Melt: 100 Amazing Adventures in Grilled Cheese (5 page)

Cayenne Cornbread

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cup panko bread crumbs

Garlic powder, to taste

Cayenne powder, to taste

1 kumato tomato, sliced (4–5 slices)

Cracked pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 store-bought piece of cornbread, sliced horizontally

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cup shredded Manchego cheese, divided

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–
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cup corn salsa, depending on size of bread

This recipe makes use of the kumato tomato, which is a sweeter tomato that ranges in color from dark brown to golden green. The kumato tomato adds a nice contrast to the savory cornbread. If you are unable to find kumato tomatoes, substitute your favorite variety of tomato.

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
   
2. Combine panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, and cayenne powder. Cover tomato slices with the seasoned bread crumbs. Season with cracked pepper.
   
3. Place oil in a sauté pan. Fry the tomatoes on medium-high heat, flipping once, for approximately 5 minutes or until brown. Remove from heat.
   
4. Build the sandwich on a baking sheet. On the bottom half of the cornbread place
   ¹
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   cup Manchego, followed by the fried tomatoes, corn salsa, and
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   cup of Manchego cheese. Place
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   cup of Manchego cheese on the other half of the cornbread. Do not close the sandwich. Bake for 5 minutes.
   
5. Close sandwich and serve warm.
   

1 tablespoon sweet butter, for sautéing

1 jumbo egg

Pepper to taste

2–4 tablespoons melted sweet butter, for grilling

2 slices challah bread, hand-cut

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cup shredded horseradish white Cheddar cheese

4–5 slices fresh avocado

Most of the ingredients in this grilled cheese are pretty low-key: The egg is soft. The avocado goes down smooth. But don’t think that this grilled cheese is boring! Someone invited horseradish to this party, and its unexpected kick enhances the overall flavor and appeal of this feisty sandwich.

1. In a sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon sweet butter until bubbling. Crack egg into pan and season with pepper to taste. Once the egg white has turned solid, flip, and let cook for 2 minutes. Set aside.
   
2. Brush the melted butter on the outside of the 2 slices of challah bread. In a new sauté pan, place 1 slice of bread butter side down. Place the horseradish cheese on bread, followed by fried egg and avocado slices. Place other slice of bread on top, butter side up. Turn burner to medium heat.
   
3. Let sandwich cook for 3–5 minutes per side or until bread is golden brown.
   
4. Cut on the diagonal and serve warm.
   

1 (4–6-ounce) portion filet mignon

1 teaspoon salt

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teaspoon pepper

3–4 slices bacon

2–4 tablespoons melted sweet butter, for grilling

2 slices thick-cut sourdough bread

1 teaspoon whole-grain brown mustard

3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

This guest recipe is over-the-top decadent! It takes that old steakhouse favorite, the bacon-wrapped filet, and transforms it into a portable meal! This recipe takes a bit of cooking time and advance prep work to cook the filet, but it’s certainly worth it in the end.

1. An hour before you want to serve the sandwich, remove the filet from the refrigerator. Trim the filet into a uniform cylinder shape, and sprinkle it with the salt and pepper, letting it come to room temperature for 40 minutes or so.
   
2. While the filet is resting, preheat a sauté pan over medium heat, and cook the bacon, turning until crisp and brown.
   
3. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Pour out all but 3 tablespoons of bacon fat from the sauté pan.
   
4. Add the filet to the hot pan and cook, flipping once, until medium-rare (or to your liking), approximately 6 minutes, depending on size of the filet. Remove the filet from the heat, and cut it into thin strips, approximately 1-inch wide.
   
5. Heat a separate sauté pan to medium. Brush the melted butter on the outside of the 2 slices of sourdough bread, and brush the insides of the bread with a thin layer of mustard. Place 1 slice of bread in the pan, buttered side down.
   
6. On the slice of bread in the pan, layer the mustard, the bacon, the sliced filet, and then the cheese, topping the entire sandwich with the other slice of bread. Turn burner to medium heat.
   
