Warning!  If you’re a club sandwich lover, you may never go back to the plain stacked deli turkey and iceberg lettuce version.  My Smoked Paprika Turkey Club with Roasted Red Pepper will ruin you forever for the standard diner sandwich you once loved so dearly.

I feel just a little bit like Emeril as I expound upon the amazing-ness of this “kicked up” version; but trust me – one bite and you’ll never go back.  The combination of the warm, juicy turkey, smoky bacon, rustic smoked paprika,  and savory red peppers is simply to die for. 

Since the possibility is most definitely there to travel to the nutritional dark-side with this sandwich, I’ve made an effort to use nutrient dense ingredients where possible.  Dark, leafy romaine and spinach are both packed with vitamins and minerals - and are far better choices than traditional iceberg lettuce which is nearly devoid of any nutritional value.   Fresh, whole turkey breast is a far cry from the processed scary stuff found at the deli.  A whole grain baguette replaces the standard barely-there wheat found on most club sandwiches, and roasted red peppers bring vitamins A, C, and lycopene.   Sadly, I haven’t yet found any way other than pure culinary delight to justify the crunchy bacon :)  If you object too heartily, feel free to omit it.  The sandwich will still be delicious!

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup lite mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 pound turkey cutlets, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• 1 pound bacon – cooked
• 2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings or canola oil
• 8 large romaine leaves, rinsed and dried – or fresh spinach
• 1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers cut into long slices
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 whole grain baguettes, cut into 8 equal pieces, sliced length-wise

Instructions

1. Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, and smoked paprika.
2. Slice the pounded turkey cutlets into long strips that match the width of the baguette.
3. In a large fry pan, heat the bacon drippings over medium heat.
4. While pan is heating, lightly spread a layer of the paprika-spiked mayonnaise over each cutlet.
5. Salt and pepper each cutlet to taste.
6. Saute each cutlet until the turkey is no longer pink inside – about 4 minutes. Blot well with paper towel to remove excess oil.
7. While turkey is cooking, scoop some of the bread from the center of each baguette piece to make room for the filling ingredients.
8. Spread one side of each baguette pair with remaining mayonnaise.
9. On top of mayonnaise coated baguette, layer lettuce, turkey cutlets, red pepper slices, and bacon. 
10. Top with second baguette slice. 

This recipe is adapted from Epicurious.

This post is linked to Hearth and Soul Hop-volume 37! and Tasty Tuesdays at 33 Shades of Green, Friday Potluck at Ekat’s Kitchen, Mangoes and Chutney’s Fat Camp Friday

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Tagged as: easy, minerals, recipe, roasted red pepper, sandwich, smoked paprika, spinach, turkey, vitamins