The Grown-Up Guide to Grilled Cheese
Melt Shop: Grilled Cheese with Chicken & Avocado
Now, we love anything with avocado in it, and this sandwich from Melt Shop is no exception. Add Swiss cheese, smoked chicken, and a hint of chipotle mayonnaise, and you have a truly winning combination.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp room temperature butter (can sub olive oil)
2 7-grain bread slices
3 oz light Swiss cheese
2 oz sliced smoked chicken breast
1 tsp chipotle mayonnaise
1/2 avocado, sliced
1 Tbsp room temperature butter (can sub olive oil)
2 7-grain bread slices
3 oz light Swiss cheese
2 oz sliced smoked chicken breast
1 tsp chipotle mayonnaise
1/2 avocado, sliced
Preheat a cast iron skillet to 350°F. Brush the butter or olive oil on one side of each slice of bread and put oil side down on a cutting board. Split the cheese in half and spread on each piece of bread. Layer the chicken, then avocado, and finish with the mayonnaise. Cover the sandwich and place in the pan. Put a plate or steak weight on top and let sit for about 2 minutes. Check regularly to avoid burning the bread.
Flip and do it again. When you see a nice brown crust, check to see if the cheese is melted. Take off the skillet and serve immediately.
Murray's: The Solstice Sandwich
A New York City cheese staple since 1940, Murray's is also renowned for the Murray's Melts counter in the Greenwich Village location, their flagship store. Lucky for us, Murray's shared this grilled cheese sandwich recipe that perfectly blends both sweet and savory elements into one mouth-watering melt.
Ingredients:
2 slices whole wheat bread
Fig Jam (Dalmatia recommended)
1 oz (approx.) fresh Chevre, (goat cheese; Westfield Capri or Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery Chevre recommended)
Small handful of pecans, lightly toasted (approx. 8 pecans)
4 fresh sage leaves
Vegetable oil (enough to fill a small pan to 1/4")
Granulated sugar
Salt
2 slices whole wheat bread
Fig Jam (Dalmatia recommended)
1 oz (approx.) fresh Chevre, (goat cheese; Westfield Capri or Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery Chevre recommended)
Small handful of pecans, lightly toasted (approx. 8 pecans)
4 fresh sage leaves
Vegetable oil (enough to fill a small pan to 1/4")
Granulated sugar
Salt
Instructions
Fry sage leaves in a few tablespoons of peanut oil until golden crisp, not quite browned, around 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle fried sage with a little salt and sugar, set aside.
Fry sage leaves in a few tablespoons of peanut oil until golden crisp, not quite browned, around 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle fried sage with a little salt and sugar, set aside.
Spread fig jam on both slices of bread. Crumble goat cheese on one side of bread. Add pecans to the goat cheese side of the bread, pressing in to secure them, then crumble the fried sage on top of that.
Close the sandwich and grill in a hot pan until golden brown (Note: Bread can also be toasted before assembling, if preferred.)
Little Muenster: Merguez Sausage Sandwich
Known for using fresh, seasonal ingredients (and its clever name), Little Muenster serves up grilled cheese sandwiches with unusual and incredibly delicious blends. Case in point: the Merguez Sausage Sandwich, their new spring menu item, which includes three different types of cheese, cooked sausage, and a zesty mixture of lemon, parsley, and garlic.
Ingredients
Gremolata ricotta mixture *preparation instructions below
2 slices of whole wheat or whole grain bread
1 Tbsp room temperature butter
3/4 oz Fontina cheese
3/4 oz Gruyère cheese
Merguez sausage, oven-cooked
Gremolata ricotta mixture *preparation instructions below
2 slices of whole wheat or whole grain bread
1 Tbsp room temperature butter
3/4 oz Fontina cheese
3/4 oz Gruyère cheese
Merguez sausage, oven-cooked
Gremolata ricotta mixture
1 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 c ricotta cheese
1 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 c ricotta cheese
Mix lemon, garlic, and parsley into a paste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix with ricotta and a splash of olive oil.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place sausage on a metal rack (which allows excess grease to drip down, cutting down the fat) on top of a cookie sheet. Cook sausage for 10-15 minutes, until firm. Cut into small pieces.
