Last night's grilled cheese.

[Suu]

As I've attested in another thread, I can make grilled cheese in about any way imaginable. How do you like it cooked? What bread? What cheese? You want tomato? Etc. I can do it all. (I lived off of it in college for the most part...)

So last night, Mr. Suu got all cute in the grocery store and asked for grilled cheese. So here's last night's version:

One loaf of Sicilian bread from a local RI bakery (this is a wide loaf of Italian bread with a hard crust, basically.)
1 package of Cabot sharp white cheddar cheese
1 plum tomato
Butter alternative (we use a butter blend Country Crock style spread. Although nothing beats the flavor of real butter, the spread works better.)

Get a large frying pan and start heating it up.

Prepare grilled cheese the normal way by buttering the bread on one side, and putting the cheese and tomato in it. I used 1 and a half slices of cheddar and about 3-4 slices of the tomato per sandwich.

Place sandwich in the hot pan, make sure the buttered side of the bread is out of course.

This is the fun part, Mr. Suu likes his bread just a touch golden, and I like mine blackened, but NOT BURNT. So you need to watch the bread carefully. I usually do his first because the pan isn't as hot, and the first sandwich you do will never be dark enough by my standards.

Once you've had one side down long enough to sear, flip the sandwich with a spatula and PRESS on it while the other side sears. Flattening it is essential.

Do NOT move the sandwich around much, just hover over it and watch the steam/smoke rising to gauge the frying process. Moving it around increases air flow and slows the cooking time. Flip occasionally to check the darkness of each side. When it's to the level you desire remove it from the pan carefully to a nearby plate and cut in half. Traditional bread you cut from corner-to-corner, because it's an unspoken grilled cheese rule. However with such a large loaf as we used yesterday, you'll have to cut it it down the middle.

My observations:

Maybe a bit TOO bready. I think it drowned out the flavor of the cheese. Next time we use cheddar I'd recommend using some typical white Wonder Bread or some shit like that. Though I may try a light rye, because I <3 rye on grilled cheese. Especially with turkey or ham, and provolone.

Picture to come in a moment, we snapped one last night.

[Suu]

And the pic:



Mr. Suu's on the left, mine on the right.

[Richter]

That is some tremendous looking grilled cheese.

[Suu]

Those are 2 sandwiches, btw. Cut in half...so you can gauge the size of the bread we used. It was almost like eating 4 sandwiches made out of normal white bread. I was VERY full.

[Darth Cupcake]

Oh man. I love grilled cheese.

I should make some soon.

[AFK]

*cough* http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=13779.0 *cough*

[Suu]

Mr. Suu doesn't like peppers and spicy.  I'll make your version for myself someday.

[AFK]

I'm not a big fan of tomatoes myself, but I think my wife would like your recipe.  I'll have to make it for her sometime. 

[Suu]

Plum tomatoes are pretty much all I use for ANYTHING. I think the flavor is much nicer than your typical ZOMG red round tomato.

Also, I agree with you on the "NO WHITE BREAD" rule. I'm totally a bread racist. Totally.

[AFK]

Yeah, it's better when you've got a bread with some texture and graininess.  White bread is okay if you're gonna make the typical Kraft Singles kindegarten-grade grilled cheese, but really even then I'd rather have a whole wheat or multi-grain bread. 

[Suu]

The only other bread I avoid is pumpernickel. Not that I don't ADORE it, but it's hard to watch the darkness of the bread. Lol. It also tends to get a bit too hard.

[Richter]

Marble rye, FTW.

Do you ever find the sandwiches get soupy w/ plum tomatoes? 

[Suu]

Not at all. You gotta pick GOOD tomatoes. Plus, using a thicker, drier bread also helps control the moisture. Again...no basic white or wheat. You want a good hearty bread.

[Dysfunctional Cunt]

God those look amazing.  I am so wanting a grilled cheese now.  I have a tomato and I think a bit of ham..... mmmm 

I think I'll pass on the rum though, I has to work tomorrow!

[Jenne]

Yum--those are lookin' tasty.  I like tomatoes on grilled cheese.  Adds a great juiciness and texture.