Panini party
Summer is here, so ‘tis the season for brunch. A panini party is a fun way to host a brunch. Quick, and easy, you can go wild with the ingredients really. So use this recipe to simply understand building a flavor profile. I used munster cheese, avocado, sautéd mushrooms and onions, arugula, and kewpie to make a delicious earthy and peppery panini!
Let’s get to cooking!
Prep:
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 3 - 5 minutes
Ingredients:
Bread (I used a whole grain bread because I just love the nuttiness and texture)
Munster cheese
Button mushroom - sliced
Onion - sliced or diced
Avocado
Arugula
Kewpie mayo
Butter
We’ll get the recipe down quickly and focus more on building a flavor profile. You really can use whatever ingredients you want to create any flavor profile really.
Recipe:
You’ll need a panini press, or a griddle to make your panini! Cook time will vary for both. Since a panini press has heat directed from the top and bottom, you will barely need 3 minutes of cook time. This also depends on how toasted you like it. When you cook on a griddle, you might need to press down the panini to get those classic grill lines and flip the panini over to do the same for the other side. Estimate a cook time of about 5 minutes.
Heat the press or griddle to about 375F, which would roughly translate to medium-high heat. More on the medium end.
Butter the griddle/pan when hot and you’re ready to cook. Make sure you butter the bread both inside and out to achieve that crisp texture.
I am a big lover of mushrooms, I use them a lot when I want to go away from using meats, while still getting that meaty flavor.
It’s always best to sauté your mushrooms for your panini to get more flavor. I sautéd it in a bit of oil with onions and seasoning of your choice. Salt, pepper, cumin, whatever you desire.
Pro tip: Sauté the mushroom on high heat first without any oil. This really helps bring out the maximum flavor of mushrooms. Remove it from the pan and then heat some oil, brown the onion, and add the mushroom to it. Season and flash-cook it.
I like to add fresh ingredients to complement the base flavor of the pain. In this case, the earthy mushroom. Arugula is a great leafy green to use when you want a unique peppery flavor to compliment an earthy or meaty dish. I added sliced avocado for some creaminess and a semi-soft mild cheese-like munster that just mellows out the strong flavor of mushrooms and arugula. I stick to mild cheese and don’t really use strong/aged ones because it just overpowers any other flavor. And obvs added a little bit of mayo to get that eggy/vinegary umami.
Andddd that’s it. That’s how I usually build a flavor profile. Listed below are some flavor combos you can ideate around.
Pesto - turkey slice - sun-dried tomatoes - mozzarella cheese
Egg(omelet or sunny side) - ham/bacon - cheddar cheese
Tomato - fresh mozzarella - fresh basil - balsamic glaze (basically a caprese)
Prosciutto - arugula - munster/pepper jack cheese
Roast beef - roasted peppers - fontina/havarti cheese
Just cheese!
Sautéd veggies - chimichurri sauce - cheese(optional)
Apple slices - brie - arugula
I am all for an interactive eating experience. And this recipe is such a great way for your guests to have fun at a build your own panini party.
Don’t forget the bubblies! Enjoy!
