Nidhi's Fennel, Kale & Goat Cheese Panini

These are perfect for a late weekend brunch or fixing a breezy breakfast if you have any filling left over.

You need:
Fennel - 1 bulb
Kale - 1 bunch (about a pound)
Goat Cheese - 2-3 oz
Whole Grain Bread - a loaf
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Butter-1 tsp
Orange Juice - 1/4 cup
Red Onion - 1 small (thinly sliced)
Garlic - 2 cloves (finely chopped/minced)
Pepperoncini - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste


To prepare:
Core the fennel and remove the stringy/tough outer layer, chop up into 1/2 inch squares/strips. I like to use the aromatic green leaves on the stem as well (In any case, save some for garnish if you don't like getting too much of the thread-like stuff between your teeth). For Kale, just take off the stems and use the leaves.

To cook:
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy skillet/pan, stir in the onions, garlic and pepperoncini. As the onions begin to color, add fennel, orange juice, and salt. Cover and let cook for 15-20 mins or till the fennel is tender. Add Kale and saute till it turns dark green (5-7 mins). Uncover and allow the liquid to dissipate.


To grill:
Plug in your panini press and let it attain the optimum temp. Add the Fennel/Kale filling and pile hunks of goat cheese on to a slice of whole grain bread (Any hearty bread would do, I use Alvarado St's Sprouted Wheat Multi-grain or La Brea's whole grain), as you would for a sandwich and cover with another slice. Put a thin sliver of butter on the grill. Put your sandwich on to it as it sizzles, place another tiny flake of butter on top. Do 2 or more paninis at a time, depending on the size of your bread and/or panini press. The paninis should be done in 3-4 minutes.


P.S. The vegetable stir fry can just as easily be used as a side to pasta or a creamy soup.