Grilled Vegetable Sandwich With Basil Parmesan Aioli Recipes

GRILLED VEGETABLE PANINI

Steps:

• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the oil over the eggplant, zucchini, and onion slices, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the eggplant, zucchini, and onions until they are tender and grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side. Cool completely.
• Cut each baguette into 6 pieces. Working with one baguette piece at a time, slice in half and spread both sides with the pesto. Working with the bottom slice of the baguette, stack 2 slices of eggplant, 2 slices zucchini, 1 slice onion, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice mozzarella, and 1 slice of roasted pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place top half of baguette on top and continue with remaining baguette. (The sandwiches can be made 4 hours ahead. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup (about) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• In a blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Yield: 1 cup
• Prep Time: 10 minutes

GRILLED EGGPLANT PANINI WITH BASIL AIOLI

Steps:

• For aioli, place the first 8 ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth. , Brush vegetables with oil. Place in broiling pan and broil 3-4 inches from heat, or grill, covered, over medium heat until tender, 4-5 minutes per side. Chop the peppers when cool enough to handle. , Spread cut sides of each roll with 2 tablespoons aioli; top each with cheese. Layer bottoms with eggplant and peppers. Replace tops., In a panini press, grill sandwiches until cheese is melted, 5-7 minutes. Serve remaining aioli with sandwiches or save for another use.

GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM SANDWICHES WITH BASIL AIOLI

Steps:

• Make the basil aioli: Combine the mayonnaise, garlic, basil, and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• For the sandwiches: Cut the stems off the portobello mushrooms flush with the mushroom caps. Using the tip of a paring knife, make tiny holes in the caps and insert the garlic slivers and rosemary leaves (if using).
• Combine the olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Generously brush the portobello caps and tomato slices with some of the oil and vinegar mixture and season them with salt and pepper.
• Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.
• When ready to cook, place a vegetable grate on the hot grill and preheat the vegetable grate for 5 minutes.
• Arrange the portobello caps, rounded side down, and the tomato slices on the hot grate and grill, turning with a spatula, until nicely browned and soft, 3 to 6 minutes per side. Brush the vegetables once or twice as they cook with the oil and vinegar mixture.
• Spread the insides of the rolls or buns with basil aioli. Add the grilled mushrooms, the tomato slices, and the arugula, and enjoy.

BASIL-TOMATO GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• On four slices of bread, layer mozzarella cheese and tomatoes; sprinkle with the basil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Top with remaining bread. , In a small bowl, combine the oil, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder; brush over the outsides of each sandwich. , In a skillet over medium heat, toast sandwiches until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted.