Grilled Cacciatore Panini Food

ITALIAN CHICKEN PANINI

Steps:

• Preheat an electric grill (such as George Foreman®) for medium heat. Spread olive oil on one side of each bread slice.
• Place one slice of bread, oil-side down, on the preheated grill. Spread 1/2 of the pesto on the bread and put a slice of mozzarella cheese over top. Arrange chicken over the cheese and top with remaining mozzarella. Spread remaining pesto on the other slice of bread and place on top of the sandwich.
• Close the grill and cook until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes.

BASIC GRILLED PANINI

Steps:

• Drizzle olive oil on 1 side of each bread slice. Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise on the other side of each slice. Pile Cheddar cheese, ham, tomato, and onion on top. Top with other bread slice, mayonnaise side down.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat; spray lightly with cooking spray. Place sandwich on grill; weigh it down with a heavy pan. Cook until cheese is melted and grill marks appear, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

PORTOBELLO-PORCINI CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Put the dried mushrooms in a pot and cover with a couple of cups of water, bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the mushrooms soften.
• Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven heat the extra-virgin olive oil, 4 turns of the pan, over medium high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark and tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the thyme, chile, garlic, peppers and onions and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, then add the wine and stir. Remove the reconstituted mushrooms from the liquid, chop and then add them to the sauce pot. Pour in all but last few spoonfuls of the mushroom liquid stock into sauce pot, the grit will settle at the bottom of the pan. Stir in the tomatoes, breaking them up with spoon then add the basil leaves and simmer the sauce 20 minutes. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal and reheat over medium flame, stirring occasionally.
• Boil large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the hot pot. Add the bitter and stir to melt. Pour in half of the sauce and toss. Serve in shallow bowls with more mushroom cacciatore on top. Garnish with lots of grated Romano.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.
• In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.
• Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

GRILLED VEGETABLE PANINI

Steps:

• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the oil over the eggplant, zucchini, and onion slices, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the eggplant, zucchini, and onions until they are tender and grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side. Cool completely.
• Cut each baguette into 6 pieces. Working with one baguette piece at a time, slice in half and spread both sides with the pesto. Working with the bottom slice of the baguette, stack 2 slices of eggplant, 2 slices zucchini, 1 slice onion, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice mozzarella, and 1 slice of roasted pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place top half of baguette on top and continue with remaining baguette. (The sandwiches can be made 4 hours ahead. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup (about) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• In a blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Yield: 1 cup
• Prep Time: 10 minutes