How To Make A Grilled Cheese

In it's purest form, a grilled cheese sandwich is very simple concoction which consists of bread, butter & cheese. When combined correctly, these three basic ingredients come together to form something that can immediately transport you back to childhood! Add some heat & a griddle or pan & these basic ingredients are suddenly transformed into something that is both succulent & magical. To experience this, you need not use the most expensive ingredients. You can be transported to this magic land by using basic ingredients if you are privy to the secrets of making a perfect grilled cheese! Created from ordinary white bread & a slice or two of American cheese, the basic grilled cheese sandwich has the same ability to sooth your cravings & transport you back to summer camp.

I do agree you'll get more delicious results with artisanal bread, imported cheese & the addition of some tasty accoutrements. Once you get the basic technique required to make a perfect grilled cheese, then you can start dreaming up some tasty combinations of your own!

How To Make A Grilled Cheese!

Lets begin by choosing the bread! You'll need something that's light & crispy on the outside. Think about something that makes great toast. You'll want it thick enough so it will retain a soft, moist, tender center but not too thick. You'll want to choose a bread that is sturdy enough to handle the task of keeping all the cheesy goodness inside. There are a lot of different breads that will work well in grilled cheese but a sourdough is an exceptional choice. Generally, it's preferable to use bread that is day old as it will hold together better than fresh bread. Also, remember, the thicker your bread is, the longer you'll need to grill it so the cheese melts. Try to strike a balance between too thick to grill & so thin it falls apart. You'll learn how to choose the best bread after you've made a few.

Moving on to butter. Generally salted butter works best & I would never use margarine but that's a personal preference. You'll get a more evenly grilled sandwich if you spread the butter on the bread rather than melting it in the pan and adding the bread to the pan. Make sure your butter is at room temperature & spread an even, but thin, coat over the entire surface of the bread. One thing you want to do is make sure your butter has softened to room temperature before spreading it on the bread. This will allow for even spreading & prevent the bread from tearing.

Next up at bat,the cheese. Perhaps this is the most important part of a grilled cheese. Most importantly, make sure you choose one that melts! Cheese that's not fully melted in a grilled cheese is a real No-No!

Grilled Cheese With Sun Dried Tomatoes -Image Credit: Creative Commons jefferyw

The variety in a grilled cheese is limited only by the number of combinations the imagination is able to dream up.

My favorite you may or may not wonder? Sauerkraut, sliced tomatoes, aged Swiss cheese, onions, lots of horseradish & mustard. I put it together on a good, dense, dark, homemade pumpernickel bread that I've made from scratch & flip it on the grill! YUMMY! Give it a good half sour pickle as an accompaniment & I'm a very happy camper! :)

• Quality white bread, cheddar cheese, & a dill pickle



• Fontina with a little thin-sliced tomato, basil and prosciutto



• Mushroom and Gruyere (or even plain Swiss is great) & bacon



• Good quality cheddar, olives & cold cuts on good bread



• Feta cheese, thinly sliced lamb



• The sharpest English Cheddar you can find, grated (not sliced). With some spicy deli/brown mustard on one side of sour cream bread



• Good ham with baby Swiss cheese



• Ham & cheese on everything bread



• Sharp cheddar cheese, crisp apples & crunchy bacon



• Mozzarella & pesto, on Parmesan herb bread



• Sliced avocado, thin sliced red onion, diced fresh jalapenos (seeds removed), & jalapeno jack cheese



• Jarlsberg on a grainy whole wheat bread with caramelized onions, dab of mayo, honey mustard



• Texas toast. shredded cheddar & pepper jack cheese



• Pork or beef, sliced scallions, chopped fresh chiles & American cheese



• Rustic sourdough with sharp cheddar & apricot jam



• Garlic-rubbed pumpernickel bread,Swiss & Gruyere cheese, plum tomatoes



• Ranch dressing, grated cheddar, turkey & caramelized onions



• Buffalo mozzarella, basil, roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes & mayo



• Cheese & tomato (of course!



• Cheese,bacon, spinach, tomatoes & fried eggs



• Wholegrain bread, fresh mozzarella, sundried tomato spread, & onion confit



• Pimento cheese



• Extra sharp Cheddar on rye with bacon



• Fresh mozzarella, fontina, roasted tomatoes, basil-lavender pesto and kalamata olives, tapenade



• Cheddar & gruyere, on hearty sourdough



• Cheddar with a slathering of Indian hot lime pickle on dense bread

Image Credit: Creative Commons-jefferyw

Fresh sage leaves & Fontina

Sourdough,cheddar,bacon,just a hint of garlic salt

Gruyère & marinated onion (caramelized would also be excellent)

Kimchi & cheddar

Blend brie, aged Cheddar, Italian asiago and Havarti cheeses, grill with garlic butter

Mozzarella, fontina, fresh basil, tomatoes and honey

Rustic white bread, boursin & provolone cheeses, roasted tomato & portobello mushrooms

Gruyère cheese, roasted onions, sliced rye bread

Oatmeal Bread, Swiss cheese, goat cheese, apples & spinach

Mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, niçoise olives, oregano & aged provolone on country bread, grill with olive oil

Caprese - mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, fresh basil & basil pesto

Patty Melt - cooked hamburger patty, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut

Cubanos - Swiss cheese with pork, ham & pickles

New Orleans Muffaletta: sourdough bread or hard roll split in half, layer thin slices of ham & salami, Provolone & top with a little olive salad

Supreme Grilled Cheese - cheddar, mozzarella, blue & goat cheeses topped with caramelized onions

Reuben grilled cheese with Swiss cheese, pastrami or corned beef sauerkraut & Russian dressing

Colby Jack with thin apple slices on Tuscan bread

Fresh mozzarella, apricot preserves, sourdough

Goat cheese, melon & honey

Strawberries, mangoes, Gouda, Pumpernickel

Brie with fig, apricot or any preserve, this is also great with cranberry conserve

Pear slices & brie. After you grill it, dip the sides in chopped nuts

Peanut butter, chocolate ganache & mascarpone on banana bread

This one is SO great it deserves a photo! See below!

