Clever use for a panini machine

[Jenise]

Dining out the other night in a great small hole in the wall bar/Italian restaurant where the bartender is also the sommelier and appetizer maker, I watched him put together a plate of burrata, proscuitto and grilled asparagus wherein he put the blanched asparagus spears in the panini maker to grill them! Took maybe 10 seconds.

I don't have one of those machines, but maybe this is a useful tip for those of you who do.

Or a George Foreman grill.

[Jenise]

Or a George Foreman grill.

Right; just about the same difference, isn't it?

I have a Cuisinart Griddler, great appliance. The grill sides of the non-stick plates work for grilling, and panini, flip them over and they are for pancakes, eggs, bacon, or anything that needs a flat plate. It cleans easily and flipping the plates is a breeze. I have used it to grill asparagus when it happened to be out. Making fajitas is quick and easy...only one plate to wash.

This is good. I've been debating using our new panini maker for just such a purpose. (I've also been waiting for seasonal vegetables that could go in the panini maker because stuffing a giant cabbage in there doesn't seem like a good idea).

But, if I can do this 'quick vegetable grilling' it may help me convince my wife that the panini maker was not a worthless purchase (since we rarely eat sandwiches).