Nutella French Toast

 

                    Serve them for a special breakfast or decadent dessert, may be with some raspberries, sliced strawberries, or sliced bananas and sweetened whipped cream on the side.

                    If your panini press is not reliably nonstick, spray with cooking spray or brush it with melted butter before putting the sandwiches in.

Makes 2 sandwiches

• Four 1-inch-thick slices brioche
• ¼ cup Nutella
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup half-and-half or milk
• 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat a panini or sandwich press.
2. Spread 2 pieces of bread with the nutella ; top each piece with another piece of bread.
3. Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla in a shallow bowl.
4. Place one of the sandwiches in the bowl and then turn it to completely coat it with the egg mixture ; transfer to a platter and let stand for a few seconds.
5. Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down, and cook until the are golden and crisp, 4 to 6 minutes, depending how hot your machine is.
6. Carefully remove from the press, dust with confectioner's sugar et accompagner avec des petits fruits ou des tranches de bananes.

BON APPÉTIT

Catskills Cubano

 

Makes 2 sandwiches

• 2 ciabatta rolls or Italian rolls or 6-inch lengths of soft italian bread
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 4 thin slices (about 2 ounces) Swiss cheese
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped pickled jalapenos or more to taste
• 4 thin slices (about 2 ounces) Serrano ham, prosciutto, or cured ham
• 4 thin slices (about 2 ounces) roast pork

1. Heat the panini or sandwich press.
2. Split the rolls in half ; spread 1 tablespoon of mustard over the cut side of the bottom half of each roll.
3. Place a slice of cheese on top of the mustard ; sprinkle with the pickled jalapenos.
4. Lay 2 slices of ham over the jalapenos ; arrange the pork on top of the ham and top with the top halves of the rolls.
5. Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down, and cook until the are browned and crisp, 4 to 7 minutes, depending on how hot your machine is.
6. Carefully remove from the press and serve immediately.

BON APPÉTIT

Ham, Brie, and Apple French Toast

 

                    This is a great sandwich for the fall, when local apples are available and you start to crave something warm and filling. Dipped in egg, it makes a terrific weekend breakfast or brunch sandwich.

Makes 2 sandwiches

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Pinch of salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Four ½-inch-thick slices brioche
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 6 thin slices (about 3 ounces) Black Forest or other ham
• ½ apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 3 ounces Brie, thinly sliced

1. Heat a panini or sandwich press.
2. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat together the eggs, salt, and pepper, and carefully dip the brioche slices in the egg to coat.
3. Carefully place the slices on the panini press and pull te top down ; cook until they are evenly browned, 2 to 3 minutes, remove to a work surface.
4. Spread a teaspoon of mustard on each slice of French toast ; arrange the ham on top of two slices.
5. Arrange the apples on top of the ham ; arrange the cheese on top of the apples.
6. Top the sandwiches with the remaining bread slices, mustard side down.
7. Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down, and cook until they are browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, depending on how hot your machine is.
8. Carefully remove from the press and serve immediately.

BON APPÉTIT

Crevettes au Gingembre

 

40 à 45 crevettes

• 680 gr crevettes moyennes cuites, décortiquées et déveinées, dégelées si nécessaire
• 50 ml sauce soja
• 10 ml gingembre haché
• 50 ml vinaigre blanc
• 30 ml sucre
• 30 ml saké ou jus de pomme
• 7 ml sel
• 2 ou 3 oignons verts de grosseur moyenne, tranchés finement, soit 30 à 45 ml

1. Dans un récipient en verre ou en plastique de 28 x 17.5 cm (11 x 7 po), disposer en une seule couche les crevettes.
2. Dans une casserole de 1 litre, porter la sauce soja à ébullition, à feu vif ; incorporer le gingembre, réduire la chaleur à feu moyen.
3. Laisser frémir à découvert pendant environ 5 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que le liquide ait réduit de moitié.
4. Incorporer le vinaigre, le sucre, le saké et le sel ; verser le mélange sur les crevettes, couvrir et réfrigérer pendant 2 à 3 heures.
5. Retirer les crevettes de la marinade, bien égoutter, puis les disposer sur un plat de service ; jeter la marinade.
6. Répandre les oignons verts sur les crevettes.
7. Servir les crevettes avec des cure-dents.

