In the fall of 2005, Brion & I spent a month in Rome where we rented a furnished apartment in a lovely hilltop neighborhood. This was our first trip to Italy so every morning we would choose a different destination for the day. It was relatively easy to get around the city by using the public transit system (Rome Termini is the city’s main transport hub). We paid 18 Euros for a 7-day pass, and you could use it as many times as you wished. To rent a car to see the sights of Rome would be an exercise in frustration or to say the least, taking your life in your hands. So many of its legendary sites are the original article that to see them is to fulfil a lifelong dream. In no other city can you see so much in such a short space of time and merely scratch the surface.
It was at that huge ‘Rome Termini’ station that we experienced our first panini sandwiches. Very often when we returned to the station after our day’s adventure, Brion & I would stop into one of the eating places and have something to eat. One day the person making our lunch asked if we wanted our sandwiches ‘grilled’. We were familiar with the basic grilled cheese sandwich but had never had them made as a grilled panini before. The taste was so incredibly good. Strange, how something as minor as a sandwich can be so memorable.
Paninis and their presses arrived in North America around 1956 but didn’t become mainstream until the 1970s and 1980s. Elevating the standard grilled cheese sandwich, paninis have become vessels for culinary creativity. It would be easy to assume a panini and a sandwich are the same—a panini is a sandwich—but not all sandwiches are paninis. So, what makes the panini stand out from the sandwich? Bread and pressing them in a hot grill give paninis their signature presentation and amazing taste. You can serve paninis for breakfast or lunch with limitless combinations for the perfect filling.
One that really works for Brion & I, is this smoked turkey with guacamole & Monterey Jack cheese. I guess its because it combines contrasting textures and savory flavors … smoky, creamy and crunchy into a warm, satisfying meal.
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Smoked Turkey w/ Guacamole & Monterey Jack CheesePanini
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Rating: 5
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Instructions
Guacamole
In a bowl, mash avocados & lime juice. Stir in garlic, onion & cilantro: blend well. Ser aside.
Paninis
Slice red onion thinly. In a saucepan, add butter & heat to melt. Add onion & sprinkle with salt. Cook until onion has softened. Remove from heat & set aside.
Slice cheese & butter one side of each slice of bread.
With buttered sides down, Generously spread guacamole over the 4 slices of bread. Divide the turkey slices between 2 of the slices. Next, divide the cheese & place it on the turkey along with the red onion. Place the 2 remaining slices on top with the buttered side on the outside.
Grill on panini maker until heated through & crispy on the outside. Serve.
Recipe Notes
If a panini grill is not available just use an ordinary skillet to get the job done!
Years ago, shrimp was low on my personal priority list among seafood. Breaded oysters would never fail to get my attention but somehow tastes change. Brion, on the other hand, loves shrimp and it seems to have rubbed off on me. Strangely enough, deep fried food doesn’t appeal to me and never has. I put it down to the fact that I spent many years in the commercial food atmosphere so that deep frying smell just doesn’t work for me. Now when it comes to oven baked ‘frying’ that’s another story.
Cooking shrimp in the oven preserves the natural flavors. Frying and grilling will cause flavor and moisture loss, which can make the shrimp turn out rubbery after it cooks. In this recipe the shrimp is prepared with a parmesan/garlic coating which bakes up nice and crispy. As a side, I’m making some jicama fries. If you have never tasted this vegetable, it is very unique. A perfect description would be like a ‘savory apple’. A root vegetable, native to Mexico, sometimes referred to as a Mexican turnip or potato. Then to add a little pizzaz to the meal, I’ve made a garlic avocado ranch dip for both the shrimp and fries.
The classic Ranch dressing has been around since the 1950’s. While very popular in Canada and the United States, it is virtually unknown in other parts of the world. Typically made with buttermilk, onion, garlic, herbs and spices all combined into a mayo based sauce. This low-fat version of garlic avocado ranch is perfect for this oven fried meal.
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Roasted Parmesan Shrimp with Jicama Fries
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Instructions
Garlic Avocado Ranch Dip
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Peel, core & mash avocado. In a food processor, add avocado, yogurt, garlic, herbs, onion powder & lime juice. Pulse a few seconds until well blended. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Jicama Fries
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Peel jicama & cut into french fry pieces. In a saucepot of boiling water, sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt; add jicama fries & boil for 10 minutes. Drain well. In a large bowl, combine fries with oil, 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder, cumin & smoked paprika. Coat well, blending spices. Preheat oven to 400 F. Spread fries onto a lightly oiled baking pan & bake for about 30 minutes, turning halfway through baking time, until fries are crisp.
Parmesan Shrimp
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Preheat oven to 400 F. In a bowl, combine oil, garlic, oregano, basil, parmesan, salt & pepper. Add shrimp & toss gently & thread on wooden skewers. Line a baking pan with foil & lightly oil. Place shrimp in oven & roast JUST until pink, firm & cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Serve immediately with lemon wedges. jicama fries & dip.
Today, November 23rd, our American neighbors are celebrating their Thanksgiving Day. A public holiday, originating as the ‘harvest festival’, is now celebrated along with Christmas and New Year as part of the broader ‘holiday season’.
Here in Canada, our Thanksgiving was celebrated on October 9th. Generally at the heart of this feast is a roast turkey with all the trimmings. I thought I would get a little more creative today and break with tradition as well as giving an acknowledgement to the US holiday.
BACON WRAPPED, GUACAMOLE STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST seems like an interesting idea. Guacamole, an unlikely stuffing for chicken breast as it usually served as a cold tortilla chip dip. It’s one of those taste ‘sensations’ you have to taste to believe. Of course, you have to start with liking avocados —
As history tells us, the Aztec empire created guacamole spread with some of the same ingredients that we use today as far back as the 1500’s. Published recipes first started appearing in the 1940’s.
Along with the guacamole, I used some smoked Gouda cheese in these little delicacies. I was careful not to add any salt in the guacamole. Between the bacon and the Gouda, I felt it had enough for our liking. The meal makes a nice presentation as well as having a great taste.
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Bacon Wrapped, Guacamole Stuffed Chicken Breast
Tender chicken breast stuffed with creamy guacamole & Gouda cheese all wrapped in crispy bacon!
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Guacamole
Mash avocado with a fork, leaving some chunks. Mince onion & coarsely chop sun-dried tomato pieces. Combine all guacamole ingredients to blend.
Chicken Breasts
Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut a slit into the center of each chicken breast to make a pocket. Lay breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap & pound flat to about a 1/4-inch thickness. On cut side of breasts, lay sliced Gouda cheese. Divide guacamole between breasts; roll up chicken breasts & wrap each one in two strips of bacon. Make sure bacon ends are all on one side. Use toothpicks to ensure all stays in one piece.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked & bacon gets nice & crispy.
