Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Smoked Turkey and Artichoke Panini

A couple of weeks ago I had a Chicken and Artichoke Panini from Paradise Bakery. It was delish and I realized- even though I'm not really an artichoke person- how much I loved the tender, tangy artichokes hearts in that warm crispy-soft bread. My husband may have just been trying to win some brownie points (literally) when he said, "This is good, but you could do it better," but in my book, that's a challenge! So this is my version, and it's pretty darn good if I don't say so myself.

I used smokey sliced turkey and piled it on soft sourdough bread. (Fresh roasted turkey breast or grilled chicken would be delicious as well.) Garlic-herb mayo makes this one a stand-out. It combines with smooth swiss cheese for an irresistible flavor while garden fresh tomatoes round out the whole thing. I love the freshness it gets from the flecks of lemon zest in the mayo and the deep flavors of the garlic and fresh herbs.

Click here for Panini basics, including how to make them without a panini press!


Smoked Turkey and Artichoke Panini
(I never give measurements for sandwiches, I figure you can put on however much you want!)

One loaf rustic sourdough bread
One jar marinated artichoke hearts
Garlic-Herb sandwich spread
Smoked Deli Turkey
Swiss cheese (you could also use baby swiss, provolone, or smoked provolone)
Tomato, sliced (or roasted red peppers are fantastic)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I would think this is pretty self-explanatory, but....

Spread garlic-herb mayo on each slice of bread, then layer cheese slices on each. Pile generous amounts of turkey slices on one side of each sandwich, followed by tomato slices and artichoke hearts.



Brush both outer sides of sandwiches with olive oil and grill until golden brown.



We had this for dinner with a side of Creamy Tomato Soup. Great for dipping!

18 Click HERE to leave a comment:

jenimur said...

I am up way to late and now you have made me very hungry! Nice job! And no I don't have a panini grill, want one though.

Amber said...

I have a panini grill, I picked it up at Sams club last year when they had their "christmas" merchandise. I hasn't had nearly enough use though, but I"m tempted to pull it out today! Thanks for the recipe. I think I'll try it.

WaddleDee said...

Ahh! I don't have a Panini press, but I have a weighted grill!

One Food Guy said...

I have a panini press, I think it's the cuisinart one, and I love it! Grilled, pressed, panini sandwiches are so good. There is not much that's better than a hot, crunchy, tasty sandwich, and your smoked turkey and artichoke panini looks fantastic!

becca said...

Mmmm this looks deliscious! I didn't know you weren't an artichoke fan. I love them. I always put them in pasta dishes and have even pureed them into the creamy garlic sauce along with some sun dried tomatoes. And of course, who can forget artichoke dip? Mmmmm... I'm getting hungry!

I also love paninis. I used my panini press yesterday for grilled cheese- simple but deliscious. I even got the bright idea (ok so i was super bored...) to throw some kernels of popcorn on there, just for curiosity's sake. On the grill, that is, not the sandwich. Sure enough, they pop in little panini grill shaped pieces! Haha... they didn't taste too good, though, all hard and crunchy :(

Eric said...

You destroyed the paradise bakery panini...yours were way better! Nice work...

PaniniKathy said...

I most definitely have a panini grill!! :-)

This sandwich looks so nice and flavorful, esp with the artichokes and garlic-herb mayo. Yummy!

Kendell Wrae said...

i used to work at an itallian eatery where i made paninis. they are fun to make..and easy once u have the equipment for it. u could just use a george forman grill???

Sara said...

kendall, you can totally use a Foreman grill!

Panini Kathy- I'm so going to check out your blog right now!

Becca- you are seriously crazy. Popcorn on the panini grill?? That's like the time we tried to make cotton candy with a hair dryer. hahaha

Tricia said...

Oh Sara bless you!! I have been wanting to make something with artichokes, (just one of my many pregnancy cravings :) I can't wait to try it!!

The Shaws said...

We tried your recipe tonight with sun-dried tomato turkey and Havarti and it was delish! I also used a Foreman grill and it worked great. Thanks for the great dinner idea!!

Morgan and Derek said...

I do not have one,but I found my George Foreman to be absolutely FABULOUS for me. It panini-fys sandwiches beautifully.

all Because two people fell in love... said...

I order this sandwich everytime I went to SLC to visit Jason. He lived right next to one, which was VERY convenient for our visits! By the way Sara...I hear you "know" Carly Bingham??? Jason and I grew up with her hubby Casey in SoCal. Small world!

Lindsay said...

I LOVE that sandwich from Paradise Bakery and will definitely have to try this one. Panini sandwiches are always soooo good--the melted cheese, the warm turkey, the crispy bread--all so good. I use a George Foreman, works great, although it's a small one and I can only do one sandwich at a time.

Emily said...

I just made this the other day and it was sooooo good! We don't have a panini press, so I used our George Foreman and it worked perfectly. YUM!

fittingbackin said...

I'm so glad I found your blog - i'm definitely making this sandwich and many more of your recipes!! :)

Sarah said...

Holy Cow...that was such a good sandwich!

I love your blog!

Jacque Barclay said...

oh wow! Those sandwhiches were amazing! My husband loved them. We paired it with the Creamy Tomato soup which was also amazing and the combination was perfect. We have tried several recipes from your blog now and every single one has been awesome! My husband trusts any recipe that comes off your site! : )

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