Think of this as an upmarket “cheese steak” with tangy goat cheese and sweet carmelized onions. Well-loved and delicious, this panino is on the most-requested list among friends, families, and customers.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh goat cheese, preferably Coach Farm
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1½ pounds flank steak
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 Vidalia onions, cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices
- 1⁄3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 8 slices rustic peasant bread, cut 1⁄2 inch thick
How to Make It
- Using a fork, combine the goat cheese with the mint, basil, and thyme until well blended and smooth. Set aside.
- Season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a sauté pan, preferably cast iron, over a mediumhigh flame. When the pan is very hot, place the steak in the pan and cook, undisturbed, for 3 minutes on each side, until seared. Transfer the steak to a plate.
- Add the onions to the sauté pan, and sauté in the rendered beef fat until they are coated, about 1 minute. Season with 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and then add the vinegar. Cook over a medium flame, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and burnished, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- Preheat a panini grill to its highest setting.
- Thinly slice the steak, starting at the narrow end.
- Spread a thin coating of the goat cheese mixture over each piece of bread. Lay the steak slices in a single layer over half of the bread slices, followed by a few onion slices. Top with the remaining slices of bread.
- Grill the sandwiches until the bread is well browned and the interior is heated through, about 4 minutes. Cut each sandwich in half before serving.
