CHEESE + BREAD
We’re launching a weekly video series, NSFP Food + Drink with a classic: the grilled cheese sandwich. We’ve pulled together three next-level grilled cheese sandwiches anyone can make quick and on a budget. With any of these recipes feel free to use whatever bread you have on hand and same goes for the pan. We’ve used a cast iron because it makes a really nice crust, but use what you’ve got!
Recipe 1: Ham, Gruyere, and Caramelized Onion on Caraway Rye Bread
What you’ll need:
Gruyere cheese, grated
Cured, sliced ham
Onion, caramelized
Caraway rye bread, sliced
Butter
Salt & pepper
Olive oil for pan
How to make it:
To begin, grate cheese and set aside. Slice onion into ¼-inch semi-circles. Heat olive oil in a cast-iron pan (or whatever you have) to medium heat. Once the oil is hot add onions, stirring occasionally for 15 to20 minutes, or until they are a deep golden brown. Remove onions and set aside.
Slice bread into one-inch pieces and butter the outsides liberally. Place the bread, butter side down, into the pan. Layer the ham, cheese and caramelized onions on one piece of bread. Add salt and pepper, then close the sandwich. Flip the sandwich after about 2- to 3 minutes, or when the bread is golden brown, and repeat on the other side.
Recipe 2: Pear, Brie and Thyme on Cranberry Walnut Bread
What you’ll need:
Brie, sliced
Pear, thinly sliced
Thyme, stemmed
Cranberry walnut bread
Butter
Salt & pepper
Olive oil for pan
How to make it:
Core pear and cut into ½-inch slices. In a cast-iron pan, over low heat, melt about two tablespoons butter. Once it starts to bubble, sprinkle in thyme leaves. Add pear and let it simmer about 5 minutes, or until slightly dark and caramelized. Flip pears to let the other side caramelize. While pears cook, slice bread into ½-inch slices. Butter the outside. Remove pears from pan, add salt and pepper, and set aside.
In the same pan (you want your bread to sop of the thyme butter!), add bread, butter-side down. Layer sliced brie on both sides of the bread. Add pears on one side and cover. After about 3 minutes, or when brie is softened, remove lid and close sandwich. Continue to cook until cheese is melted, flipping as needed.
Recipe 3: Egg-in-a-Hole, Pesto, Bacon and Sharp Cheddar on French Loaf
What you’ll need:
Egg
Pesto
Bacon
Sharp cheddar, grated
French loaf
Butter
Salt & pepper
Bacon fat, reserved
How to make it:
Slice bacon in half and cook on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. While bacon cooks, cut bread into one-inch slices. Butter the outside and use a cup to make a hole in one piece. Once it’s cooked to your desired crispiness, lay bacon onto a paper towel lined plate and reserve the bacon fat.
Pour reserved bacon fat in a cast iron pan and warm over medium heat. Put the bread and bread cut-out in the pan, butter side down. Place a pat of butter into the hole (otherwise the egg will stick) and crack the egg inside. Add salt and pepper. Dab pesto around the egg and spread. Cook until the egg is just set, less than one minute, and flip gently. Be careful not to break the yolk. Cook for less than one minute on the other side. Sprinkle cheese on the eggless bread slice and layer on bacon. Flip egg slice to close the sandwich, leaving egg side up so that it doesn’t overcook while the cheese is melting.
Photo: Don Eim
