Southwestern Steak and Cheddar Panini

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 Stuck in the sandwich doldrums? Try this steak and cheddar panini – tender, juicy meat, sweet onions, smoky chiles, creamy avocado slices, buttery smooth cheddar (oh that cheddar!) 

{Disclosure: we were sent free samples of Cabot’s Famers’ Legacy collection as well as hatch chiles from The Hatch Store. However, we weren’t compensated for this post and all opinions are 100% our own}

As many of you have reminded me, I’m a very lucky man. MJ makes some pretty incredible food and I can assure you – it DOES taste as good as it looks. Every now and then, though, a dish will surpass my expectations. So much so, that I’m haunted by its memory. After one of our outings at a local restaurant, I asked my recipe guru to re-create my meal. And as MJ’s always up for a good challenge, it didn’t take long before I was stuffing my face with this Slow-Cooked Beef, Hatch Chile, Avocado Panini. Well that was 2 years ago. Two looong years I’ve had to wait for this mind-blowing sandwich to make it’s appearance back in our kitchen.

But just re-making it wasn’t good enough. She had to up her game by using a beautiful ciabatta bread and…Cabot Alpine Cheddar, one of the premium cheeses in the new Farmers’ Legacy Collection.

I must say this cheese was pretty special…perfect for melting and full of rich flavor. MJ raved on and on about it as she got to sample it during her time in Vermont for the Blog Brûlée Conference, so I was pretty stoked when I discovered that we had received samples of it from the fine folks at Cabot Creamery. “Nutty & smooth with hints of Swiss & Parmesan” is the description on the package, and I’d have to say they hit the nail on the head. For me the parmesan side was more prominent straight from the fridge, and when melted the milder Swiss side shined. Haven’t been able to find it on the shelves at the stores here, but hopefully that will change soon

It was excruciatingly hard for me to resist picking up the sandwich straight from the panini maker and taking a bite before pictures were captured (hmm…don’t want to think about how MJ would’ve reacted to that one..as I’ve learned to never.ever mess with the food during shooting), as the house was already filled with the aromas of roasted Hatch Chiles and slow-cooked flank steak. The beauty of sandwiches is that you can really customize them to your taste preferences. I’m all about meat, but even had it been left out, this would’ve made for one heck of an adult grilled cheese sandwich.

The sandwich is pretty spectacular on its own but throw in a side of tomato sauce or soup for dipping and the flavors are transported to another level. I don’t know what it is, but something magical happens when that melty cheese on bread meets a warm bowl of sauce.

I’d try to describe the experience, but I think it’d be best to call it the perfect melding of flavors and textures. Tender, juicy meat, sweet onions, smoky chiles, creamy avocado slices, buttery smooth cheddar (oh that cheddar!)…have I grabbed your attention yet? And all of this sandwiched between two perfectly crisp pieces of bread.

Grinning like a fool, I devoured every bit of the panini, leaving not a single remnant behind. I only hope that I don’t have to wait another 2 years to delight in it again. 

Southwestern Steak and Cheddar Panini

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Author: Min | MJ and Hungryman

Ingredients

For the steak (for 4 panini)

• 1 lb. flank steak
• 1 14.5 oz can low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 bay leaves

For each sandwich

• 4 oz. cooked steak
• 1/2 medium red onion sliced and caramelized
• 1/2 medium avocado sliced
• 2 Hatch chiles roasted and diced
• 1 1/2 ounces of your favorite cheese I used Alpine Cheddar from Cabot
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 cup favorite marinara sauce or tomato sauce
• Artisan bread whole grains preferred

Instructions

• Combine soy sauce, cumin, chili & garlic powders, and nutmeg in a bowl. Rub over flank steak. Place in a slow-cooker. Add broth. Cook on low for 6 hours.
• Simmer marinara or tomato sauce. Add lime juice and keep warm.
• Assembly: Spread butter on the sides of bread that will face the panini grill. Layer with cheese, beef, avocado, onions, and Hatch chiles. Top with second piece of bread. Press down and cook until done.
• Slice and serve with sauce.

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