cook: panini picnic

I’m off this morning to sell my wares. And so I made sandwiches for me and Meral for, I hope, a productive Saturday.    

The upscale grocery store near me mailed me coupons for free 1 pound organic chicken breasts, and so while there I thought I would also pick up their Italian panini for lunch the next day. Alas the store was out, and so I decided to shop for its ingredients instead: Acme baguette, porchetta on sale, basil and soft mozzarella balls. I made the pickle butter first. I didn't have cornichons, but I did have small dill gherkins and a bucket of my husband's spicy pickles. I softened the butter by letting it sit out and come to room temperature, and I think I chopped about half a cup of 4 small gherkins and 1 spicy dill spear. I also sprinkled garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, and shook Crystal hot sauce on to the butter and then added the finely chopped pickles and probably 2 tablespoons of fresh dill. Using a hand mixer and a medium whisk were so messy! I should have used a bigger bowl and let the butter soften more. Instead I mixed with my soft spatula. But pickle butter done and ready to construct panini.

Besides my pickle butter (which tasted awesome by the way) and porchetta, my mise en place included ciliegine, Kerry Gold cheddar, and leftover charcuterie of dry salami, salami with fennel, and capicola. 

I cut the baguette into 4 and sliced in half. I used the spatula to spread the pickle butter on both sides of the bread.

I decided that the sandwich didn't need cheese as it was already so rich from the butter and meat and kept it simple to just those two ingredients.

Italian panini next. Olive oil and balsamic glaze to soften the bread and then fresh basil leaves on top as the first layer.

The next layers were balls of mozzarella on one bread half, and one dry salami, one salami with fennel, and one capicola slices on the other half.

Lastly, I wrapped the sandwiches in plastic wrap. I hated the smell of the plastic wrap, which is what Patrick also uses to wrap our Christmas tree for storage. And so next time, I'm going to use parchment paper and aluminum foil instead since I can’t find cellophane either. I have yet to taste the sandwiches, but had tasted all the individual components. I know the paninis will be fantastic when I am starving later.