I love a good grilled panini. And like lots of other Cheftovers tricks, it’s kind of a blank canvas. Add your favorite creamy cheese to a crispy, chewy ciabatta roll, along with whatever veggies and meat move you…and you’re in business!
This week I used one of my got-to’s for weekday meals, a roast in the slow cooker. I made a London broil roast with pretty basic seasoning. But as is often the case, I made more than we needed for just two of us.
So I sliced up the rest of the beef and immediately began drooling over my idea, incorporating one of the tasty Orlando baked goods I came across during my review of their new products (see previous post). I was going to grill up a couple of paninis using their Heat & Serve Ciabatta Rolls.
Now that I had the canvas for my panini, (the rolls) and the protein (my leftover London broil) I was excited to find a couple of other elements to boost the tastiness factor. And I knew caramelized onions would have to join the party!
I sliced up a whole sweet onion into rings, then tossed a couple tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil into a saute pan. I added the onions to the pan, seasoned them and left them on a low-medium heat for about 90 minutes, stirring them only once every 15 min or so.
(Here’s the part of my process where I unload the dishwasher, feed my kids, flip the laundry, etc. I’m so glamorous.)
When the onions turned this beautiful color, I was ready for the final components. I found the chunk of creamy Havarti cheese that my husband picked up at the grocery store this week to snack on. But I got to it first! And I was sure this would be a super compliment to what I was drumming up. Now for a sauce, spread or condiment…couldn’t be something ordinary.
I decided to try two routes…using a deli horseradish sauce for sandwiches (something we like to keep around the house) and I was also going to mix up a balsamic mayo. I have developed quite a collection of balsamic vinegar varieties in my cupboard… I’ve got Sicilian Lemon and Mango white balsamic, chocolate, and raspberry. I don’t find use for them often, but when I do, they’re usually the MVP of the dish. For this panini, I liked the garlic cilantro one. I mixed a couple spoonfuls of olive oil mayo with a couple teaspoons of the balsamic vinegar….oooh yeah, that was what I was going for! 
I assembled two sandwiches using a couple slices of Havarti, a spoonful of caramelized onions, three slices of my leftover roast, and one of the spreads on each. Then I placed them on my panini press and eagerly awaited their gooey goodness. They sat on the grill for about 5 minutes until I saw those pretty grill marks on the outside of the ciabatta rolls. Know that the contents may slide out a bit, or ooze out a little.
Now it was pay off time, and it was sweet! These were warm, chewy, tangy and sweet. And the best part? I have more of all of the ingredients so I can make this again.
Cheftovers 