Panini makers are one of the top appliances in the kitchen-goods marketplace today. They are popular as wedding, housewarming, and Christmas gifts, beyond the many occasions people buy them for their own use. They offer a way to get an interesting and multifaceted hot meal on the table in a matter of minutes. And, while panini technically are sandwiches, they are not just for lunch--they make good dinnertime or breakfast/brunch fare as well.
Kathy Strahs's The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook looks in-depth at panini makers as a powerful cooking appliance. Kathy does this in two ways: first, by giving readers an inside look at how different models of panini presses work and offering many tips and tricks for how to cook on the different models, and, second, by serving up dozens of recipes for things other than panini that you can make in a panini maker. She also covers how to make panini on countertop presses and grills (such as the George Foreman machines) that are not dedicated panini makers.
The heart of the book, which has 205 recipes in total and more than 100 color phtographs, are 125 panini, from classics like Croque Monsieur and Reuben panini to imaginative creations like a Grilled Asparagus and Prosciutto panini and Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas.
There are smaller appetizer panini as well, and a host of breakfast and brunch sandwiches. Beyond the panini, Kathy shows how to use a panini maker to make such things as chicken satay, jerk pork tenderloin, and even grilled fish tacos. An inventive chapter on desserts includes an amazing way to make homemade ice-cream cones in a panini machine, along with things like Grilled Pears with Ricotta, Honey, and Mint.
