Greens and Cheese Panini

I know it’s very unlikely that you need instructions for making a sandwich. Really all you need when it comes to sandwich recipes is an idea of what to stuff between bread or wrap up with a tortilla or whatever. This one, I’m going to tell you all about, however, for three reasons. First, it’s a great use of these Braised Greens with Bacon and Onion, or any other cooked greens flavored the way you like them. 2) While I didn’t make this recipe vegetarian this time around, you could very easily do so. I had originally made panini like this as an exploration in vegetarian sandwiches. And C. It’s really, really delicious this way and if you use this recipe as a guideline, I truly believe you’ll be heading in a wonderful direction in your sandwich-making life.

The instructions below are for one sandwich at a time, and can, of course be multiplied to fit your needs. All that happens here is some bacon and some cooked greens go on a sandwich roll, such as those little square-ish ciabatta rolls you can get at supermarkets. (I like the ones from Trader Joes.) Thin slices of your favorite cheese get in there, too, because this is a pressed and toasted sandwich, and gooey melting is required.

 

I also really love to spread one of the inside surfaces with a sweet-spicy relish of some sort. There are all kinds of them out there. You could also use a pepper jelly or dipping sauce, chutney, or, if you prefer things milder, some kind of caramelized onion/balsamic vinegar jam.

You could use any kind of bread here, too. If you use a crusty roll, you really don’t need to butter the outside of the bun. (Plus, it’s kind of hard to do.) If you use slices of bread, you may want to butter the outside so you can get a golden, toasty surface. The thinner your bread, the thinner the pressed sandwich, of course, which is why I like to use a crusty-ish roll or a thick slice of a heartier bread.

I use a panini press to make these sandwiches, but you could use a skillet on the stove and press your sandwich with some kind of weight, even another skillet. If you do things this way, you will need to flip your sandwich to get it toasted on both sides.

I love the flavors of this slightly weird sandwich. The greens, whether they are the Braised Greens with Bacon and Onion or some kale sautéed with lots of garlic make a delicious, surprisingly flavorful sandwich base. I used a Spanish Iberico cheese. Anything that you like that melts well will do, although I like something a little stronger. In my opinion, the sweet-spicy relish makes everything wonderful, popping through the earthy greens and gooey cheese. And then there’s bacon. Well, we all know about the Midas touch that has. This sandwich is perfectly wonderful without it, though. Don’t avoid a greens sandwich just because you avoid bacon. There’s way too much good going on for that kind of attitude.

Greens and Cheese Panini with Bacon

For each sandwich:

1 sandwich roll, split, or 2 slices sandwich bread

Softened butter for the bread if desired

¼ cup cooked greens, such as Braised Greens with Bacon and Onion, well-drained of excess liquid

1-2 thin slices well-melting cheese

1 ½ - 2 strips cooked bacon

2 teaspoons red pepper relish, or sweet-spicy sandwich spread of your choice

1. Preheat a panini press or a skillet on the stove to medium heat. If desired, spread butter on the outside of each bread slice or bun.

2. Place the cheese on the unbuttered side of one bread slice or the bottom bun half. Place the bacon on top of the cheese. Place the greens on top of the bacon

3. On the unbuttered side of the remaining bread slice or the top bun half, spread the red pepper relish. Place the top bun half on the greens.

4. Place the sandwich onto the preheated panini press or pan. Close the lid, press the sandwich and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions until the cheese is melted, the sandwich is heated through and the bread is toasted. If not using a press, place a weight or another pan on top of the sandwich in the heated pan. Flip the sandwich over and press to toast the other side.

Makes 1 sandwich. Multiply or repeat as needed to make more sandwiches.

Another recipe like this one:Tacos with Sauteed Greens and Fresh Cheese

Chickpea Salad

This is one of those ideas that makes me slap myself in the forehead. How could I have been such an idiot in not thinking of it myself? Of course, I take the self-deprecation down a notch when I realize that if this is the first time I’ve come across it in all my recipe-gathering adventures, a whole lot of other people haven’t thought of it either.

This recipe comes from Vegetarian Cooking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America. I had checked the book out of our local library and decided I wanted to cook too much from it (especially from the “Salads and Sandwiches” chapter, which I’d like to eat right off the pages), to be limited to having it on hand for only a month at a time. I acquired a copy of my very own and hope to be cooking a lot more from it this summer.

