Croissant Paninis with Strawberry Onion Jam and Pistachio Goat Cheese

We had these sandwiches today when G came home for his lunch break. They were pretty darn yummy so I thought I’d share. I was able to find Whole Grain Croissants at my local Harris Teeter but you could certainly substitute regular ones.
(Recipe makes 3 large Croissant Paninis)
To make the ‘Jam’:
-Thinly slice 1/2 a large onion and 4 large strawberries and soften in some olive oil on medium heat in a saucepan. Season with salt, pepper and sugar.
-When they have fully softened and have begun to caramelize a bit, deglaze the pan with several good glugs of balsamic vinegar. Throw in a sprig of fresh rosemary and turn the heat up a bit to allow the vinegar to reduce until syrupy.
-Remove the sprig of rosemary.
-Throw in a small pat of butter and swirl to melt. Check your seasoning-it should be tart, sweet, salty and a little rich.
-Set aside and allow to cool
To make the ‘Goat Cheese Spread’:
-In a small food processor combine equal parts salted pistachios and crumbled goat cheese (I used 3-4oz of each) with the zest of 1/2 a large navel orange. Season with a small pinch of salt and a little extra virgin olive oil.
-Pulse until everything is combined but still very thick and a bit chunky. Add more olive oil if you have trouble pulsing.*
(*note-this spread would also make a great party dip)
To assemble sandwiches:
-Cut the croissants in half across the middle.
-Spread the pesto equally among each croissant half.
-Spoon the jam over one side of each croissant only.
-Attach the halves with their mates and flatten in a panini press or between two hot skillets on the stove top until flattened and crispy on both sides. You don’t need any oil or butter because the croissant has plenty of that already!
I served these with a small salad using the remaining onion half and zested orange. I thinly sliced the onion and supremed the orange, then squeezed all the juice out of the orange membrane. I threw in a handful of minced, fresh mint, a little white white vinegar, extra virgin olive and seasoned with some salt and sugar.