7. Let sandwich cook for 3–5 minutes per side or until bread is golden brown.
   
8. Cut on the diagonal and serve warm.
   

Salmon Croquettes with Dill

FOR SALMON CROQUETTES

2 cans pink salmon, skinless/boneless

Pepper, to taste

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teaspoon parsley

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teaspoon dill

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teaspoon celery seed

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teaspoon dried chives

3 tablespoons red onion, diced

1 jumbo egg

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cup panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons sweet butter

FOR LEMON DILL MAYONNAISE

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cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise

1 tablespoon dried dill

1 teaspoon lemon zest

FOR SANDWICH

1 ciabatta roll, cut in half and sliced horizontally

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cup shredded Havarti dill

Tuna salad and tuna melts are ubiquitous sandwiches that people just adore. But the salmon croquettes found in this sophisticated recipe give the plain-old tuna melt a run for its money! This high-class recipe turns on your taste buds with a scrumptious sandwich that you won’t want to put down.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
   
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all croquette ingredients except butter. Form two patties.
   
3. In a sauté pan turned to medium heat, cook salmon patties in sweet butter until brown, flipping when necessary. Remove from heat.
   
4. In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, dried dill, and lemon zest.
   
5. To form sandwich, place 1 croquette on each bottom piece of bread to form two sandwiches, followed by lemon dill mayonnaise to taste, Havarti dill, and top piece of bread.
   
6. Bake sandwiches for 5 minutes.
   
7. Serve hot with any leftover lemon dill mayonnaise on the side.
   

Asparagus and Lemon Pepper Vinaigrette

FOR LEMON PEPPER VINAIGRETTE

1 small onion, sliced

2 teaspoons lemon/pepper seasoning salt

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

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teaspoon sugar

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cup olive oil

FOR SANDWICH

5 whole asparagus spears

2–4 tablespoons melted sweet butter, for grilling

2 slices sourdough bread

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cup shredded Dubliner cheese

The taste of the lemons and pepper found in this sandwich combine to create a sweet and tangy flavor that brings this grilled cheese’s freshness to the forefront. Once this sauce is slathered on the curiously crunchy yet soft-on-the-inside sourdough bread, you’ll find a sandwich that just has to be savored.

1. “Steam” the asparagus in the microwave by placing them in a microwave-safe bowl with enough water to cover the bottom of the bowl. Cook, covered, on high for 30 seconds.
   
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all vinaigrette ingredients.
   
3. Grill asparagus spears in a grill pan on medium heat, drizzling vinaigrette over asparagus as they cook and continually turning spears so that all sides are covered by the vinaigrette and cook evenly. Set grilled asparagus spears aside.
   
4. Brush the melted butter on the outside of the 2 slices of bread. In the same grill pan, place 1 slice of bread butter side down, followed by Dubliner cheese and asparagus spears. Place other slice of bread on top, butter side up.
   
5. Let sandwich cook on medium heat for 3–5 minutes per side or until bread is golden brown.
   
6. Cut on the diagonal and serve warm.
   

FOR SALSA

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 small tomatillo, chopped

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cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 green onion, chopped

Jalapeño peppers to taste

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bell pepper, finely chopped

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lime, juiced

Salt, to taste

FOR SANDWICH

2–4 tablespoons melted sweet butter, for grilling

2 slices rye bread

6–7 fresh ciliegine fresh mozzarella balls, halved

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cup alfalfa sprouts

With the earthy taste of alfalfa sprouts and the freshness of homemade salsa, the varied flavors in this recipe will keep you on your toes! Challenge your palate with this deliciously distinctive addition to the grilled cheese.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine salsa ingredients.
   
2. Brush the melted butter on the outside of the 2 slices of bread. In an unheated sauté pan, place 1 slice of bread butter side down. Place mozzarella halves on the bread, followed by the homemade salsa and alfalfa sprouts. Place other slice of bread on top, butter side up. Turn burner to medium heat.
   
3. Let sandwich cook for 3–5 minutes per side or until bread is golden brown.
   
4. Cut on the diagonal and serve warm.
   

When you’re talking about savory grilled cheese sandwiches, variety is the spice of life—and the sky’s the limit in terms of ingredients when you’re living on the edge! Here you’ll find that the old standby has been pumped up and allowed to evolve into extraordinary creations. Traditional ingredients such as tomatoes have been replaced with salmon and pasta. Plain mayonnaise is no longer simply spread on bread; it’s now mixed with roasted garlic or horseradish to add additional, awesome flavor. And speaking of bread, sometimes it’s not even needed! In this chapter, pretzel rolls, potato pancakes, waffles, and even lettuce leaves kick bread to the curb and reign supreme. So buckle your seatbelts! It’s going to be a wild ride!

