I had a friend in business school – a Frenchman – who would put together the most fabulous dinner parties with the simplest of ingredients. My roommate and I would watch in awe as he transformed the inexpensive, fresh staple items we’d picked up earlier in the day – a whole chicken, honey, herbs, vegetables – into a sumptuous feast. At this point in my life I was still very much a heat-and-serve kinda gal, with the occasional cookie-baking escapade. I always wished I could learn how to cook by taste like mon ami.
These days, I have a little help in the taste department – have you heard of The Flavor Bible
Most recently, I consulted The Flavor Bible when I needed a third ingredient to round out today’s panini. I already had horseradish mustard (Foodbuzz sent me some of Emeril’s Kicked Up Horseradish Mustard to try out) and a nice, sharp Vermont white cheddar ready to go. Roast beef was an obvious choice to go with these bold flavors but I already made that sandwich once before. I never would have come up with The Flavor Bible’s suggestion of Golden Delicious apples as a pairing for horseradish, but since I knew that apples go so well with cheddar too I definitely had to give the trio a try.
This combination was a winner. Golden Delicious apples weren’t available, but the Red Delicious ones I substituted offered a gently sweet balance to the bold, tangy flavors in these panini. Emeril’s horseradish mustard was a lot milder than I’d expected, and I surely didn’t skimp (I like my eyes to water with this stuff!), but I enjoyed it nonetheless with the cheddar and apples. The denseness of the sesame semolina bread I used held up really well to grilling, and the subtle nuttiness of the sesame seeds also paired well with the cheddar.
A couple of these made a great lunch and I could also imagine using similar ingredients as an open-faced appetizer – I might try spreading a little mustard on seeded baguette rounds, broiling some cheddar on top and finishing with a fresh apple slice.
Cheddar, Apples & Horseradish Mustard Panini
INGREDIENTS:
Country-style bread, sliced ~ 1/2″ thick (I used sesame semolina)
Golden or Red Delicious apples, cored and thinly sliced
Sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
Horseradish mustard (or other spicy, grainy mustard)
Melted butter (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the panini grill to medium-high heat 375°.
Arrange apple slices in a single layer on one slice of bread. Top with cheese. Spread a generous amount of mustard inside another slice of bread and place (mustard side-down) on top of the cheese. If desired, brush a little melted butter on top for extra crispness.
Grill panini for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden grill marks appear. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Panini Happy, online since 2008, is more than just a sandwich blog. Here, you'll find hundreds of my original 
not only does horseradish mustard make my eyes water, it also makes my nose burn like nobody’s business. i can take any pepper you throw at me, but i can’t handle the horseradish. pathetic. 🙂
.-= grace´s last blog ..my buddy, my buddy =-.
Mmmmm, looks amazing! I love The Flavor Bible too–what a great reference! Gorgeous photos. 🙂
.-= sara´s last blog ..Farmer’s Market Pasta =-.
What a unique flavor combo! Bet it tastes great!
.-= Cookie´s last blog ..More Freezer Meals =-.
We have a bottle of horseradish mustard! Looks like this would be a good one to try.
.-= The Duo Dishes´s last blog ..The Challenge of Working with Yeast =-.
I love cheddar and apples together – just wait until Fall, you’ll never want to read about another apple on my blog again 🙂
.-= maris´s last blog ..Perfect for Date Night: Focaccia with Onion & Rosemary (And a giveaway!) =-.
What a fabulous combination! Sounds great, and thank you for the recommendation on the book.
.-= Emily´s last blog ..WEEK 12: Mediterranean Pizza =-.
Mmm…this panini is giving me cravings! Love the flavor combo here, definitely going to check out this book.
.-= Sandie´s last blog ..A Bountiful Kitchen: Cooking Inn Style with Local, Sustainable Foods (Recipe: Aska Lodge B&B’s Green Tea Blueberry Smoothie) =-.
LOVE it. I think horseradish mustard is one of my favorite things in the world… and I’ll bet it’s a knockout with the sweetness of the apples. Of course, then you added cheese. And that just takes it over the top 🙂
.-= lo´s last blog ..Pâté de Canard en Croûte Part 1: In Creativity We Truss =-.
That is an INSPIRING panini, whew. Thanks for sharing and I hope once my mouth stops watering to make one.
.-= Patti Londre´s last blog ..Light Tortilla Soup =-.
Lovely!
I haven’t seen The Flavor Bible yet, but I am going to go to the library to check it out now. Thanks for the heads up!
Okay, I must be living under a fairly large rock because I’ve not heard of this book and it does sound completely amazing. I have heard of apples with cheddar, but not horseradish, and I can imagine the mingling of those flavors. I just may have to add another book to my collection. The panini sounds yummy!
.-= kellypea´s last blog ..Bittman Salad 13: Strawberries and Tomatoes =-.
Apples and cheese are one of my favorite flavor combos. This sandwich looks amazing, kathy!
.-= Susan from Food Blogga´s last blog ..Cantaloupe Boats Are Delicious, Refreshing, and Fat Free =-.
Amazing looking panini! Looks like I know what I might have tomorrow for lunch! I’m going to look for that book too! Thanks for sharing it!
.-= Kim, Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet´s last blog ..4 for 4 – 4 recipes in 1 =-.
Oh my word! I just stumbled upon your blog and to say it is amazing would be an understatement. Wow! I never knew you could make desserts in a panini maker? Where have I been? Anyway, keep up the great work and all the innovative recipes!
.-= Nicole´s last blog ..Give ‘em a Good Scrub! =-.
YUMMMMM. I’m making this!!!