BRIE AND ROAST PANINI

Prep Time: 4 Hours
Yields: 6–8 Servings

Comment:
Highly seasoned, peppery beef or pork roasts are a hallmark of Louisiana cuisine. This excellent recipe uses fresh cayenne and jalapeño peppers to give the roast that extra kick. Using Brie cheese as a topper brings a whole new dimension to the classic roast sandwich.

Ingredients for Chuck Roast:
1 (2–3 pound) boneless Chuck
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced green onions
⅛ tsp dried thyme
⅛ tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
¼ cup sliced cayenne peppers
¼ cup sliced jalapeño peppers
salt and black pepper to taste
Louisiana hot sauce to taste
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 cups diced onions
¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced bell peppers
¼ cup parsley
1 cup beef stock

Method for Chuck Roast:
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small mixing bowl, combine garlic, green onions, thyme, basil, 1 teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Pierce holes through roast and fill each cavity with mixture. Next, stuff cayenne and jalapeño peppers into holes, leaving approximately 2 inches of peppers exposed. Season roast to taste with salt, pepper and hot sauce. In a 12-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear roast in hot oil on all sides. Place onions, celery, bell peppers, parsley and beef stock in Dutch oven. Cover and bake 3½ hours or until tender. Add water if necessary during cooking.

Ingredients for Panini:
2–3 pounds chuck roast or deli roast beef
1 (14-ounce) wheel of Brie cheese, sliced into ¼-inch thick strips across the diameter
3–4 loaves French bread
¼ cup softened butter
2 tsps granulated garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ cup horseradish mayonnaise
1 (10-ounce) can crisp-fried onion strips
2 tbsps Dijon mustard

Method for Panini:
Preheat panini press to medium-high heat. Thinly slice chuck roast. Divide sliced meat into equal serving portions and set aside. In a small bowl, mix together butter, granulated garlic and oregano and set aside. Cut each loaf of bread into 2 serving pieces then split lengthwise. To assemble each sandwich, spread the crust side of bread with the butter mixture. Place bread, buttered-side down, on a cutting board. Spread one slice of bread with horseradish mayonnaise and top with meat.
Sprinkle with crisp-fried onion strips and top with Brie. Spread mustard on the remaining slice of bread and place on top of Brie. Place sandwich on panini grill and cook until golden brown on both sides, 2–4 minutes. Cut panini sandwich in half diagonally and serve hot.