Recipe: Sausage and Pepper Grinders with Hot Pepper Jelly and Pickled Shallots

SAUSAGE AND PEPPER GRINDERS WITH HOT PEPPER JELLY

"This was a really easy, make-your-own-sandwich lunch that I served at the brewhouse," Cathy Erway says of her "tummy-filling and crowd-pleasing"creation, which borrows its yin and yang of warm, fatty sausages and crispy, cooling vegetables from the Vietnamese sandwich called a banh mi."

FOR THE PICKLED SHALLOTS:
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp warm water
1 shallot, thinly sliced

FOR THE SANDWICHES:
3 fresh bratwursts
3 to 4 small cucumbers, such as Persian or Kirby
6 hoagie rolls, split
Baby lettuces, for topping
Hot pepper jelly, for serving
Coarse-grain mustard, for serving (optional)

TO MAKE THE PICKLED SHALLOTS:
In a large Mason jar, stir together the sugar and salt with the vinegar and water until dissolved. Add the shallot slices, cover, and chill to quick-pickle while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. (Pickled shallots will last up to one week refrigerated.)

TO MAKE THE SANDWICHES:
Place a heavy-bottomed, preferably cast-iron pan over medium heat and brown the bratwursts, turning occasionally, until fully cooked and firm, about 5 minutes (depending on the width of the sausages). Remove from pan and let cool a few minutes. Slice on the bias into1- or 1 1/2-inch pieces.

Trim the stems from the cucumbers and cut on the bias into 1 or 1 1/2-inch pieces. Assemble the grinders by placing alternating pieces of sausage and cucumber on the hoagie rolls and top with the pickled shallots, lettuces, hot pepper jelly, and mustard.

Makes 6 sandwiches
Source: Edible Brooklyn: The Cookbook by Rachel Wharton