3 Ways To Grill A Cheese

I know what you’re thinking. I can read your mind. It is broadcasting,  “Um, yeah thanks. I totes know how to make a grilled cheese.” Insert confident chuckle here. But when you are gazing sadly at the dwindling loaf of bread, and you’ve already had two grilled cheeses this week, do not despair. Here’s a few twists on the classic prep:

Panini Style

I am basically crazy for paninis. I took a brief vacay in Italy and ever since then I’ve been hooked. They are all over the place here so I am unsure why I had to leave the country to discover them, but anyhow they’re here now, and we are in a committed relationship.

The basics are:

• Select strong bread and spread one side with flavoring like a pesto or spiced mayo.
• Spread butter or olive oil on the opposite side for grilling.
• Gather assorted meats, cheeses, grilled veggies etc. The key here is to be sure you alternate the cheeses so that when they melt, they hold all the other ingredients together and onto the bread.
• Heat up a heavy skillet and grill, placing foil on the sandwich and a weight that basically “smashes” everything together.

The recipe above includes a step-by-step, but there are hundreds of combos for paninis.

Patty Melted

Sometimes served “open-faced”, this grilled sammie is composed of Swiss and American cheese, melted over a ground beef/turkey patty. Get sassy and add some caramelized onions.

The Sandwich of Monte Cristo

This one is a new favorite of the hubby, it blends sweet and savory flavors in a divine way. White or potato breads work well, but you can really use whatever you have on hand. Go for lighter cheeses like Swiss, and choose thinly sliced turkey, ham or even bacon. The sandwich is stacked together and held with a toothpick, then dipped in an egg batter and thrown into a skillet, much like French toast. The final flourish is a sprinkle of powdered sugar on the top.

Use what’s on hand, on sale or leftover. Make your own artistic flourish to any of these, then name it after a friend. They love that.

Need more cheese knowledge? Wikipedia has a lovely list divided by region.