April is National Grilled Cheese Month, and it seemed appropriate to collect tips and recipes on this well-loved item with lots of variations.
Wikipedia has an entry on “cheese sandwich” which includes a mention of the grilled cheese.
Cheese sandwiches can be uncooked, or heated so that the bread toasts and the cheese melts (a dish referred to as a grilled cheese sandwich, toasted cheese, cheese toastie or simply grilled cheese).
So, let’s get to it. First up, a video from CHOW that shows you the wrong and right ways to create a classic grilled cheese, in a pan on the stove.
Giada de Laurentiis has a very different take, where she blends cheese and butter together in the food processor to make a spreadable mix for the inside of the sandwich. The addition of spinach makes it green!
Did you know that there is an annual Grilled Cheese Invitational, held in Los Angeles? Unwrapped on the Food Network covered this event – in the video below.
Also from Unwrapped, here’s a feature on The Grilled Cheese Truck, which makes its way around Los Angeles, serving grilled cheese sandwiches, including a sandwich with macaroni and cheese in the center.
On to the recipes!
This is a Squash, Manchego and Balsamic-Onion Grilled Cheese, from Jeff Mauro, the Sandwich King.
This site has a video as well, and serves up an unexpected combination of gorgonzola cheese and peanut brittle! With honey drizzled on top and a cocktail alongside, this is a grilled cheese for grown-ups.
Grilled Cheese with Sauteed Mushrooms, from Gourmet, via Epicurious.
French Onion Grilled Cheese, also from Jeff Mauro.
This is a small collection of some of the combinations that go into the grilled cheese. Tell us in the comments, what is your version of the grilled cheese? Do you cook on the stove or in a sandwich press? What cheeses, bread, and other things do you use to make it? Let us know!
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