My all time fav comfort food on a cold day is a hot grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of tomato soup. Don’t know what it is about that combo, but it just says home on a snowy day for me. Apropos since we are supposedly getting snow today here in NY/NJ. There are so many variations on grilled cheese, but I normally like to keep simple and today I’m offering up my recipe for it. As for the soup, likewise, keep it simple. I’m so not a fan of all the latest heavy basil tomato soups. Give me rich and creamy and all tomato!
Grilled Cheese a la Caridad
Ingredients
- 2 slices country white bread
3 or 4 slices medium cheddar or slicing cheddar
Mayonnaise
Directions
- Heat a cast iron pan until it’s grilling hot. If you don’t have cast iron, non-stick is okay, but there’s something about the cast iron that just produces a better caramelization on the bread. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the slice of bread. Yes, I thought it was gross also when I first heard it, but after I tried it I discovered that it really worked! Lay that bread mayo side down on the pan. Add the cheese. Spread the second piece of bread with the mayo and lay it mayo side up on the cheese. Press down gently on the sandwich and listen for that searing sound on the hot pan. Cook for about four to five minutes and check to see if the bread is golden brown. If so, flip and cook on the other side until golden brown. Serve with some tasty tomato soup!
You may be wondering why not sharp cheddar? It’s too dry and crumbly and won’t melt well. Keep in mind that the more moisture in a cheese, the better it melts.
Want to play around with your cheeses? These are some other good melting cheeses:
- Fontina
Gruyere
Asiago
Gouda
Provolone
Mozzarella (not the fresh kind)
Camembert
Velveeta (yes, I still love Velveeta)
American Cheese
Want to know more about the science of melting cheese? Check out https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/08/the-science-of-melting-cheese.html. You can also visit https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-grilled-cheese for more grilled cheese recipes.
