Turkey, brie, roasted red pepper and arugula panini with honey mustard sauce

Nothing, but nothing, beats a really great grilled cheese sandwich. If you've seen the movie Chef, you know how much of an event a grilled cheese sandwich can be. Like the dad in the movie, my father was our family's official grilled cheese master, carefully buttering white bread, precisely positioning a few square slices of yellow cheese, pressing it flat under a plate in a frying pan on the stove, tending it until the bread turned perfectly golden. Well, that was a bit of heaven to me. Nowadays my grilled cheese creations tend to end up in the panini press, and there's usually more between the pieces of bread than just one type of cheese. Greens, meats, multiple cheeses, roasted vegetables: anything goes. In this sandwich, the honey-mustard sauce marries the mild turkey and cheese with the spicy arugula and red pepper. You can swap rotisserie chicken for the turkey.

Turkey, brie, roasted red pepper and arugula panini with honey mustard sauce

From the pantry, you'll need: Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, honey (or agave nectar), black pepper, roasted red pepper.

Serves 2; can be multiplied.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard (I like country-style Dijon)
1/2 tsp honey or agave nectar
Large pinch fresh black pepper
4 slices rustic bread
1/4 lb thinly sliced brie cheese
1/4 lb sliced roasted turkey breast
1 roasted red pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut in half lengthwise
2 handfuls of baby arugula
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat your panini press (or frying pan).

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, honey or agave nectar, and black pepper.

Spread one side of each slice of bread with the mayonnaise mixture.

Begin to assemble the sandwiches on two of the slices of bread. On each slice, layer one-fourth of the cheese, then half of the turkey, half of the roasted red pepper, and one handful of arugula. Top with remaining cheese, and another slice of bread.

Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the outside of each sandwich (both sides) with olive oil. Place in the preheated panini press, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese melts and the bread is toasted.

Let the sandwiches sit for 1-2 minutes before cutting in half. Serve hot.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More melty sandwiches with cheese:
Roast beef panini with caramelized onions and horseradish cheese sauce, from The Perfect Pantry
Grilled portobello and goat cheese sandwich, from The Perfect Pantry
Kale pesto, tomato and fontina sandwich, from The Perfect Pantry
Cheeseburger patty melt panini, from Panini Happy
Guacamole grilled cheese sandwich, from Two Peas and Their Pod
Crispy zucchini grilled cheese with Dijon horseradish aioli,  from How Sweet It Is

Turkey, brie, roasted red pepper and arugula panini with honey mustard sauce

From the pantry, you'll need: Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, honey (or agave nectar), black pepper, roasted red pepper.

Serves 2; can be multiplied.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard (I like country-style Dijon)
1/2 tsp honey or agave nectar
Large pinch fresh black pepper
4 slices rustic bread
1/4 lb thinly sliced brie cheese
1/4 lb sliced roasted turkey breast
1 roasted red pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut in half lengthwise
2 handfuls of baby arugula
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat your panini press (or frying pan).

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, honey or agave nectar, and black pepper.

Spread one side of each slice of bread with the mayonnaise mixture.

Begin to assemble the sandwiches on two of the slices of bread. On each slice, layer one-fourth of the cheese, then half of the turkey, half of the roasted red pepper, and one handful of arugula. Top with remaining cheese, and another slice of bread.

Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the outside of each sandwich (both sides) with olive oil. Place in the preheated panini press, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese melts and the bread is toasted.

Let the sandwiches sit for 1-2 minutes before cutting in half. Serve hot.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More melty sandwiches with cheese:
Roast beef panini with caramelized onions and horseradish cheese sauce, from The Perfect Pantry
Grilled portobello and goat cheese sandwich, from The Perfect Pantry
Kale pesto, tomato and fontina sandwich, from The Perfect Pantry
Cheeseburger patty melt panini, from Panini Happy
Guacamole grilled cheese sandwich, from Two Peas and Their Pod
Crispy zucchini grilled cheese with Dijon horseradish aioli,  from How Sweet It Is

Comments

Have you been spying on our fridge? Leftovers include rotisserie chicken, arugula and some lovely robiola cheese. This sounds like the perfect easy dinner to put together when we return from our excursion to the MFA today.

That sounds like a delicious combination of flavors, especially the addition of arugula!

Lorna, too funny! Sounds like you have the makings for a fabulous panini.

Kalyn, the arugula adds just enough "bite". It's a great combination.