Pepper & Bratwurst Panini & Napa Valley Petite Sirah

Pairing: 2021 Napa Valley Petitie Sirah

Serves  4

Time: 1 hr

There’s nothing quite like the flavor combination of bratwurst sausages, yellow onions, roasted red bell peppers, and grainy dijon mustard. With this panini recipe, add a nice white Stilton cheese with cranberries—and perhaps a hearty glass of Napa Valley Petite Sirah—and you’ll be all set. The flavors of Napa Valley come together with this pairing, as the cranberry cheese layered with mustard, roasted pepper, and sausage accentuate the cherry notes in our wine and pair with the intense full body of the Petite Sirah.

Prepping for a party? These work wonderfully when served as an appetizer! Just cut each sandwich into four quarters, pop a knotted bamboo toothpick in each slice, and enjoy the festivities.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons olive oil, separated
• 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced 
• 4 bratwurst sausages
• 4 tablespoons salted butter 
• 8 slices artisan whole wheat bread
• 4 tablespoons grainy dijon mustard 
• 12 ounces white stilton cheese with cranberries, crumbled 
• 1 (8 ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, sliced into thin strips

Instructions:

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large rectangular sized skillet over low heat, and add in onions. Let saute for 45 minutes, until softened & translucent, stirring occasionally.
2. Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to a separate medium-sized skillet over medium heat, and add sausages to pan & cover with lid. Cook for 15 minutes, turning sausages over every 5 minutes to evenly brown on all sides. Remove sausages from pan, let cool, and slice each sausage lengthwise into 3 slices with a serrated knife.
3. Spread ½ tablespoon of butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. Spread 1 tablespoon of grainy dijon mustard on the opposite side of one of the bread slices. Next, layer the fillings in this order on the non-mustard slice of bread, from bottom to top: 3 ounces crumbled stilton, 3 sausage slices, 2 ounces roasted red peppers & 1 heaping tablespoon of caramelized onions. Set the other slice of bread on top of the fillings, mustard side in contact with the onions.
4. Set a large skillet or grill pan on the stove over medium heat, and add sandwiches to the pan. Cook covered for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 5 more minutes. This may need to be done in batches, depending on pan size. 

Test Kitchen Tip: Have some extra time? Roast red bell peppers over a stovetop flame, turning each side until completely black. Transfer to a bowl covered with a lid or plastic wrap. Let sit for 20 minutes, before peeling charred skin off. Remove the stem & seeds and slice into thin strips.