Panini Playbook

• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 cup oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper
• 1 can chipotles in adobo, to taste
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• 2–4 cloves roasted garlic
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp smoked paprika

1. Blend the yolks and lime juice for about 30 seconds.
2. With the blender running, add the oil in a thin, steady stream over 1–2 minutes. Stop at the thickness you like.
3. Add the garlic, chipotle, seasonings, cilantro, vinegar and maple. Blend briefly.
4. Let it rest so the flavors blend.

Shortcut: stir adobo sauce, a minced chipotle and lime into store-bought mayo.

• 6 firm Roma tomatoes
• 2 cups pineapple (250 g), grilled if you like
• 3–5 cloves garlic
• 2 serranos (30 g)
• 4 jalapeños (125 g)
• 4 habaneros (24 g)
• ½ jumbo red onion (200 g)
• A handful of cilantro
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon and 2 limes

1. Air-fry the serranos, jalapeños and habaneros at 450°F. Watch closely and roast lightly.
2. Roughly cut the onion and peppers, and mince the garlic.
3. Dice the tomatoes and pineapple. Save the pineapple juice and mix it with the citrus juice and zest.
4. Combine everything and pulse in a food processor.

This is the base for the roasted pineapple habanero sauce: blend smoother and reduce slightly. It comes out medium. For real heat, use 7–8 habaneros.

• ½ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1½ Tbsp brown sugar

1. Simmer over medium-high heat until syrupy.
2. Strain out the berries.
3. Spread on buttered bread, then layer cheese and spinach.

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp lemon zest
• 6 egg yolks
• About ½ cup lemon juice
• ½ cup cold butter, cubed

1. Whisk the yolks and sugar, then add the lemon juice.
2. Cook in a rice cooker on sauté or simmer, whisking constantly, until it thickens and coats a spoon.
3. Off the heat, whisk in the butter. Strain for a silky finish.

Based on Preppy Kitchen's lemon curd (preppykitchen.com/lemon-curd). It keeps about two weeks in the fridge.

• 1 can black-eyed peas, rinsed
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• ¾ cup corn kernels
• 1 cup chopped avocado
• ½ cup red onion
• ¼ cup cilantro

• Dressing: 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 grated garlic clove
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Whisk the dressing and toss it with everything else. Add the avocado last.

• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp rice wine, red wine or mirin
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic

• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 Tbsp chopped green onion
• 2 Tbsp pear purée (or kiwi or onion)
• ½ yellow onion, slivered

Marinate thin-sliced beef, then sear it hot before building the sandwich.

• 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp brown sugar (optional)
• 1 can Pabst Blue Ribbon (12 oz)

1. Melt the butter with the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and salt.
2. Cook slowly, stirring now and then, until soft and golden, about 30 minutes.
3. Add PBR a splash at a time, letting each splash cook off and scraping up the brown bits.
4. Keep going for another 20–30 minutes, until the onions are deep brown and jammy.

The house version uses no sugar. For sweeter, darker onions, stir in the brown sugar before the first splash of beer. Use it on the Fig & Caramelized Onion panini, or anywhere a card calls for caramelized onions: French Onion, Club Modified, Buffalo Apple Chicken. It keeps about a week in the fridge.

• 1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh oregano (or 2 tsp dried)
• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper

1. Stir the garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper flakes together and let them sit for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the parsley and oregano, then the olive oil.
3. Rest at least 20 minutes before using.

A standard version, not from the notes. Great on roast beef or Italian beef. It's wet, so add it after the press.

• 3 lb rump roast
• 1 pkg Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
• 1 cup water
• 1 pkg au jus gravy mix
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 6 pepperoncini peppers

1. Mix everything and pour it over the roast in a 5-quart crock pot.
2. Cook on low for 4 hours.
3. Take out the roast, slice it thin, return it to the pot and cook on low 1 more hour.

Serve on toasted hoagies with mozzarella or provolone and giardiniera.

• ½ head cauliflower, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 4 serranos, sliced
• ½ onion, chopped
• ¾ cup white vinegar, plus more to cover
• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 1 Tbsp crushed red pepper
• ½ Tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ¾ tsp ground pepper
• ½ tsp each celery seed, mustard seed, fennel seed, coriander seed, dill weed
• ¼ tsp ground allspice

Combine everything, adding vinegar until the vegetables are submerged. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 days.

• 1 bunch thyme
• 2 large red chilies
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 200 g Scotch bonnets, deseeded
• 8 small red chilies, seeds in

The method isn't written down yet. This is the base so far.