Sandwich

I could eat this sandwich every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. The heat of the panini press melts the chocolate and Brie together, and the salty-sweet-gooey goodness that results is my idea of heaven. Sometimes I make these for a cocktail party, cutting each sandwich into four small squares, and it’s always a conversation starter.

A hearty yet sophisticated sandwich with enough meat in it to satisfy big appetites. Don’t use your stale, leftover croissants for this; you want the butter to melt and crisp up the dough, making it even flakier and completely delicious.

Purists will probably take issue with my spin on lobster rolls, but I think the light, sweet texture of mascarpone enhances the flavor of lobster far better than mayo does. There’s no question, though, that this is a decadent dish; enjoy it as an occasional—and outrageously delicious—treat.

Curry powder isn’t a traditional Italian ingredient, but over time it has found its way into Italian cuisine simply because of Italy’s geographic location and influences from its neighbors. I love the flavorful blend of spices in curry powder, which marries well with mayo and chicken. The radicchio adds a touch of bitterness and the pancetta a perfect crunch.

Most Italians would have all these ingredients readily at hand in their pantry; in fact, it’s what my mother fixed for me and my siblings as an after-school snack. I’ve updated it a bit with fresh mint to make a snappy appetizer bite.

Here’s why I love this dish: it looks gorgeous on the plate, and it’s much more sophisticated than the simplicity of the ingredients would suggest. It’s a two-biter with lots of strong layers of flavor: first the bite of the cheese, then the crisp lemony tang of the apple and the sweet jammy aftertaste of the figs. Together, the combination is amazing. Use the fig jam on anything from pancakes to pork chops.

The patty melt first appeared on the American diner scene in the 1940s and is still a favorite more than sixty years later. Take a good look at what it is—meat and cheese pressed between slices of buttered bread—and you might wonder: Was the patty melt America’s first panini? As a rule, my perfect burger consists of a thicker patty served on a soft roll, but everyone needs to break the rules, even their own, once in a while. This patty melt, with its sophisticated jam-like onion relish and buttery Gruyère cheese, makes breaking the rules extra delicious.

Now you can have sweet caramelized onion without a lot of time and effort. Cook the onion over high heat, add a bit of sugar, then reduce the heat to finish the process. If you planned ahead and have some Grilled Sirloin with Honey-Mustard Marinade (page 176), it would be wonderful in this dish.

It takes only a few minutes to make this out-of-this-world steak sandwich. Smoked paprika is what adds the “ultimate” to this dish.

Layers of mushroom slices, red bell peppers, and cheese, all seasoned with a sweet-and-sour onion mixture, combine to create a unique sandwich.

These delicious, good-for-you breakfast sandwiches are reminiscent of traditional Danish pastries straight from the bakery.