Multi-step/Multi-day/Multi-Recipe Chicken-Havarti-Pear Chutney Panini :)

The players - the ginger moved and the allspice was suddenly shy

I started with this Ginger-Pear Chutney Recipe from Food.com.  Thank goodness that site allows you to scale the recipe, because I didn't want to can the chutney.  I scaled it to make 5 half-pints...that means I used 4 1/4 chopped pears, 1 2/3 sugar, 1/2 cup seedless raisins (wait seedless? have you ever seen raisins with seeds???), 1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger (that translated to my whole bottle of crystallized ginger from McCormick®), 1 1/4 cups cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground allspice, 1/4 tsp cloves.
The directions are wonderfully simple for the chutney:
1.  Combine all the ingredients in the pot and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours, stir occasionally.
 - SEE? SIMPLE :)

Next day - cause I started the chutney around 5pm and we got hungry....
Whole Grain Chicken Havarti Pear Chutney Panini - makes 2 sandwiches
Today's players today are 6-8 tablespoons of the chutney, 4 slices of whole grain bread - some stores sell "Panini Bread" - it's a little taller and wider than regular bread you find in the bread aisle, 6-8 slices of sliced rotisserie chicken, 4 slices Havarti cheese, and olive oil for spreading - abt 2-3 tbsp.
1. Heat your griddle/panini press/pan to medium high
2. Brush olive oil on one side of each of the 4 slices

3. Assemble the sandwich by putting the oil side down (I assembled on a plate to make it easier) - spoon/spread 1-2 tablespoon(s) of chutney on the bread, layer 1-2 slices of havarti, 1-3 slices of chicken, 1-2 tablespoon (s) on the non-oil side of the bread and then stack the bread (chutney side down) on top of the chicken slices).
4. Place the assembled sandwich or sandwiches on the heated panini press or griddle.  If you are using the press, let it sit with the cover down for about 4-5 minutes.  If you are using a griddle or hot skillet, flip the sandwich at the halfway point - 2-3 minutes in order for both sides of the sandwich to get toasted.

I made the panini off the top of my head, just based on tastes I thought would taste good together.  Turns out I added a little too much chutney to the bread.  The resulting product was very sweet.  BGS ended up scraping half of it off before eating it.  He even accused of me of trying to make him diabetic.

I looked up chutney/panini recipes and most of them say 2 tbsp chutney for each sandwich, so I guess I over-did it.  *shrug*  Lesson learned :)

Sorry there are no photos of the panini - BGS was so hungry he took it before I could snap a shot.

It sure did taste good though :)

You Voted: I Made....well.....

There was a tie, so I asked a friend (BB) to break the tie.  The Roasted chicken, Brie, and Pear Panini won.


Since I am now hooked on cooking/baking and purchased some new tools, I thought maybe I should start at the beginning of a sandwich - the bread.
After a quick search of the internet, I found that there are two breads that are recommended/used in many of the panini recipes I found: ciabatta or foccacia.  It seems foccacia  would be the easiest bread for a beginner-bread-maker, so I set about searching for a good basic recipe.

Not having a bread book for basics (I have bread books for sweet breads like pumpkin and zucchini) I looked online and decided on Easy Foccacia Recipe because of the added flavor from the recipe. Now for the tools ....I put a bread/pizza peel and plastic 6-qt lidded container in my shopping cart...then I talked to a friend who makes bread and to my surprise he told me I had everything I needed :)


Today's players:
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 (.25 ounce) pkg  instant yeast
1 1/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese


After determining the difference between instant yeast and active yeast (subtract 1/4 liquid from the recipe, since you need 1/4 cup water/liquid to proof the active dry yeast (ady), I combine the 2 different flours in the bottom of my kitchen aid mixer and made a well.  I then put the yeast and sugar in the well, pouring  the 1 1/3 cup water (minus the 1/4 cup for the yeast difference) on top.  Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to proof.  Before stirring, pour 1 1/2 tbsp into the well. Stir with a wooden spoon starting in the middle and working outwards to pick up all the flour in the bowl.  Cover and allow to rise/double for 30-45 minutes.


Have a snack, do some laundry, go back and look - it didn't double :(


So I set about looking for a recipe that uses ady to start with instead of messing with the conversion again.


I found this recipe from Bobby Flay Fabulous Focaccia Recipe


I started with putting the ady yeast to the (cleaned) bowl of my stand mixer and then adding in the warm water and sugar.  I waited 3 minutes and no bubbles :(


I received a method from a fellow bread maker (WL) to try proofing the yeast, so I will try that tomorrow.


Sadly the only bread I had in the house was plain old regular white bread....not what I want for a panini....so I will have the husband pick up some wheat bread on his way home tomorrow.


note: I was informed before dinner that my husband abhors brie, so I will be making the panini with fontina cheese when it gets made.