 

The chickpea salad is really quite simple: chopped chickpeas and a few finely-chopped green things held together with mayonnaise and a little sour cream. (I used this homemade vegan mayo.) In the original recipe, the chickpeas were coarsely pulverized in the food processor, but I really didn’t want to add the extra step of cleaning the processor to my day, so I just chopped them with a knife instead. I also couldn’t resist throwing in a good handful of fresh chives from my garden.

 

This is really the same as a tuna salad (or egg salad, or chicken salad, or ground ham or roast beef salad, etc.), but with cooked chickpeas in place of the tuna. I made a sandwich with my salad on toast, and, later, wrapped it in a tortilla. I really think a pita pocket would have a quite fabulous vehicle for it as well.

Chickpea salad is at least as easy to put together as tuna salad, since the chickpeas come ready in a can just as tuna does. You could, of course, make this from your own cooked chickpeas as well, which makes me think many other beans could be used in place of the chickpeas. That, in turn, makes me think that other chickpea salads (like, say, this one) could be chopped finely or pulsed in the food processor to make sandwich fillings and cracker spreads.

 ….And then, I’m thinking that something like this turkeysalad could be turned vegetarian with the use of chickpeas. Or how about a vegan version of this egg salad (leave out the sour cream as well as the egg)? And, seriously, how could I not have thought of using chickpeas like this before?

 

 

Chickpea Salad (for Sandwiches and Such)

Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America by The Culinary Institute of America and Katherine Polenz

You could use a food processor to chop the chickpeas, but I found it unnecessary.

Replace the sour cream with additional vegan mayonnaise to make this salad vegan.

 

1 (15-ounce) can or about 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 medium-size celery stalk, finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely minced fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I used this homemade vegan mayonnaise)
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
a few grinds of black pepper

1. Coarsely chop the chickpeas and place them in a medium-size bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Keep refrigerated.

Makes at least 4 servings. Serve in sandwiches with bread, toast, pitas, tortillas, etc. or spread on crostini or crackers. Keeps for at least a few days in the refrigerator.

  

Other recipes like this one: Lemon-Fennel Egg Salad, Chickpea Tostadas with Tomato and Cucumber Pico de Gallo

One year ago: Calzones with Ricotta and Arugula Pesto

Just an Egg Sandwich

I’ve taken for granted for far too long the amount of time and energy I have had for researching, planning, executing and recording the results of delicious dishes. I’m in the process of packing up our apartment and moving across town, so instead of made-from-scratch dinners and fresh baked goods, we’ve been subsisting on take-out pizza, pasta, cold cereal and granola bars.

And, as I’m scribbling these thoughts with good, old-fashioned pen and ink, the cable and internet guys are beginning their second hour of installation work on the new residence.

In short, it’s not a very creative or productive time for this recipe blogger. I even had to put off having a simple scrambled egg sandwich with cheese on a bagel because, while I remembered to put the right pan, the eggs, cheese and bagels in the new kitchen, I left the spatula and nonstick cooking spray at the apartment.

This is my go-to quick but hearty breakfast. It’s a simple scrambled egg, seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked flat in a slick pan, folded up and covered with a thin slice of cheese (Harry also likes a splash or two of hot sauce on his). I then melt the cheese, usually by covering the pan for a few seconds, and serve it on a toasted bagel. Usually, I use my 9-inch nonstick crepe pan, which is super slippery for cooking eggs, and make two scrambled eggs for two sandwiches.

Well, by the time I’m getting this into the info-net blogo-zone (internet access has been achieved, despite some minor technical incompetence) I’ve made a couple of egg sandwiches, and I know where most of my utensils are. I’m making back-of-the-envelope (literally) lists of what I’d like to cook in the coming days, and my apron is hanging on its hook, just waiting for a call to duty. There’s fabulous fall produce out there (and in my kitchen), including lovely apples, crisp green cabbage and beautiful squash (plus some beets to hide). So much to cook, so little time!

One year ago: Noodle Bowl with Spicy Greens and Walnut Buttermilk Bread

Two years ago: Basic Basil Pesto and Beet and Carrot Burgers