Garlic Scape Pesto / Chicken Panini

My wife and I visited a little restaurant in Guelph Ontario called

Pressed For Time Paninis .

LOVED IT!!!

I had never taken much notice of paninis before this. I am now hooked. What a great idea, mix a stuffing, wrap it up and grill it. The possibilities of what can go inside are mind boggling.

The restaurant is almost two hours away, so I bought my own panini press. Funded by an Amazon gift certificate I received for a win on Instructables, I am now able to enjoy paninis when ever the urge presents itself.

Panini press

Food processor

Instant pot

Cutting board

Knife

Measuring spoons and cups

Garlic scapes

Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Lemon juice

Instant pot

Chicken

Seasonings

Red onion

Spinach

Sprouts

What the heck is a garlic scape?

In Ontario, garlic scapes are available around late May. It is the sprout that would become a flower on the garlic plant. When it emerges, it is harvested so that the plant feeds the garlic bulb rather than the flower. You can find them at farmers markets and some grocery stores.

I grow lots of garlic so I probably waste more of the scape than some would. I chop off the slender tips that are woodier than the thick stems. I chop up 2 cups of scapes and add them to the food processor.

Add to the food processor:

1 Cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp lemon juice

Now puree the mixture. I find that sometimes the scapes are dry and I need to add more oil. It depends on the weather and the thickness of the scapes. Don't jump the gun though. Spin it up and scrape the sides down a few times before adding anything.

Now taste this amazing creation. Put it in a bowl and refrigerate. This can be mixed on pasta, used as a dip or as in this Instructable, mixed with chopped chicken. I have been known to grab a fork full all by it's lonesome.

I like to cook on a whim. Frozen chicken? No problem with an instant pot. What ever seasoning you like gets dumped on top and your good to go. I find that 70 minutes makes short work of frozen chicken legs.

I separate the bone,skin and all the goobery stuff from the meat.

Chop the chicken. Chop the onion. Add mayo and lastly, add scape pesto.

The amounts of these ingredients are to taste.

I grew spinach this year. I think it makes a great addition to my panini.

Now add the chicken mixture to a tortilla wrap and cover with spinach and sprouts.

I make my own sprouts weekly. Check out my Instructable on sprouting.

If the wraps are fresh you can just wrap them up. If less fresh, a quick 10 seconds in the microwave will stop them from cracking.

A few steps ago I turned on the panini press.

Carefully place the package on the press and close the lid. It only takes a few minutes to cook. Opening to take a peek isn't a problem. When the lines are nice and dark, either turn 1/4 turn to create a cross hatch pattern, or remove to a cutting board. I like an angled cut, but you could leave it whole.

Now enjoy an amazing treat.