Wow…this is a great sandwich! I made these for lunch yesterday and Husband commented after savoring one of them that it tasted like a fancy restaurant sandwich. Well, he was right because the recipe comes from local superstar sandwich shop, Bunk Sandwiches in Portland, Oregon. This tuna sandwich has loads more flavor than the classic mayonnaise-based tuna salad recipe!!! You get a little heat from the red chile flakes and some tang from balsamic vinegar and dill pickles…and the fresh herbs and melted cheese are just icing on the cake (or sandwich in this case)!

The ciabatta rolls are the perfect bread for this recipe because they get crispy on the outside from grilling but stay soft on the inside. I found ciabatta rolls at Fred Meyer but I’ve seen them at other markets and local artisan bakeries, too. The recipe calls for 2 cans of local sustainable albacore tuna (which sells for $5-$13 a can). Instead, I used regular canned albacore tuna. And because I didn’t have any fresh basil, I substituted freshly-cut chives and parsley from my garden.

The recipe gives exact quantities for the tuna salad but not for the rest of the sandwich (mayo, Dijon, cheese, pickles)…just use the amount of mayo and mustard you like on a sandwich. For the cheddar cheese and pickles, thin slices work best so the cheese melts when grilled and the pickles are easy to bite through when eating the sandwich.

Now just get out your panini press or cast-iron pan and grill up a great sandwich!

Bunk Sandwiches Oregon Tuna Melt
-recipe from Sunset Magazine (Sunset MAY 2012)

Bunk Sandwiches calls its yummy Oregon albacore tuna melt the Ultimate Oregon Sandwich because everything except the condiments comes from local sources, including the ciabatta rolls, sourced from Fleur de Lis Bakery. Chef and co-owner Tommy Habetz puts the tuna salad (recipe below) in ciabatta rolls spread with mayo and Dijon mustard, adds medium-sharp cheddar and sliced garlic dill pickles, and then grills the works in a panini press.

Bunk’s Oregon Albacore Tuna Salad
2 cans (5 oz. each) local sustainable albacore tuna
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients together and make sandwiches (see above…ciabatta rolls, mayo, Dijon, cheddar, and pickles). Makes 1 3/4 cups (enough for 4 sandwiches).

Tags: albacore tuna, albacore tuna salad, Bunk Sandwiches, Fleur de Lis Bakery, Oregon, Oregon recipes, Oregon Tuna Melt, panini grill, panini press, Portland, Sunset Magazine, tuna melt, tuna sandwich, Ultimate Oregon Sandwich

Here’s a fun twist on the classic grilled ham and cheese sandwich using a combination of smoky, salty, tangy and sweet ingredients. It’s really good! You’ll definitely want to use a good quality bread…something sturdy (I’ve found that normal sandwich bread can be too soft for paninis). I used Portland French Bakery’s Sliced Rustic Wheat Bread because it’s one of my favorite breads for paninis. I also used sharp cheddar instead of medium cheddar. Serve with lightly dressed salad greens if you like. Enjoy!

Smoked Ham, Cheddar Cheese and Pear Panini
-recipe from Williams-Sonoma.com

Here, the flavors of salty ham and sweet pears are nicely balanced by pungent mustard and a full-flavored cheddar cheese. If you can’t find a Bartlett pear, a Comice or Anjou is a good substitute. Accompany the sandwiches with a simple tossed green salad. If you have a panini press or a panini grill, use it as directed in the manufacturer’s instructions.

Ingredients:
8 thick slices multigrain bread 
1/2 cup whole-grain mustard 
1/2 lb. thinly sliced smoked ham 
1 Bartlett pear, peeled, cored and cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick 
1/2 lb. medium-sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced 
1/2 cup olive oil 

Directions: Brush the bread slices on one side with the mustard. Divide the ham evenly among 4 of the slices. Top with the pear slices and then with cheese. Top with the remaining bread slices, mustard side down.

Heat a grill pan or heavy fry pan over medium-high heat. Brush the outsides of the sandwiches with the olive oil.

When the pan is hot, place 2 sandwiches in the center. Set another heavy pan on top of the sandwiches and place 2 or 3 heavy cans in the pan to weight it down evenly. Cook the sandwiches until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the sandwiches over, weight them again, and cook until browned on the other side and the cheese is melting, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the sandwiches to a plate. Repeat to cook the remaining 2 sandwiches. Cut the sandwiches in half, place on individual plates and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Breakfast and Brunch, by Georgeanne Brennan, Elinor Klivans, Jordan Mackay and Charles Pierce (Oxmoor House, 2007).
 

Tags: autumn, cheddar cheese, grilled ham and cheese sandwich, ham, lunch, panini, panini grill, panini press, pear, Portland French Bakery, sandwich, Williams-Sonoma

I make paninis all the time now that I have an electric panini grill. Even though they’re really just a glorified grilled cheese sandwich, I get raves every time I make them for family and friends. This particular recipe is a good example of simple ingredients that yield tasty results: turkey breast, roasted red peppers, melty cheese, grilled bread. YUMM! 

I made a few minor substitutions based on what I had in the fridge…the sandwich is basically the same, though. Instead of jack cheese and watercress, I used sharp white cheddar and a handful of peppery arugula. A dab of Dijon mustard adds a slight zing to the sandwich. I layered the ingredients on sliced Rustic Wheat Bread from Portland French Bakery (available at many Portland area markets).

This sandwich calls for roasted red peppers, one of my favorite panini ingredients. I love the smoky, slightly sweet flavor that it brings to a sandwich. If you don’t have freshly roasted turkey breast, splurge and get the best sliced deli turkey you can find. Smoked turkey would also work great here.

If you don’t have a panini grill, just make it in a pan like you would a regular ol’ grilled cheese sandwich…but be careful when flipping the sandwich so the ingredients don’t fling out all over the place. For more info on my electric panini grill, check out my Panini Grill post.

Note: the recipe is for one panini so make sure you get enough ingredients if making more than one sandwich.

Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Panini
-recipe from Williams-Sonoma.com

Taleggio cheese adds richness to our turkey panini. Produced in Italy’s Lombardy region, this cow’s milk cheese boasts a nutty, fruity flavor. Makes 1 sandwich.

2 slices country-style bread, each 1/2 inch thick
Olive oil for brushing
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
3 thin slices roasted turkey breast
2 Tbs. julienned roasted red bell pepper
1 slice taleggio or jack cheese
1/4 cup watercress, stemmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat an electric panini maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil. Lay the slices, oiled side down, on a clean work surface. Spread the top of each slice with 1 Tbs. mayonnaise. Place the turkey on one slice and top with the bell pepper, cheese and watercress. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the other bread slice, oiled side up.

Place the sandwich on the preheated panini maker and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.

Transfer the sandwich to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve immediately. Serves 1.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

I’m linked to:
Tasty Tuesday
Delicious Dishes
Tasty Tuesdays at 33 Shades of Green
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Tags: cheese, electric panini grill, lunch, panini, panini press, roasted red peppers, turkey and roasted red pepper panini, turkey sandwich