Available throughout the foodie blogosphere, on restaurant menus, and in cookbooks are countless varieties of panini fillings. What there’s not a ton of variation on is the type of bread used to sandwich those ingredients.
| Name | Cornbread Panini |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | American |
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 25 minutes |
| Total Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings | 4 |
| Yield | 4 |
Why is that?
I had a bunch of leftover Loaded Cornbread squares waiting patiently in the freezer for inspiration to strike… and strike it did!
I had just received a sample package of Cabot‘s new Snack Packs, which are individually wrapped, outrageously flavored lower-fat cheeses. The package contained a bag of both the 75% Reduced Fat Habanero Cheddar and the 50% Reduced Fat Garlic & Herb Cheddar. The habanero cheddar was begging to be sandwiched between two slices of cornbread and pressed into a melty panini, and I wasted no time setting to work.
I’m happy to report that my Cornbread Panini experiment was a success! The slightly sweet cornbread was the perfect vehicle for the spicy cheese, and it crisped up beautifully in the panini press. Although the cornbread was a bit crumbly, it held up well to the pressing; and by cutting each cornbread square in half, the bread layers were thin enough for the heat to melt the cheese.
I have a few pieces of cornbread left, and am already envisioning other panini creations: avocado slices & jalapeno cheddar, black beans smashed with spicy seasonings & monterey jack, and/or fajita-style chicken and veggies with pepperjack.
Ah, the possibilities.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 4 slices of cooked bacon
- 1 cup cooked and shredded chicken breast
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup sliced pickles
- Butter for grilling
Directions
- Cut each piece of cornbread in half around the “equator” to make 4 thin squares.
- Place cheese slices on 2 of the squares and top with the other 2 squares.
- Lightly coat each side of sandwiches with cooking spray.
- Heat a panini press or a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Press sandwiches in press or place in skillet and weigh down with a panini weight or heavy pot/skillet.
- Cook until browned & crisp on both sides and cheese has melted.
Estimated nutrition breakdown per serving
- Calories: 540 calories
- Total Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
- Sodium: 950mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 51g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 17g
- Protein: 27g
