I love a good panini. Not to sound dramatic or anything like that but something magical happens when you take an ordinary sandwich and press it down on a hot grill pan. Flavors suddenly intensify. Really, it does. It's scientifically proven. Cold dishes need to be season aggressively because our taste buds have a harder time detecting flavors in cold foods. When the panini is pressed on a hot grill, it releases an aroma that travels to your nose and that aroma affects our perception of flavor.
  |   |
Many people think that they cannot achieve a delicious panini without an expensive panini press but we absolutely can. No fancy $100+ panini press necessary -- just a stove, a skillet or a grill pan and a store bought or homemade (I'll tell you how) grill press. I used to own a panini press. It was a pretty cheap one -- you know, one of those that have three or four different interchangeable metal plates. After a few months of using it, I gave it away. It was annoying to clean and I couldn't adjust the heat to my liking. I find that using a grill pan is much more convenient plus, I get better results. A tip for making paninis -- make sure your grill is hot! If your grill is "kinda-hot" then your sandwich will steam when pressed down and you will not have crispy bread on the outside.
If you do not have a grill press, then use a skillet and 4 cans of food. Grill your sandwich on a larger skillet and place a smaller skillet on top of the sandwich. Place the canned food in the smaller skillet. The canned food weighs the skillet down and puts pressure on the sandwich allowing it to be evenly cooked.
Chicken, Avocado and Grilled Onion Panini
Ingredients:
(Makes two sandwiches)
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 tablespoon oil
4 slices of bread
2 Pan-seared Chicken
4 slices monterey jack cheese
1/2 an avocado
In a small skillet, heat the oil. Place the sliced onions in the skillet, season with a little salt and pepper. Sauté the sliced onions until soft (about 2-3 minutes). Move the onions to a small bowl and set aside.
Heat your grill pan (or skillet). To assemble the sandwich, place a slice of bread on a flat surface (such as a cutting board). Inside layers goes as follow: 1 slice of cheese, 1 pan-seared chicken, grilled onions, avocado, another slice of cheese. Top the sandwich off with another slice of bread.
When the grill is hot, put the sandwich on the grill and place the grill press on top of the sandwich. Grill each side for 1-3 minutes. (I find a minute and a half for each side is perfect for my grill pan). Slice the pressed sandwich in half and serve while hot.
Ingredients:
(Makes two sandwiches)
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 tablespoon oil
4 slices of bread
2 Pan-seared Chicken
4 slices monterey jack cheese
1/2 an avocado
In a small skillet, heat the oil. Place the sliced onions in the skillet, season with a little salt and pepper. Sauté the sliced onions until soft (about 2-3 minutes). Move the onions to a small bowl and set aside.
Heat your grill pan (or skillet). To assemble the sandwich, place a slice of bread on a flat surface (such as a cutting board). Inside layers goes as follow: 1 slice of cheese, 1 pan-seared chicken, grilled onions, avocado, another slice of cheese. Top the sandwich off with another slice of bread.
When the grill is hot, put the sandwich on the grill and place the grill press on top of the sandwich. Grill each side for 1-3 minutes. (I find a minute and a half for each side is perfect for my grill pan). Slice the pressed sandwich in half and serve while hot.
