What to make with rye bread? This was the question I asked myself the other day when I bought rye bread from the local grocery store. It was on sale and looked really delicious and healthy. Yet, I was a bit apprehensive to give it a try. I’ve never been a fan of rye bread for one simple reason: caraway seeds. I find them way too aromatic, way too pungent – way too “over the top” flavor-wise. Caraway seeds are to me what basil is to my husband – a culinary adversary. 🙂
Still, I wanted to know how to “tame” my adversary, and as usual, the deli products I had in the fridge came to the rescue. I decided to “hide” the caraway seeds behind the flavor wall of several deli meats, and to add bell peppers for freshness and crunchiness. Once again, panini was the way to go 🙂
I used sweet capicola and low fat hard salami along with my beloved provolone cheese. For a change, I moistened the slices of bread with mayonnaise instead of olive oil or sour cream (my usual go-to options). I think this is the first time ever for me to post a recipe with mayo on the ingredients’ list. I’m glad I decided to use it, though: I have found that the rich flavor and velvety texture of the mayo work really well with the robust rye bread and the meat components in this panino.
Ingredients
2 slices rye bread
6 slices sweet capicola
6 slices hard salami
4 slices provolone
Handful of sliced bell pepper (I used red and green bell pepper)
1 tbsp mayo
Spread a thin layer of mayo on both slices of bread. Add the following on each slice, in this order: pepper, 2 slices of provolone, 3 slices of hard salami, 3 slices of capicola. Carefully put the first slice of bread and its accompanying ingredients on top of the other slice of bread. Place the panino on the preheated grill to cook for about 30 seconds or until there are nice grill marks on the bread.
This is how the process looks like:
Cut the panino in half and serve it warm.
Mmmmmm, so enticing…
This panino makes up a sophisticated emporium of flavors and textures, which satisfies the meat eater as well as the bell pepper aficionado (I fit in both categories, lol). While big on calories, it is also big on taste, and leaves no flavor at the mercy of chance or randomness.
Somewhere along the way, I could taste a hint of caraway seeds. Just a hint – nothing more! – in an ocean of satisfying protein deliciousness. Adversary averted, mission accomplished 🙂
chicagolovespanini 