Mushroom Swiss Panino
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Ah, the familiar Mushroom Swiss, staple of all ale houses with more than a passing selection of burger choices. As with a lot of classics, the basic premise here is pretty simple; it's just mushrooms and Swiss cheese. Bearing that in mind, I didn't want to deviate too far from the basic structure but still had a few ideas on how I could get the most out it.
First, lets start with the cheese. When people say 'Swiss cheese', they're actually being pretty vague; do the mean any cheese from Switzerland, or are they referring to a specific variety. In fact, in most cases when you hear the term it's actually being used to refer to a number of cheeses produced in North America that closely resemble Emmental. Instead of following this usual meaning, I'm going for a more literal interpretation and actually using cheeses from Switzerland: Gruyère and Appenzeller. Gruyère has something of a woody flavour that pairs well with the similar flavour of the mushroom. Whilst normally fairly mild, I've opted to use a variety aged for 18 months in the caves of Kaltbach; this amps up that woody flavour and takes away some of the sweetness. Appenzeller is brings back some of the mildness lost from the Gruyère, adding with it a slightly spicy and somewhat herby flavour. Combined, the two produce what I would describe as forest flavours, which seems perfect as an accompaniment to the mushroom.
For the mushroom I've gone with a portobello simply for its strong beefy flavour and earthy undertones to further work that forest flavour vibe. Adding baby spinach to this simply acts to balance the level of herbal flavours a touch, and also adds a little freshness to the proceedings. Finally, I've used olive bread simply to add in an extra touch of bitterness, and to ensure that the woody flavours taper out right to the edge of the sandwich.
Enjoy. :)
Mushroom Swiss Panino
Serves: 1 Person
Kaltbach cave aged Gruyère, Appenzeller, portobello mushroom and baby spinach, sandwiched between two slices of green olive bread.
Ingredients
- 2 Slices Green Olive Bread
- 30g Kaltbach Cave Aged Gruyère
- 30g Appenzeller
- 1 Portobello Mushroom
- 1 Handful Baby Spinach
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- Black Pepper
Instructions
- Coarsely dice the portobello mushroom, and set to one side.
- Coarsely dice the baby spinach, and also set to one side.
- Bring a pan to a low to medium temperature, add just a tablespoon of olive oil, then add both the mushroom and dice spinach.
- Grate both the Gruyère and Appenzeller, and mix together.
- Once the mushroom and spinach mixture looks done (ie: the mushroom is browning and the spinach has wilted), crack in some black pepper and remove from the heat.
- Put half the cheese on one slice of bread, add the spinach and mushroom, then layer on the remaining cheese; place the second slice of bread on top.
- Place in a panini press until the cheese has melted and the sandwich is toasted to your personal satisfaction.
Notes & Tips
If you don't have olive bread, just use a nice crusty loaf of french bread and slice in a few olives of your own. If you want a slightly milder flavour, forgo the olives entirely and opt for a regular Gruyère rather than an aged one.
