Grilled Summer Vegetable Sandwich

Sometimes when I'm working out at the gym and Law and Order is over and I need something else to watch, I flip the mini flat-screen in front of my usual treadmill to the Food Network.  Last week Bobby Flay made an incredible looking Italian-inspired grilled vegetable sandwich, and I thought--such a simple idea, and something I haven't done all summer!

This recipe is simple in technique, but it's time consuming to grill everything properly.  I suppose you could take a short-cut by purchasing plain grilled veggies from the prepared foods section of the grocery store, but that's almost too easy.

--K, happy to be back in Pittsburgh

Here are some tips and the alterations I made to Bobby's recipe:

-The garlic mayo is totally key here.  I used Veganaise instead, but don't skimp on the garlic.
-I also spread some tears of fresh basil on top of the two mayo applications.
-I added a layer of grilled zucchini in addition to the grilled eggplant.
-Another key to a successful sandwhich is that you season every component very well with salt and pepper--lube them up with some olive oil and sprinkle seasonings generously before grilling.  Then everything will come together well at the end.
-I skipped the arugula because I didn't have any, but I added thin slices of tomato.
-I roasted a yellow pepper instead of red, which added a nice sweetness and also brightened the sandwich layers with a silky pop of color.
-Use a whole ciabatta as instructed and then once the sandwich is composed, slice it to make individual servings for your lucky friends.

Delicioso.