Cheese, bacon and guacamole panini

I didn't invent this sandwich. I wish I'd thought of it, but the truth is that I read about it in the bathroom, where I was flipping through an issue of Boston Magazine. Dubbed "The Green Muenster" in a nod to Boston's Fenway Park and its famous scoreboard wall, The Green Monster, this creation of Roxy's Grilled Cheese Truck sounded so amazing that I had to try my own version.

The original is slathered with mayonnaise on the outside, which yields an extra-crispy crust on the bread. I changed it up a bit: thick slices of muenster cheese, bacon, a smear of guacamole, mayonnaise on the inside of the bread, and olive oil on the outside. Salty, creamy, gooey and crunchy, this panini is a truly ethereal meal on its own. If you don't have a panini press, use a stovetop griddle or frying pan, and weight the top of the sandwich with a second frying pan or heavy plate. It's just the kind of comfort food you want on the day your taxes are due.

Cheese, bacon and guacamole panini

From the pantry, you'll need: sliced bread, lime, garlic, mayonnaise, bacon.

Makes 2 large sandwiches; can be multiplied. This recipe makes extra guacamole, but as long as you're mashing it, why not have a bit left in case someone wants seconds?

Ingredients

For the guacamole:
2 avocados, diced and mashed with a fork
1 chopped plum tomato
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped scallions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 chopped jalapeño pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

For the panini:
4 slices of bread
8 slices of muenster cheese
4 slices cooked bacon
1/2 cup guacamole
4 tsp mayonnaise
Olive oil

Directions

In a mixing bowl, smash together all of the guacamole ingredients with a fork, and set aside. You can make this way ahead, and refrigerate until panini time.

Preheat your panini press or griddle.

Assemble the sandwiches: For each sandwich, place a piece of bread on a plate. Slather it with mayonnaise on one side. Top it with 2 slices of cheese, 2 slices of bacon, 1/4 cup of guacamole, and 2 additional slices of cheese. Smear the other slice of bread with mayonnaise, and top the sandwich.

Use a brush to paint the outside of the sandwich, on both sides, with olive oil. 

Place both sandwiches on your panini press or griddle. Grill for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese just begins to melt.

Serve hot.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More panini (grilled cheese) sandwich ideas:
Turkey, brie, roasted red pepper and arugula panini with honey mustard sauce, from The Perfect Pantry
Grilled portobello mushroom and goat cheese sandwich with smoked red pepper spread, from The Perfect Pantry
Green Goddess grilled cheese panini, from Panini Happy
Turkey and cranberry panini with goat cheese aioli, from The Messy Baker
Chicken panini with fig jam, arugula, and blue cheese, from Love and Olive Oil

Cheese, bacon and guacamole panini

From the pantry, you'll need: sliced bread, lime, garlic, mayonnaise, bacon.

Makes 2 large sandwiches; can be multiplied. This recipe makes extra guacamole, but as long as you're mashing it, why not have a bit left in case someone wants seconds?

Ingredients

For the guacamole:
2 avocados, diced and mashed with a fork
1 chopped plum tomato
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped scallions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 chopped jalapeño pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

For the panini:
4 slices of bread
8 slices of muenster cheese
4 slices cooked bacon
1/2 cup guacamole
4 tsp mayonnaise
Olive oil

Directions

In a mixing bowl, smash together all of the guacamole ingredients with a fork, and set aside. You can make this way ahead, and refrigerate until panini time.

Preheat your panini press or griddle.

Assemble the sandwiches: For each sandwich, place a piece of bread on a plate. Slather it with mayonnaise on one side. Top it with 2 slices of cheese, 2 slices of bacon, 1/4 cup of guacamole, and 2 additional slices of cheese. Smear the other slice of bread with mayonnaise, and top the sandwich.

Use a brush to paint the outside of the sandwich, on both sides, with olive oil. 

Place both sandwiches on your panini press or griddle. Grill for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese just begins to melt.

Serve hot.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More panini (grilled cheese) sandwich ideas:
Turkey, brie, roasted red pepper and arugula panini with honey mustard sauce, from The Perfect Pantry
Grilled portobello mushroom and goat cheese sandwich with smoked red pepper spread, from The Perfect Pantry
Green Goddess grilled cheese panini, from Panini Happy
Turkey and cranberry panini with goat cheese aioli, from The Messy Baker
Chicken panini with fig jam, arugula, and blue cheese, from Love and Olive Oil

Comments

Oh my, this absolutely sounds like the perfect comfort food for tax day! I'm thankful I don't need comfort this year, but if I did I'm sure this sandwich would make me feel a lot better!

Kalyn, this sandwich makes me want to track down the food truck that invented it!

Guacamole made, mellowing for lunch later. Sounds great!

Susan, even without the bacon, this sandwich is pretty terrific.

PM: Totally terrific! No demure modesty necessary.(Fried up a little tempeh for the bacon layer; had pepper jack on hand, so no jalapenos) Creamy and crunchy and totally satisfying.

Susan, now I wish I'd made one for lunch today. Thanks for the report!

OH. MY. WORD. Manna from heaven....just happened to have everything on hand but jalaps, so, used meunster and pepper jack cheese....used sourdough bread and ghee instead of mayo. Lord a'mighty.....

Three Feathers, pepper jack sounds like such a great addition (thanks, Susan, for trying that, too). I MUST try it!

forgot to mention that i had the chance to receive a pannini press from a friend who was moving, but turned it down. yeah, i know....WHAT?? however, i've had and used a foil wrapped brick for years, way before paninni presses were in vogue, so, i just use my brick (would hate to hurt its feelings replacing it LOL)....have an old cast iron skillet i use if i make 2 sandwiches at a time....can't beat usin' what cha got ;0)