Smothered in between buttered and toasted hearty slices of bread. Sliced in half, dripping on the edges as you pull apart the gooey sandwich in preparation to devour. Grilled cheese is a food for all, children, adults the elderly. In honor of National Grilled Cheese Day, NYC Chef’s share their expert tips and killer recipes on how to make the best darn grilled cheeses ever. Enjoy!
Grilled Cavemaster Reserve Annelies Cheese and Ramp Sandwich at Left Bank
Photo Credit: Murray’s Cheese
“A grilled cheese should be done in a heavy pan that can transfer right into the oven. You start it on the stove, then flip it once one side is golden brown and bake it for the remainder of the cooking. Also it’s important to butter the outside of the bread as well as put a pat of butter in the pan. The heat should be kept at a temperature that’s hot enough for the butter to slowly bubble around the edges of the sandwich, but no hotter.” – Executive Chef Laurence Edelman
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Ingredients
4 ½ inch thick slices of bread from a rustic loaf
3 tablespoons room temperature butter
1 cup grated Murray’s Cavemaster Annelies
2 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup chopped ramps
1 clove garlic
Pinch hot red pepper flakes
Method:
Preheat oven to 400f.
Roast the ramps with the olive oil, garlic and chili flakes until well browned. Set aside.
Butter one side of each slice of bread, which will be the outside of the sandwich
Pile the cheese onto a slice of bread, and top with the cooked ramp.
In a heavy skillet, melt a large pat of butter over medium heat.
Carefully add the sandwich and let it brown on one side for about 2 minutes. The butter should be lazily bubbling around the edges of the sandwich.
Control the heat; don’t let the pan get too hot. Flip the sandwich and put the whole pan into the oven for about 3 minutes.
Let the sandwich cool for 1 minute on a plate, and then it’s ready to serve.
Tips: The skillet must be at the right temperature, as this will allow the bread to crisp up and will melt the cheese at the same time. Another tip would be to add herbs (thyme, rosemary) to the butter in order to provide amazing aromatics and a fresh flavor. – Executive Chef Nicolas Caicedo
Ingredients:
Brooklyn Bread Lab sourdough bread (2 slices)
smoked gouda (2 slices)
comte (2 slices)
fontina (2 slices)
sour cream (3 tsp)
truffle paté (1 tsp)
unsalted butter (2 tsp)
shaved white truffles (2 grams)
Method:
In a medium mixing bowl, mix the sour cream and truffle pate together. Preheat a skillet over medium heat.
Generously butter one side of a slice of bread, spreading the truffle and sour cream mixture on the other side.
Place the bread butter-side-down into the skillet and add cheese to the side facing up.
Butter a second slice of bread on one side and place it butter-side-up on top of the slice already in the pan to make a sandwich.
Grill until lightly browned and flip over. Continue grilling the sandwich until cheese is melted and the bread is extra crispy, showing a golden brown color.
Slice the sandwich in half, and gently shave the white truffles on top. Finish by adding a fresh thyme or rosemary garnish.
Grilled and toasted to perfection this sandwich has everything we want in a grilled cheese: creamy cheese paired with delicious onion flavors, a touch of sweetness from the jam and balanced by the mustard and savory sausage.** Secret trick – using mayo instead of butter on the outside of the bread will give it an extra delicious crunchy crust** – Chef and Owner Agii
Ingredients:
Two slices sourdough bread (we use one that is baked in a Pullman loaf)
Two year Vermont cheddar (as much as you like to cover the size of your bread and to provide enough cheesy melty goodness)
Softened butter
Mustard of your choice
Caramelized onion jam
Summer sausage sliced thin
Method/Tips:
Butter each slice of bread on one side only. On the flip side, spread a layer of mustard followed by a layer of onion jam. Layer summer sausage over the entire surface of the jam. Cover with cheese (we recommend grating the cheese as it melts faster and having it at room temperature) If you have a Panini press at home, you can grill the sandwich that way until it’s perfectly melted all the way through. If not, cook the sandwich slowly on a skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium heat, pressing down with a spatula.
