ITALIAN TUNA MELT PANINI

I posted a recipe for a Tuna Melt in Izetta's Southern Cooking blog, so I decided to make an Italian Tuna Melt. If you use Kalamata olives and Greek kasseri cheese, it would be a Greek tuna melt. Serve this with a bowl of soup and you have a delicious meal. Did you know that one Italian sandwich is a Panino and two or more are Panini?

2 Italian rolls or Italian bread cut into 6 to 8 inches in length.

Lemon Aioli

½ cup mayonnaise

Zest and juice of a ½ medium lemon 

1 t Dijon mustard

1 small clove garlic, pushed through a garlic press

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon zest, juice, mustard, and garlic.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to prepare sandwiches.

Black Olive Tapenade

1 cup black Italian Gaeta olives, pitted and chopped

¼ cup  chopped Italian parsley

¼ cup chopped red onion

3 anchovies, smashed (optional)

Zest and juice of a ½ medium lemon

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Mix all together in a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to prepare sandwiches.

Tuna Salad

1 5-oz can solid white tuna, in oil or water, drained

¼ cup diced roasted red bell peppers 

¼ cup drained capers

2 T chopped Italian parsley

Juice of ½ medium lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

Mix all together in a medium bowl and set aside.

4 slices Provolone cheese

Arugula

Shaved or thinly sliced fennel

Cut bread in half, lengthwise and spread top and bottom of each sandwich with Lemon Aioli.

Add some Tuna Salad to the bottom half.

Layer on 2 slices of Provolone cheese and place under the broiler for about 1 minute, to just melt the cheese but do not brown.

Spread some Black Olive Tapenade on top.

Add a little arugula and shaved fennel on top of tapenade and top with the other slice of bread.

Cut in half and serve.

Serves 2 to 4

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OVEN ROASTED ASPARAGUS & CREMINI MUSHROOMS

This is an easy way to make a delicious and healthy vegetable dish. It's on the table in less than 30 minutes, from start to finish.

1 lb asparagus, trimmed

10 to 12 cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and thickly sliced
1 shallot, diced
1 T extra-light olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t fresh or freeze-dried thyme leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 T unsalted butter, melted
Zest and juice of ½ lemon

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the asparagus, mushrooms, and shallot on a baking sheet,

Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle on the garlic and thyme leaves. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Place in oven and roast for 15 to 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the lemon zest and juice.

Transfer asparagus and mushrooms to a warm serving platter and drizzle with the melted butter mixture.
Add 4 lemon wedges and serve.

Serves 4

ITALIAN GREYHOUNDS

This cocktail was first served at Greyhound's restaurant chain that was located in their bus terminals, called "Post House". This cocktail is the Italian version because of the addition of Campari and rosemary. It's a refreshing spring and summer drink.

2 t granulated sugar

1 T grated grapefruit zest

4 oz vodka                             

8 oz grapefruit juice

1 oz Campari

Grapefruit wedges, for garnish

Rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Pour sugar into a little shallow bowl. 

Grate grapefruit with a zester and set aside on a cutting board to dry out briefly.

In a pitcher, add the vodka, grapefruit juice, and Campari and mix to combine.

Make a slit in a grapefruit wedge with a knife and run it around the rim of two cocktail glasses.

Add grapefruit zest to the sugar and mix to combine.

Dip glass rims into the sugar mixture then fill with ice cubes.

Pour in the cocktail mixture and garnish with a grapefruit wedge and a sprig of rosemary.

Makes 2 drinks