Image Credit: Creative Commons-muohace_dc

Seven Quick Tips For Grilled Cheese Success!

Before we move on, I want to give you a few quick tips to make your grilled cheese experience more successful!

• Always remove your cheese from the refrigerator & allow it to come to room temperature before proceeding with the grilling of the grilled cheese. This will allow you to accomplish a golden brown sandwich with a creamy melted center as room temperature cheese will melt faster.



• It's preferable to use cheese you've grated yourself as grated cheese will melt faster & more evenly. Here you'll get the added bonus of having some of the grated cheese jump off your bread & into the pan, forming those little crunchy bits that can be the best part of the sandwich!



• To help your cheese melt better, place a lid on the pan while the sandwich is cooking.



• If you find your bread is golden brown & your cheese still hasn't melted, you can put your sandwich on a baking sheet & bake in a preheated oven at 200°F until the cheese melts.



• If your grilled cheese sandwich is a bit over stuffed & you can just imagine seeing the filling falling out as you flip it, put a plate on top of the sandwich, hold onto it, flip the pan so your sandwich ends up on the plate then slide it from the plate back into the pan.



• Preheat your pan to medium heat, lower the temperature to one notch below medium before adding your sandwich to the pan. This works best.



• The secret to getting golden brown bread & melted cheese is in your heat setting. The higher the heat the more quickly your bread is going to brown & the lower tour heat setting, the longer it will take. Cooking at a lower temperature will allow your grilled cheese to cook longer, giving the heat time to penetrate into the bread & melt the cheese.

Image Credit: Creative Commons- Kelly Bone

Croque Monsieur

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Dijon mustard
8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.
To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.
Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

recipe credit

Croque-Madame

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 1/2 ounces coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (1 1/3 cups)
8 slices firm white sandwich bread
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 pound thinly sliced cooked ham (preferably Black Forest)
4 large eggs

Preparation

Make sauce:
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Whisk in salt, pepper, nutmeg, and 1/3 cup cheese until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and cover surface directly with a sheet of wax paper.

Make sandwiches:
Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce evenly over each of 4 slices of bread, then sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese (1/4 cup per slice). Spread mustard evenly on remaining 4 bread slices and top with ham, dividing it evenly, then invert onto cheese-topped bread to form sandwiches.

Lightly oil a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately low heat, then cook sandwiches, turning over once, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes total. Remove from heat and transfer sandwiches to baking pan, then wipe out skillet with paper towels.

Preheat broiler.

Top each sandwich with 1/3 cup sauce, spreading evenly. Broil sandwiches 4 to 5 inches from heat until sauce is bubbling and golden in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off broiler and transfer pan to lower third of oven to keep sandwiches warm.

Heat remaining tablespoon butter in nonstick skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then crack eggs into skillet and season with salt and pepper. Fry eggs, covered, until whites are just set and yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Top each sandwich with a fried egg and serve immediately.

Cooks' note: The egg yolks in this recipe will not be fully cooked, which may be of concern if salmonella is a problem in your area. You can use pasteurized eggs (in the shell) or cook eggs until yolks are set.

epicurious.com

Image Credit:Croque Monsieur - Creative Commons - kimberlykv

Mozzarella en Carroza

Ingredients
3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Parmigian-Reggiano
Kosher salt
2 balls fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
8 slices crumbed Pullman loaf
Peanut oil, for frying (If you have a nut allergy, use canola or a neutrally flavored oil)
1 cup all-purpose flour

Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons capers, finely chopped
1/2 stick butter
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley leaves
Special equipment: toothpicks

Directions

Beat together the eggs, milk and Parmigiano-Reggiano in a medium bowl until they are a homogenous mixture. Season with salt, to taste, and reserve.

Divide the mozzarella between 4 slices of the Pullman loaf. Put the remaining slices of bread on top of the mozzarella and press to close.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Add peanut oil to a large wide skillet until it is at least a 1/2-inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F.

Dredge each sandwich in flour and shake off the excess. Dip each sandwich generously in the egg/and cheese mixture. Work in batches, do this process to each sandwich just before frying, it's not a good idea to flour and dip ahead of time. Secure each sandwich with toothpicks. Put the first sandwich in the hot oil. Remove the toothpicks to turn and insert the toothpicks in the second side. When each sandwich is nice and brown on both sides, remove it from the oil and blot it on paper towels. Put it on a sheet tray with a rack and keep warm in the preheated oven. Repeat this process with each of the sandwiches.

Cut the sandwiches diagonally into quarters, arrange on a serving platter and serve with the sauce.

Sauce:

In a small saute pan combine the olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook over medium heat until the garlic is golden brown and very aromatic. Add the lemon juice and capers and shake to combine. Swirl in the butter and season with salt, to taste. Toss in the parsley and serve immediately.

Recipe Credit Anne Burrell - foodnetwork.com

Image Credit: Creative Commons - Dan4th