-5 F...
Yes, that is the high for today in Chicago...blimey. The wind chill feels like -30 F, the kind of cold that freezes your nose hairs...so what to do? Eat of course!
It’s been a while since I've posted...unfruitful job interviews, combating baby fever, an apartment search, and a new shelter cat have all added up to a lack of sleep and sadly negligence on my posts. I was called out on it (in a loving way, of course) from one of my dearest customers, so I’m back in action. Considering I’m facing these stressful life situations (my very much white people problems) I’m requiring some good ol’ fashion comfort food, so why not blog about it? In my job interview, I was asked what my favorite meal was...I said grilled cheese and tomato soup.
So here we go…
I will be honest, I like my grilled cheese basic. For all the hoity toity-ness that I sell on a daily basis, and my suggestive selling techniques and cooking tips, I myself am pretty plain Jane. For grilled cheese, I usually have just one cheese...Havarti or Gouda being my first choice due to their high fat content, buttery texture, and melt-ability. However, this was before I made my first sandwich with a quadruple cheese line-up, thanks to a dare from my sis. And now, I can never go back!
"The Mod Quad Grilled Cheese"
Serves 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
4 slices sourdough bread (day old is best)
3 tbsp butter, room temperature
2 ounces havarti
2 ounces cheddar, 1-2 year old
2 ounces Merlot Bellavitano (can substitute with any other parmesan/aged gouda)
2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
Penzeys Sandwich Sprinkle to taste
It starts with the bread...the Cowgirls of Cowgirl Creamery suggest day old bread because the crust will brown better in the pan.
Yes, that is the high for today in Chicago...blimey. The wind chill feels like -30 F, the kind of cold that freezes your nose hairs...so what to do? Eat of course!
It’s been a while since I've posted...unfruitful job interviews, combating baby fever, an apartment search, and a new shelter cat have all added up to a lack of sleep and sadly negligence on my posts. I was called out on it (in a loving way, of course) from one of my dearest customers, so I’m back in action. Considering I’m facing these stressful life situations (my very much white people problems) I’m requiring some good ol’ fashion comfort food, so why not blog about it? In my job interview, I was asked what my favorite meal was...I said grilled cheese and tomato soup.
So here we go…
I will be honest, I like my grilled cheese basic. For all the hoity toity-ness that I sell on a daily basis, and my suggestive selling techniques and cooking tips, I myself am pretty plain Jane. For grilled cheese, I usually have just one cheese...Havarti or Gouda being my first choice due to their high fat content, buttery texture, and melt-ability. However, this was before I made my first sandwich with a quadruple cheese line-up, thanks to a dare from my sis. And now, I can never go back!
"The Mod Quad Grilled Cheese"
Serves 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
4 slices sourdough bread (day old is best)
3 tbsp butter, room temperature
2 ounces havarti
2 ounces cheddar, 1-2 year old
2 ounces Merlot Bellavitano (can substitute with any other parmesan/aged gouda)
2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
Penzeys Sandwich Sprinkle to taste
It starts with the bread...the Cowgirls of Cowgirl Creamery suggest day old bread because the crust will brown better in the pan.
For the butter, I used salted Kerrygold because I had it in the house, but if I had my druthers, I would use Nordic Creamery cultured butter (terrible website, amazing product) You can get it shipped to your house...it's like 4 bucks! Sidebar: watch an awesome video about a guy who is dedicated to the art of bread and butter here
And now for the cheeses...from left to right, I chose Havarti, 20 Month Cheddar, Merlot Bellavitano, and the mighty Parmigiano Reggiano.
Play around with your cheese picks...All 4 of these cheeses are made with cow's milk. Parmigiano Reggiano is for the outside of the bread, so this should be standard, but the remaining three cheeses can be swapped out. The idea behind the cheese selections is to have a young cheese for creaminess and an aged cheese for sharpness and then whatever else you want to add.
Other flavorful cheese options:
Manchego (nutty, earthy)
Taleggio (yeasty, buttery)
Gruyere (nutty, fruity, mushroomy)
Smoked Mozzarella (meaty, smoky)
Other flavorful cheese options:
Manchego (nutty, earthy)
Taleggio (yeasty, buttery)
Gruyere (nutty, fruity, mushroomy)
Smoked Mozzarella (meaty, smoky)
I shredded the havarti, Bellavitano, and cheddar together
Grated the Parmigiano Reggiano
For sandwich assembly, butter the sourdough on one side, then sprinkle with a few generous shakes with Sandwich Sprinkle, and then load on the parm. Make sure to press into the grated cheese with your hand or spatula so it sticks to the butter thoroughly
No need to add more butter to the bottom of your pan...just use a non-stick pan, make sure to heat it for a good 5 minutes before using and use at medium-low heat. Put the butter/parm side of the bread down onto the bottom of the pan, and then sprinkle with half the shredded cheese mixture. Only one sammie is shown, but you can go two at a time, making sure to leave enough room in your pan so you can flip easily...
Place the other piece of bread on top, press a little weight down with a spatula and wait...the key is to only flip the sammie once...so drink a sip of wine and let it be...then check it for the desired browning, and when it's ready flip her over...
Brown on the other side, and voila! Make sure to let it cool down slightly, then cut if doing so. Serve it with tomato soup! The reason this is such a perfect pair is because the acidity from the tomatoes cut through the cream of the cheeses. And of course, it's perfect viscosity for dunking too...
Enjoy this recipe and eat up...stay cheesy (and warm) out there!!