Jalapeño Garlic Tilapia Panini

"This is my own personal copycat recipe mimicking Johnny Carino's sandwich. Their menu description is "Fried fillet of tilapia with a garlic-jalapeño cream sauce, provolone cheese and sliced roma tomatoes." I think that I have accomplished this by using ideas from CoffeeMom's Super Easy Ritz Cracker Breading (recipe #98000) and ketchup's Garlic Cream Sauce (recipe #85676). (Thanks, guys!) We love this sandwich."
 
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photo by Vicki in CT photo by Vicki in CT
photo by Vicki in CT
photo by Ms B. photo by Ms B.
Ready In:
55mins
Ingredients:
14
Serves:
4
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ingredients

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directions

  • Fish:

  • Crush crackers and combine with pepper.
  • Dip fish fillets into beaten egg, and then coat with cracker crumbs.
  • Fry in 350 degree oil until breading is golden and fish flakes easily.
  • Remove to an oven-proof plate in a warm oven.
  • Sauce:

  • Melt butter on low heat. Add jalapeño and garlic. Sauté until jalapeño is softened, but be careful not to burn garlic.
  • Add flour and stir while heating about a minute.
  • Add chicken broth and cook stirring until sauce thickens. Stir in sour cream.
  • Set aside until ready to assemble the panini's.
  • Panini:

  • Brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil or spread with butter.
  • Assemble sandwiches with oiled/buttered side of bread to the outside, layering provolone cheese, sliced tomatoes, tilapia fillet, cream sauce and final slice of bread.
  • Spray a cast iron grill pan with cooking spray and heat to sizzling. Reduce heat to medium.
  • Place sandwich in grill pan and top with second cast iron skillet. Press down lightly. (You want to smush the sandwich lightly, but not squash it completely.).
  • Cook for 1-2 minutes, depending on the heat of your pan, until the sandwich is browned and grill marks are evident.
  • Flip sandwich and again top with second cast iron skillet. Cook for another minute or so, until fully browned.
  • Serve warm with fresh salad or crunchy kettle-cooked chips.

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Reviews

  1. I haven't tried the restaurant variety so can't compare to that. However, this was a good sandwich. The cracker crumb breading was a little heavy for the fish to me to have in a sandwich. To make again will just pan sear seasoned fish with no breading. The sauce, cheese, tomato combo really put this panini over the top.
     
  2. was perfect--as good as the restaurant version. :)
     
  3. Sounds great. Just a note for those who may not have 2 cast iron skillets, a brick well wrapped in foil will do the trick too in pressing down on the sammie.
     
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