Steak and Blue Cheese Panini
From Cook's Country
Strip steaks had more beefy flavor than other meat options that we tested, which made them perfect for our Steak and Blue Cheese Paninis. To take the place of a Panini press—which not everybody has laying around—we used a Dutch oven to weigh down our sandwiches. Lining the Dutch oven with aluminum foil made it easy to clean and ensured the sandwiches didn’t stick to the bottom.
Serves 4
For easy cleanup, cover the bottom of the Dutch oven with aluminum foil.
- 2 strip steaks, about 1 1/2 inches thick, sliced thin crosswise
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
- 8 slices thick-cut crusty bread
1. Pat steak dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of steak until browned all over, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and remaining steak. Add onion and 1 teaspoon oil to now-empty skillet and cook until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Off heat, add vinegar and transfer onion to plate with meat.
2. Combine mayonnaise, blue cheese, and horseradish in small bowl. Brush remaining oil over 1 side of bread. Place bread, oiled side down, on cutting board. Spread each slice with flavored mayonnaise. Top 4 slices of bread with steak-onion mixture. Top with remaining bread, oiled side up.
3. Heat grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Place 2 sandwiches in pan and weight with Dutch oven. Cook sandwiches until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Serve.
