Classic New Orleans Muffuletta

2 cups pimiento-stuffed

olives, rough chopped ½ cup Kalamata olives, rough

chopped

2 tablespoons capers, drained 3 anchovies, well-drained and

chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup celery, chopped

½ cup pickled banana peppers 2⁄3 cup olive oil, plus more as

needed

2 tablespoons fresh lemon

juice

½ cup chopped parsley,

optional

1 teaspoon dried oregano

leaves 1 round 8- or 10-inch Italian

bread loaf

2⁄3 pound sliced salami

2⁄3 pound sliced provolone

cheese

2⁄3 pound sliced mortadella

Instructions: Combine olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, celery, banana peppers, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and oregano in a bowl. Cover and chill 2-4 hours. If too dry, add a bit more olive oil and lemon juice and stir.

To assemble the sandwich, split the loaf of bread in half horizontally. If desired, remove some of the soft bread from inside the top and bottom.

Brush the inside of the bread with olive oil.

Stir salad to blend and spoon half onto the bottom bread round. Arrange the salami, provolone and then the mortadella over the salad. Spoon rest of salad over mortadella. Top with bread. Tightly wrap the big sandwich in plastic wrap and chill at least 45 minutes.

Remove plastic wrap and cut into wedges to serve chilled or at room temperature.

Makes 6-8 servings

From (New Orleans) TimesPicayune; nola.com

Greg Morago / Staff