Steemit Sandwich Contest Week #45- French Onion Soup Panini

Today is Father's Day and my inspiration for this week's sandwich is based on my dad's favorite soup. Whenever we would go out for dinner, the first thing he would order even without opening the menu is a French onion soup. For @jaybird's sandwich contest, I made a panini based on my dad's beloved soup.

I decided to make some truffled potato chips to accompany the sandwich. I thinly sliced some yukon potatoes and dropped them in some hot water to blanch for a few minutes. This will remove some of the starch and help the potatoes get really crispy. After the potatoes are out of the hot oil, I seasoned the chips with salt and truffle powder.

For the sandwich, instead of making a soup, I braised short ribs with three different types of onions.

I seared the beef, added leeks and some thyme. After braising the meat for 3 hours, the caramelized onions and shallots were added. The onions were cooked along with the beef for another hour. The meat was so tender and flavorful

For the sandwich I used a ciabatta roll because I wanted the holes in the bread to capture the juices from the chunks of beef. Then caramelized onions from the braise were added and the whole sandwich was topped off with shredded gruyere cheese. Since I did not have a panini press I made a make shift one by placing my sandwich on a cast iron pan and placing another heavy pot on top of the sandwich to press it while cooking it over low heat.

One bite of this sandwich and the flavors reminded me of all the soups meals I shared with my dad. The beef was juicy, the caramelized onions added sweetness and the melted cheese some nuttiness. A new pairing which I like that is not part of the traditional soup is cayenne spiced cornichons. The pickles cut the richness of the sandwich and added a tiny bit of heat. I wish all dads a terrific day.