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place sausage on a metal rack (which allows excess grease to drip down, cutting down the fat) on top of a cookie sheet. Cook sausage for 10-15 minutes, until firm. Cut into small pieces.
Spread a layer of ricotta gremolata on both inside pieces of bread.
Add a thin layer of Fontina cheese, followed by a thin layer of merguez sausage. Finally, add a thin layer of Gruyère cheese and place the second bread slice on top.
Lightly butter both sides. Cut in halves and place on a panini press. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
Saxelby Cheesemongers: Maple Monsieur
With only four ingredients, this grilled cheese (available at Saxelby Cheesemongers for a limited time only) is the Saxelby take on the French classic croque-monsieur. With the hint of sweetness from the maple smoked ham, this sandwich is made for savoring and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients:
2 pieces Pullman style bread (or a hearty 7 grain)
Maple smoked ham (Maple Smoked Heritage Ham from Heritage Meat Shop recommended)
Raclette cheese (Spring Brook Farm's Reading Raclette recommended)
A bit of grass-fed farmstead butter
2 pieces Pullman style bread (or a hearty 7 grain)
Maple smoked ham (Maple Smoked Heritage Ham from Heritage Meat Shop recommended)
Raclette cheese (Spring Brook Farm's Reading Raclette recommended)
A bit of grass-fed farmstead butter
Instructions:
Heat cast iron skillet or grill press. Butter one side on each of the bread slices.
Heat cast iron skillet or grill press. Butter one side on each of the bread slices.
Layer two slices of Reading Raclette. The more thinly sliced, the better for melting. Add a slice of maple ham.
Place on heat source, butter side down and press down generously with the backside of a spatula. When pan-down side is adequately browned, flip over in pan. Sandwich is ready when the cheese oozes beautifully from the bread.
The Morris Truck: Taleggio Grilled Cheese
For a more exotic spin on the classic grilled cheese, try this recipe from The Morris Truck, the only completely mobile sandwich maker on our list. It includes bulgogi (commonly found in Korean BBQ) for a flavorful punch and steamed bok choy to add some good-for-you greens to the mix.
Bulgogi:
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, divided
1/3 c chopped green onions
1/4 c soy sauce
1 Tbsp Mirin
16 oz Yamabuki Fermented Miso paste (or other soybean Paste)
1 3/4-inch cube peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
3/4 tsp chili-garlic sauce
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, divided
1/3 c chopped green onions
1/4 c soy sauce
1 Tbsp Mirin
16 oz Yamabuki Fermented Miso paste (or other soybean Paste)
1 3/4-inch cube peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
3/4 tsp chili-garlic sauce
To prepare the bulgogi, sauté garlic and green onion until soft. Add ginger and sauté 1 minute, then puree with remaining ingredients. Add water to desired consistency and salt to desired taste.
Ingredients:
2 slices sour dough bread
2.5 oz of Taleggio cheese
1 oz bulgogi sauce *recipe above
3 oz of cooked bok choy
Sea salt
Butter
2 slices sour dough bread
2.5 oz of Taleggio cheese
1 oz bulgogi sauce *recipe above
3 oz of cooked bok choy
Sea salt
Butter
Wash the bok choy thoroughly. Place in a sautée pan and fill with water until about 1/3 of the bok choy is covered. Cook on high heat until the water evaporates making sure to shake the pan periodically. Let the bok choy cool once it is cooked.
Assemble the sandwich with shredded Taleggio. Butter both sides, and cook in a standard panini press. If you don't have press, brown it on both sides and finish it in an oven preheated at 450ºF.
Once the cheese has melted evenly, open up the sandwich and place the steamed bok choy inside. Spoon the bulgogi over the bok choy and close the sandwich. Sprinkle with sea salt.
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