Short Rib and Fontina Cheese Panini with Tomato-Onion Chutney
The great bonus about making Slow-Roasted Boneless Short Ribs is that you’ll have leftover meat to spin into this melt-in-your-mouth sandwich, panini-style. It hits the spot when you’re in the mood for some serious comfort food. The Tomato-Onion Chutney is so freakin’ good, you’ll want to put it on everything. For starters, try it as a condiment with Whole Roasted Chicken (page 142).
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Tomato-Onion Chutney
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat a sandwich press according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you don’t have an electric press, place a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brush the pan with oil.
Step 2
Lay the onion slices side by side in the hot pan. Grill on both sides until softened and slightly charred, 2 minutes.
Step 3
When building the sandwiches, make sure to distribute the ingredients evenly across the bread so the sandwiches press flat. First sprinkle half of the cheese on the bottom half of the rolls, then divide the shredded meat on top. Add a slice of grilled onion to each, then add the remaining cheese. Put the other half of the roll on top.
Step 4
Put the sandwiches in the preheated panini maker or grill pan. Close the press (or, if using a grill pan, place another heavy pan on top of the sandwich to press it down). Grill until the ciabatta is crisp on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. (If you cook the sandwich in a pan on the stove, after 3 minutes flip it over and then crisp the other side for 2 minutes.)
Step 5
Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board. Open them up, scatter a few fresh arugula leaves on top, and close back up. Cut the sandwiches diagonally in half with a sharp knife and serve with the chutney on the side for dipping.
Tomato-Onion Chutney
Step 6
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl halfway with water and adding a tray of ice cubes.
Step 7
Using a paring knife, cut a little cross mark on the bottom of the tomatoes. Immerse them in the boiling water for 15 to 30 seconds, until the skin starts to peel away. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes from the pot and transfer to the ice bath to cool quickly and stop the cooking process. Peel the tomatoes with your hands or a paring knife. Cut them in half and squeeze out the seeds. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and set aside. You should have roughly 3 1/2 cups.
Step 8
Put a large skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften slightly and get a little bit of color, about 5 minutes.
Step 9
Add the tomatoes and cloves and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break down and release their liquid, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and agave. Continue to cook, stirring often to prevent burning, until the liquid has evaporated and the chutney is thick, about 5 minutes. The chutney will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Ingredient note
Step 10
Cipollini Onions
Step 11
Pronounced chip-oh-LEE-nee, cipollini are sweet, flattened, flying saucer–shaped onions from Italy. They have a distinctly crisp texture. The good news is they are becoming widely available in markets. If you can’t find them, substitute pearl onions or shallots.
