottom of the pan – cook about 1 minute. Add garlic, olives, peperoncini. Cook 2 minutes. Add beans and Puttanesca.  Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 20 – 30 minutes to let flavors meld.  Serve over the toasted bread, sprinkled with cheese.

The Tofu Sloppy Joe – Joanne Style, serves 4

• 14 oz Lite Firm Tofu, drained and pat dry.
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1/2 onion, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup Red wine
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 TBS chopped Mezzetta Calamata Olives
• 1 TBS Mezzetta Deli-Sliced Golden Greek Peperoncini
• 1/2 can Red Kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
• 1 Jar (25 oz) Napa Valley Bistro Puttanesca Sauce
• 1 to 2 TBS grated Parmesan Romano cheese (optional)
• 8 slices of Crusty, Thick Sliced Italian Bread, Toasted and buttered(optional). 

Slice the drained and dried tofu into 3 slices then dice. Pat dry again with clean paper towel.  Put in saute pan with 1 TBS of olive oil and cook on medium high heat about 5 minutes. Add onion slices and continue to cook 5 minutes.  Add wine and deglace any stuck pieces from the bottom of the pan – cook about 1 minute. Add garlic, olives, peperoncini. Cook 2 minutes. Add beans and Puttanesca.  Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes to let flavors meld.  Serve over the toasted bread, sprinkled with cheese.

Either way you like your “Joe”, this one is a winner. Enjoy!