It's National Grilled Cheese month, folks, and boy are we fans. Americans chomp upwards of 2 million sammies each year. Of course, as is typical of populist foods nowadays (burgers, fried chicken, mac 'n cheese) even high-minded artisans like Terrance Brennan and Thomas Keller have gotten into the act to put their spins on the classic. Brennan will take it one step further at Artisanal, his New York bistro and paean to all things fromage, with a grilled Cheese Sandwich Contest on April 29. It should be quite the showdown, with food-lebrity judges to boot.
But wait! You don't need to be local to enter this thing, and still have till Friday to wow the cheesemonger with a creation that will win you one of 12 places in the cookoff. And we're going to help you cheat. With the deadline looming, we went straight to Brennan for tips and were unsurprised to find that he hews close to a simple, winning formula: Use good bread, great cheese and no more than three ingredients.
Fave fromage? "I just love a good Comté," he says. His bread of choice, which he prefers on the crunchy side, is pain campagne. "It's a good bread and it's still kind of a little airy. [With] a baguette, you have too much bread. It's a texture thing." Stay away from using Parmesan for filler, he warns, but feel free to dust the outside with a few shavings as a seasoning agent to get a swell crust.
Not on the East Coast but need a fix? Head to L.A., where the Grilled Cheese Invitational began with a few dudes in an artist's loft caught up in a dare over which of them was a grilled cheese god. Seven years later the summit has more than 100 participants and processed cheese giant Kraft as a sponsor. Not bad for a simple little sammie.
Got a recipe that would destroy the competition? Let us know in the comments.
4-15-2009 @3:43PM Sean said... 4 slices bacon
3 very thin slices of Anjou Pear (no peel)
2 slices French Peasant Bread (rustic loaf) 1/4" slices
Shredded Coastal Aged Cheddar
Crumbled Goat Cheese
Baconaisse
Cook the bacon in a skillet until done, reserve on towel. Do not drain fat!
Assemble the sandwich with the goat cheese on the bottom, then add the slices of pear, then a little of the cheddar, then add bacon, then more of the shredded cheddar.
Spread a thin layer of baconaisse on the outside layers of the sandwich.
Return skillet to burner over medium heat. Press sandwich down in the pan with a spatula, then cover the skillet for a short time to trap heat in it. Flip over when dark golden browned and repeat.
Reply
4-16-2009 @2:26AM BraH said... Thoroughly Unsophisticated Cheese & Salami
Mrs. Baird's White bread, two slices. Texas Toast works best.
8-12 slices Gallo Presliced Hard Dry Salami
Muenster Cheese
Butter or Lard
Heat a skillet to medium and melt 2-3 tsp butter or lard. Lay bread one side down for approx 2 1/2 minutes, or until bread has begun to brown. Remove bread from the skillet and melt another 1-2 tsp butter, and replace bread to brown the soft side. Apply muenster as desired.
Reduce heat. In the same skillet, bring the salami slices to heat to cook most loose fat out. This should take no more than 1 minute and also neutralizes a slightly offtaste in the salami. Lie the salami slices onto the melting cheese, four per layer to get even coverage. Cook until bread is browned.
In all honesty, I believe that simple foods should remain simple. Imported artisanal goat cheese, fruits and veggies a grilled cheese does not make.
Reply
4-18-2009 @6:58PM max said... Best grilled cheese. White bread, butter, Kraft singles. Voila!
Reply
4-21-2009 @10:51PM davvik said... challa bread, sliced thin-2 slices
sharp chedder-4-6oz
apple, sliced thin-3-4 slices
butter-as need
heat skillet with butter
place apple cheese and butter inbetween the bread
cook till both sides of bread are toasted (medium heat)
Reply
6-14-2009 @12:20PM Xero_art said... 2 slices bread(honey wheat, wheat or white)
2 dashes of pepper
butter(or margarine)
2(or 3) slices preferred cheese(kraft american for me)
2tsp egg yoke
thinly sliced tomato(
bologna
1)butter both slices of both slices of bread
2)melt butter in skillet. pour 1tsp egg yoke in skillet and let one side fry with a dash of pepper, gather yoke in skillet and place one slice of bread on it, let egg fry to completion. don't toast other side of bread.
3)repeat step 2 with second piece of bread
4)fry tomato alone for about 2 min, flipping fairly constantly
5)fry bologna on butter or canola oil and cut into strips.
6)place cheese, tomato and bologna slice of bread and sandwich it with other slice. Untoasted sides of bread should be on outside.
7)toast sandwich till light brown and cheese melted
Reply
6-17-2009 @12:36PM Abe said... 2 slices of bread (I used a cheese bread from a local bakery)
thinly cut tomato slices
basil
mozzarella cheese
Butter the outsides of the bread.
Place one piece butter side down on a grill pan that is turned to low.
Layer tomato, cheese, basil.
Add last piece of bread.
Trick is to cook it slooowww.
Reply