2–4 tablespoons melted sweet butter, for grilling

2 small slices challah bread, hand-cut

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cup shredded pepper jack cheese

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cup white onion, diced and caramelized (see Basil Peppercorn recipe in
Chapter 1
to learn how to caramelize)

2 slices fresh tomato

2 small slices sharp Cheddar cheese, enough to cover bread

So many options so little time! This deconstructed grilled cheese will have your friends or family loading up their sandwiches and then coming back for more! Here, guests make their own sandwich from ingredients arrayed on a platter, just waiting to be consumed. What you want is what you get! And there’s nothing wrong with that!

1. Turn burner to medium heat. Brush melted butter on the outside of the 2 slices of bread. Cook bread in a sauté pan for 3–5 minutes per side or until bread is golden brown. Set aside.
   
2. In the same hot sauté pan, place shredded pepper jack cheese and cook on medium to medium-high heat until cheese coagulates and creates a single continuous piece, also known as a cheese crisp. Set aside.
   
3. In a long rectangular dish or your favorite platter, set the toasted bread, caramelized onion, tomato slices, cheese crisp, and sliced Cheddar cheese next to each other. Serve deconstructed.
   

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teaspoon + to taste Kernel Season’s Nacho Cheddar popcorn seasoning

1 cup of buttered but unflavored microwave popcorn, popped fresh

2–4 tablespoons melted sweet butter, for grilling

1 slice Italian bread

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cup + 1 tablespoon shredded provolone cheese

Caramel syrup and/or crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

They say that once you pop you can’t stop, and that’s certainly true for this popcorn-covered grilled cheese sandwich! Be sure to use bagged popcorn that’s already been popped, because the seasoning will stick better to the kernels and provide a better flavor overall. And for this sandwich, more is more—so, while cooking this amazing sandwich, don’t be afraid to add more popcorn to ensure that you end up with a complete top.

1. Pop popcorn in the microwave as directed on the package. Open the bag and sprinkle in
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   teaspoon popcorn seasoning. Shake bag.
   
2. Brush the melted butter on the outside of the bread.
   
3. In an unheated sauté pan, place slice of bread butter side down. Evenly spread
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   cup shredded provolone over bread.
   
4. On top of cheese, place the seasoned popcorn, creating a top to the sandwich. Sprinkle, to taste, more popcorn seasoning and the remaining 1 tablespoon of shredded provolone cheese. Turn burner to medium heat.
   
5. Cover sandwich and let cook until cheese is melted and popcorn won’t fall off.
   
6. Drizzle sandwich with caramel sauce and/or red pepper flakes if desired and serve warm.
   

1
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cups mixed, raw veggies

Dill to taste

1
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tablespoons ranch dressing

2–4 tablespoons melted sweet butter, for grilling

2 slices pumpernickel bread, from round loaf

1
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ounces crumbled fresh goat cheese

Whether you’re getting ready for the big game or hosting friends and family for dinner, veggies and dip are a must. But just because you’re the host doesn’t mean that you need to spend the night in the kitchen. Cut down on your dirty dishes by combining all your appetizers into one easy-to-eat sandwich and actually spend time with all those people you invited over.

1. In a bowl, toss veggies with dill to taste and ranch dressing.
   
2. Brush the melted butter on the outside of the 2 slices of bread. In an unheated sauté pan, place 1 slice of bread butter side down. Spread goat cheese on bread, sprinkle with more dill to taste, and place veggies on top. Cover with other slice of bread, butter side up. Turn burner to medium heat.
   
3. Let sandwich cook for 3–5 minutes per side or until bread is golden brown.
   
4. Cut on the diagonal and serve warm.
   

1 piece of fresh tilapia (or your favorite light, white fish)

Salt and pepper, to taste

2–4 tablespoons melted sweet butter, for grilling

2 slices seeded rye bread

4 teaspoons Thousand Island dressing, divided

2 slices Swiss cheese

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cup sauerkraut or
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cup coleslaw

A traditional Reuben contains corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing, which is fine. But if you’re looking for something outside of the box, fine isn’t good enough. This recipe takes the Reuben over the edge by replacing the red meat with fish, and the sauerkraut with coleslaw. Interesting and unexpectedly delicious!

