Fig, Ham & Brie Panini Sandwich

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I have said it before, and I’ll say it again.

Summer entertaining should be easy. Good food, good drink, good company, but nothing too fancy or time consuming or that leaves you with too much cleanup.

This ham, fig and brie panini sandwich is easy gourmet. It’s the perfect make-ahead dish to take to summer concerts in the park or to pair with wine at an impromptu porch party.

Fig jam, ham and brie cheese are a delicious flavor combination. Mellow, sweet and salty. Add a little butter and throw it in a skillet or on a panini press, and it’s the perfect grown-up grilled cheese.

Start with some dense, ciabatta bread, thinly sliced deli ham, fig preserves, brie cheese and softened butter.

Spread two slices of bread with softened butter. Just butter one side.

Next, add a thin layer of fig preserves to the other side of the two bread slices.

Top with ham and brie.

Toast in a panini press, grill pan or a skillet until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted.

You can eat these panini sandwiches right out of the pan, or wrap them in parchment and toss them into a picnic basket. They’re great either way and very portable.

Like Black Box wine, which is perfect for on-the-go-summer entertaining. Each 3-liter box contains the equivalent of four bottles of wine, but at a fraction of the cost. Black Box has won more than 50 Gold Medals for its quality. It’s better than average box wines at a lower price point, and it stays fresh for up to six weeks after it’s opened.

I love a hearty red, even in the summertime, so I chose the Cabernet Sauvignon for my porch sipping. But Black Box also has Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio and other varietals to to pair with whatever you’re serving. Be sure to visit the simple entertaining social hub for more summertime entertaining ideas and recipes.

You can also enter for a chance to win a trip to the California wine region of your choice.