Skip to main content

Brie and Tomato Panini

This is a simple and delicious version of the classic grilled cheese sandwich. The Brie melts readily and is so flavorful. Dorie Greenspan inspired the use of mayo instead of butter on panini-facing slices of bread. A genius idea, which makes a most flavorful crust and is much easier to implement. An addition that could improve this sandwich might be layering drained sauerkraut in the middle of the sandwich!



4 slices finest/favorite bread

6 Tbsp mayo

1 heaping Tbsp prepared horseradish

2 palmful fresh baby spinach leaves

1/4 lb Brie cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 large ripe tomato, thickly sliced

Dash garlic powder


Heat a panini press.


Spread one tablespoon mayonnaise on 2 slices of bread. Pile half the spinach on each slice.


Paint the other two slices of bread with the horseradish, evenly. Place half the cheese on the horseradish spread and top the cheese with 2-3 slices tomato. Season tomatoes with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. 

Fold the two dressed slices of bread together.


Brush the top side of each sandwich with one tablespoon of mayo using a pastry brush. Lay the sandwiches, mayo-side down on the hot panini press. Now brush the remaining mayo evenly on the second half of each sandwich. Close panini press and cook just until the cheese oozes out and is melted, and the bread surfaces are nicely browned.


Slice and serve.


Makes 2 panini sandwiches, and recipe can easily be doubled or tripled easily.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs.  Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have.  Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade.   Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat...

Rosemary Chimichurri

I am making this fresh aromatic condiment more and more often. It can be used as a topping for grilled meats, fish, and for many other flavoring opportunities. I now keep some in the refrigerator almost at all times. 4 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves large palmful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems 3 cloves garlic 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes juice of 1/2 lime (or lemon), and the zest if you like 1/4 tsp salt fresh ground black pepper to taste 1/4 cup olive oil Pulse the rosemary, cilantro and garlic in a small food processor (You could also use a mortar and pestle.) Tip into a small bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook’s Note: If you haven’t noticed, I love chimichurri sauce.   It’s zesty, and full of aromatics. It goes on so many dishes and is a great ingredient for so many things.   Make some and keep it in the fridge for inspiration. I use fresh rosemary and cilantro as my green herbs, but you could use oregano and parsley, which is also popular.   Many peo...

Haddock Roasted with Aioli and Tomatoes

This is a simple yet suculent way to roast fish. Here I use haddock, but you could use most any fish including cod or tilapia, or as I did on the west coast, wild-caught Rockfish (delicious). The tomatoes offer a fresh flavor complement to the fish slathered with a rich aioli topping. This is a quick, easy way to prepare fish on a busy weeknight. 1-1/2 lb haddock fillet (Captain’s cut preferred - thicker), patted dry Aioli: 1/4 cup good real mayonnaise 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp favorite hot sauce 1 pint grape tomatoes 1/2 tsp dried dill weed Fresh parsley, minced, for garnish Lemon wedges for garnish Preheat oven to 375F. Oil a medium baking dish (about 7x10-inch). Lay haddock fillet in dish. Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard and hot sauce in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, cover the fillet evenly with the aioli sauce. Toss the tomatoes with a dash of olive oil and scatter them over the fish. Season with dill and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bake fish for about 20 mi...