BON APPÉTIT

Knockwurst with Coarse Mustard and Pear-Apple Compote

 

Makes 2 sandwiches

• 2 fully cooked knockwurst sausages
• Four ½-inch-thick slices rye bread with caraway seeds (from a good bakery)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons grainy mustard, or more to taste
• ¾ cup Pear-Apple Compote (recipe below)

1. Heat a panini or sandwich press.
2. Cut the sausages almost in half lengthwise, leaving the two halves just barely attached to each other ; grill the sausage on the press until browned, about 2 minutes and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
3. Brush each piece of rye bread on one side with the butter ; put the slices, buttered side down, on a cutting board.
4. Spread two of the slices with the mustard ; spread the Pear-Apple Compote over the mustard.
5. Arrange two sausage halves on top of the compote, trimming the ends if necessary ; top each sandwich with the remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
6. Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down, and cook until they are browned and crisp, 4 to 7 minutes, depending on how hot your machine is.
7. Carefully remove from the press and serve immediately.

Pear-Apple Compote

                    The sweetness of this simple compote contrasts well with smoked ham, turkey, and sausage.

• ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice
• 2 Bartlett or Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples and pears are very soft and most of the juices the have released have evaporated, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Serve warm or let cool, then refrigerate, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.
4. Let the compote come to room temperature before using.

BON APPÉTIT

Grilled Italian Hero Sandwich

 

                    A meaty hero sandwich is wonderful when pressed and grilled. Warmed up, the deli ingredients just taste better.

Makes 2 sandwiches

• Two 6-inch lengths baguettes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 cup aragula, washed and dried
• ¼ cup thinly sliced peperoncini
• 2 thin slices (2 ounces) mortadella
• 4 thin slices (2 ounces) prosciutto
• 6 thin slices (2 ounces) hot or sweet soppressata
• 4 thin slices (4 ounces) provolone cheese

1. Heat a panini or sandwich press.
2. Slice the baguette pieces in half lengthwise ; brush the insides with the oil and vinegar.
3. Lay the bread, cut sides up, on a work surface.
4. Arrange the aragula and then the peppers on the bottom halves ; drape the mortadella , prosciutto, and soppressata on top of the vegetables.
5. Top with the provolone ; top each sandwich with the top half of each baguette.
6. Put the sandwiches on the press, and cook until they are browned and crisp and the cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on how hot your machine is.
7. Carefully remove from the press and serve immediately.

BON APPÉTIT

Grilled Asparagus, Taleggio, and Prosciutto (Panini)

 

                Very thin, delicate asparagus can be cooked right on the panini press. If your asparagus are thicker, place them on a baking sheet, brush ith olive oil, and roast in a 425F oven for 10 to 15 minutes instead.

                Taleggio is a rich semisoft cheese from Lombardy that melts beautifully and pairs well with both the asparagus and the prosciutto. If you can't find it, an soft-ripened cheese like Camembert or Brie will work.

Makes 2 sandwiches

• 6 to 8 very thin asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Two 6-inch lengths baguettes
• 3 ounces Taleggio cheese, sliced
• 4 thin slices (2 ounces) prosciutto

1. Heat a panini or sandwich press.
2. Brush the asparagus with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper ; place them on the press, pull the top down, and cook until lightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes, transfer to a plate and let cool slightly.
3. Cut the baguette pieces in half lengthwise.
4. Spread some cheese on the bottom half of each baguette ; arrange the cooked asparagus on top of the cheese, pressing lightly on them so the adhere.
5. Drape the prosciutto slices over the asparagus ; top the sandwiches with the other halves of the baguettes.
6. Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down, and cook until they are browned and crisp and the cheese is melted, 4 to 6 minutes, depending on how hot your machine is.
7. Carefully remove from the press and serve immediately.

BON APPÉTIT