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
   
2. Season tilapia with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 8 minutes on a greased baking sheet.
   
3. Brush the melted butter on the outside of the 2 slices of bread. In an unheated sauté pan, place 1 slice of bread butter side down. Spread 2 teaspoons of Thousand Island dressing on the bread, followed by the cooked piece of tilapia. Place the 2 slices of Swiss cheese on top of fish. Place the remaining 2 teaspoons of Thousand Island on the cheese. Top with the sauerkraut or coleslaw. Place other slice of bread on top, butter side up. Turn burner to medium heat.
   
4. Let sandwich cook for 5 minutes per side or until bread is golden brown.
   
5. Cut on the diagonal and serve warm.
   

Fish ’N Chips

FOR BATTER

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cup flour

1 egg, beaten

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teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

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cup of your favorite beer

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teaspoon lemon zest

FOR FISH

1 medium piece cod

Salt and pepper, to taste

Vegetable oil, enough to cover bottom pan

1 handful frozen shoestring fries, to cover fish, cooked according to package (optional)

2 tablespoons tartar sauce (plus more to serve as side, if desired)

1 hoagie roll, cut horizontally

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cup sharp white Cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon coleslaw

Vegetable oil, enough to cover bottom pan

Fish and chips is typically just that: fish and chips. However, no one says that these ingredients can’t be pumped up to create a fish ’n chips grilled cheese! Piled on top of each other, the blend of the crispy chips and mild fish meld together with the sharpness of the cheddar. Add on the creaminess of the coleslaw and you have one over-the-top Fish ’N Chips grilled cheese!

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
   
2. To make the batter, combine all batter ingredients and mix until smooth. Set aside in refrigerator.
   
3. Season fish with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in sauté or frying pan to medium-high heat. Make sure not to scorch oil. Dredge fish in batter and let extra batter drain. Place fish in frying pan, cooking 2–3 minutes per side. Set fish on paper towel to drain excess oil.
   
4. Place tartar sauce on roll, followed by fish, cheese, coleslaw, and fries if desired. Bake in oven for 3 minutes.
   
5. Cut and serve warm. Serve with additional tartar sauce if desired.
   

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cup garlic hummus

1 ciabatta, sliced horizontally

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cup sea salt and vinegar potato chips, lightly crushed

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cup Chihuahua cheese

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teaspoon garlic or regular olive oil

The texture and taste of hummus, a Mediterranean dish made from mashed chickpeas, pairs perfectly with salty chips or pita. In this grilled cheese recipe, garlic hummus is paired with sea salt and vinegar potato chips, which combines the creamy with the crunchy and the awesome with the amazing!

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
   
2. Evenly spread the garlic hummus on both the bottom and top halves of the roll. Place 1 slice of the roll on a baking sheet then place crushed sea salt and vinegar potato chips on top of hummus.
   
3. Spread Chihuahua cheese over chips. Close sandwich with top half of roll. Brush top of roll with garlic olive oil.
   
4. Bake sandwich in oven for 8 minutes. Serve whole and warm.
   

1 green tea bag

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cup hot water

Fresh or dried mint, to taste

2–3 ounces plain, semi-firm tofu

2–4 tablespoons melted sweet butter, for grilling

2 slices wheat (or multigrain) bread

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cup shredded Gruyère cheese

You may not think of tofu as grilled-cheese compatible, but this ingredient is actually pretty perfect if you’re looking to pack in the flavor. Tofu attracts the essence of anything that it is seasoned or cooked with, and in this recipe, the tofu absorbs the refreshing flavor of green tea and mint. Make this sandwich your own by throwing some other tea flavors into the mix if you’re so inclined.

1. In a tea cup, use the green tea bag and water to brew 1 cup of tea for 10 minutes. Place tofu in the tea cup, making sure to leave the tea bag untouched. After 15 minutes, add mint to taste. Let green tea tofu steep for an additional 30 minutes.
   
2. Brush the melted butter on the outside of the 2 slices of bread. In an unheated sauté pan, place 1 slice of bread butter side down. Cut the tofu pieces in half and place on bread. Cover tofu with Gruyère cheese. Place other slice of bread on top, butter side up. Turn burner to medium heat.
   
3. Let sandwich cook for 3–5 minutes per side or until bread is golden brown.
   
4. Cut on the diagonal and serve warm.
   

The Ramen