Adding meat DRASTICALLY changes the sandwich, to the point that some additions constitute what would be a completely DIFFERENT sandwich. For example, adding ham gives you something very similar to a Croque-monsieur. Adding pickles and mustard to THAT gives you something very similar to a Cuban. Someone mentioned a patty melt. Thats not a grilled cheese with a patty. Thats a cheeseburger on toast. No meat. I repeat: NO. MEAT. At MOST, Id allow veggies. Generally, theyre not too strongly flavoured or in sharp contrast to the texture or flavour of the cheese or bread. Now, onto the sandwich itself. Basic grilled cheese has not two, but three components: the bread, the cheese, and finally, the fat the sandwich is cooked in. As I said, Id allow for a fourth veggie component, but Ill leave that alone for now. So, lets start with the bread. For most people, the bread is an afterthought. Im sure many users here are familiar with the Kraft singles on Wonder bread version of the grilled cheese. They treat the bread simply as the vehicle that transports the cheese. Scrap that mindset. Good quality bread might not be as important as good quality cheese, but it will be VASTLY noticeable versus cheap, store-bought bread. So, what should you look for in a bread? For me, a great bread is something with a nice crust on the outside, either has lots of bubbles on the inside, or is denser but slightly crumbly. European breads are great for this: Ciabatta, baguettes, brioche, soda bread, sourdough. I prefer bubbly bread. The cheese melts into the bubbles rather than out the sides (a common occurrence if youve ever made a grilled cheese on plain, store-bought bread). The bubbles also add a great, soft texture. Top pick for me: ciabatta. Now, youve got your bread. But the point of the sandwich is the cheese. Kraft singles are for kids, and cheddar is a good starter cheese, but what if you want to try something different? When it comes to grilled cheese sandwiches, I separate my options into 3 categories: A) cheeses for texture (mozzarella, brie, havarti), B) cheese for flavour (parmesan, blue cheeses), and C) cheeses that have both (cheddar, gouda, gruyere, emmental). From these categories, Id do a combination of C and either A or B. That guarantees that you have a lot of flavour as well as a desirable texture. Some of my favourite combinations: Sharp cheddar (C) and mozzarella (A), smoked gouda (C) and havarti (A), gruyere (C) and blue cheese (B). Of course, feel free to stick with a single cheese as long as it is flavourful (mozzarella alone would be too bland), and has a good texture (a slice of parmesan just wouldnt feel right). So, the last component: the fat. Probably even more overlooked than the bread, a good fat will not only cook the outside of your sandwich evenly, but can even impart flavour. There are plenty of options limited only to what you have on hand at the time. Butter and/or olive oil would be best. Both will add a nice base flavour to the bread. Just make sure not to use a more expensive extra virgin olive oil. Big mistake there. Cooking it essentially burns all the good stuff preserved when it is made. Dont do it. Of course, there are other things you can cook a grilled cheese sandwich in. A little bacon fat or lard (maybe even duck fat), clarified butter, margarine, ghee. There are more options out there. Heck, Ive even heard of people using mayo (applied to the outside of the bread, not added to the pan). Give it all a try. Finally, the optional veggie component. A good veggie addition should offer either a nice complement or a slight contrast to the cheese. It should NEVER overpower the cheese in either flavour or texture. A thin slice of red onion, for example, adds a slight sweetness and pungency. Arugula adds a peppery flavour. A slice of tomato can add tartness. A few leaves of basil can add sweetness. That said, if you DO plan on adding something strongly flavoured (pickled vegetables, hot peppers, etc.) make sure youre using strongly flavoured cheeses as well. If your bench player stands out more than your star player, then something is wrong with your team
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 16:13:17 +0000
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