Mushroom Philly Cheese "Steak" Panini

When I saw the bounty of red and green peppers that we'd plucked from the garden this week, the wheels in my head began turning. Visions of chicken cacciatore, sweet pepper relish, and roasted red peppers danced in my head. And then I thought: What about a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich? I happened to have a few portabella mushroom caps in the fridge, which could stand in for the steak. And we always keep provolone cheese on hand. So, we were pretty set.

Peef, who has actually sampled an official Philly Cheesesteak, was a little bit disturbed by my methods. But, he seemed to think that the sammich had a chance of being decent. So, we proceeded with the plan.

First, we spread a nice Italian roll with a bit of seasoned mayo (Peef threw a bit of the new BBQ3000 seasoning we'd picked up from Penzey's in the mix). We added a few nice slices of portabella mushroom, which had been sauteed with a bit of garlic and a sprinkling of Worcestershire. Then, we loaded it up with lots of sauteed peppers and onions.
We added a few slices of delicious, Wisconsin provolone cheese...
And then threw the whole sammich onto the panini press for a few minutes.
The cheese got melty. The mushrooms remained tender, while the peppers and onions retained a slight hint of crispness. The bun got crisped and slightly browned. And most of the ingredients managed to stay inside, despite their slipperiness.
The final verdict?
Peef admitted that the panino version of this classic sandwich was different. The crispness of the roll was a departure from the usual feel of a soft Italian roll. And the mushrooms, though they lent a meaty flavor to the sandwich, didn't quite replace steak in his mind. But, he was quick to admit that the sandwich was incredibly delicious in its own right. "Can we have these again?" was his response when he finished his last bite.

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