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Cooking the Cover: Gourmet's Grilled Cheese

partysugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:01:31 -0800

There is nothing as simply delicious as melted cheese and crispy bread. There are thousands of variations of cheese, bread types, and tasty extras, but recently I was dazzled by the grilled cheese on the cover of Gourmet magazine's February issue. Presented on a clean white plate with a pretty blue background, their uber grilled cheese features escarole, onion jam, and tallegio.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find onion jam nor tallegio, but luckily the recipe states the next best options - fig jam and fontina - both of which were at my local market. I cooked the sandwich over low heat to maximize the melt in the melted cheese. The final result was a divine treat with the sweet jam perfectly complementing the pungent cheese and bitter greens. For the plating, I used a simple white plate like Gourmet, but thought a pink placemat was more me. To see how I made my version of this super scrumptious sandwich, read more.

Grilled Cheese With Onion Jam, Talleggio, and Escarole
From Gourmet magazine

4 (1/2-inch-thick) center slices sourdough bread (from a 9- to 10-inch round)
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons onion or fig jam
12 to 14 oz chilled Taleggio or Italian Fontina, sliced
1/4 lb escarole, center ribs discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

Brush 1 side of bread slices with oil and arrange, oil sides down, on a work surface.
Spread jam on 2 slices of bread and divide cheese between remaining 2 slices.
Mound escarole on top of cheese and season with salt and pepper, then assemble sandwiches.
Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat until hot.
Cook sandwiches, turning once and pressing with a spatula to compact, until bread is golden-brown and cheese is melted, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken Panini with Fig Jam

partysugar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 05:27:18 -0800

Going back to work after the holidays is never an easy task. To ease some of the stress, treat yourself to a simple and delicious pressed sandwich for dinner. Pick up the fig jam, fresh bread, and cooked chicken breast from your local market. There is virtually no cooking in this recipe, all you have to do is assemble the sandwich and let the press do its magic. The sandwich with its rich, layered ingredients is comforting and filling. If you have any extra bottles of Champagne leftover from New Year's open one; a glass of bubbly pairs superbly with this sandwich. Take a look at the recipe, just read more.

Chicken Panini with Fig Jam
From Cooking Light magazine

1/4 cup fig jam
1 (8-ounce) ciabatta, cut lengthwise
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened
8 ounces sliced cooked chicken breast
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups arugula leaves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Spread jam over cut side of top half of bread.
Combine cheese and butter in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Spread cheese mixture over cut side of bottom half of bread. Arrange chicken evenly over cheese mixture; sprinkle with pepper. Place top half of bread, jam side down, over chicken.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add sandwich to pan. Place a heavy cast-iron skillet on sandwich; cook 5 minutes or until both sides are browned, turning once. Alternatively, if you have a panini press, place the sandwich in the press and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.
Place arugula in a bowl. Drizzle juice over arugula; toss gently. Remove top bread half from sandwich. Arrange arugula mixture over chicken. Replace top bread half. Cut sandwich into 4 equal portions and serve.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 381(30% from fat); FAT 12.7g (sat 6.1g,mono 4.7g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 24.7g; CHOLESTEROL 70mg; CALCIUM 71mg; SODIUM 591mg; FIBER 1.2g; IRON 2.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.6g

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Yummy Link: Microwaved Orange Fig Jam

YumSugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 04:01:31 -0700

This totally knocks my socks off: Spicy Fig Orange Jam made in a microwave!!! - Simply Recipes

Salad-Topped Sandwiches and Pizzas: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:30:59 -0700

With a growing emphasis on farm-fresh vegetables, lately I've come across many renditions of lightly dressed salads - and not just as stand-alone items. In restaurants around town, salads have become common add-ons - from the black forest ham, fig jam, and arugula sandwich at Sellers Markets to the pancetta, lettuce, and heirloom tomato pizza at Gialina. At this weekend's Great American Food & Music Festival, Anne Burrell even gushed about how much she loves adding arugula to pizza. How do you feel about salads reinvented as a topping for other dishes?

Would You Eat Jam on Your Grilled Cheese Sandwich?

YumSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:43:18 -0700

Whenever my dad would make grilled cheese sandwiches, he would always end up coating the top of his with grape jelly. As a kid, I copied him and have grown up enjoying the delicious pairing of sweet and savory. It may sound weird, but a lot of folks use fig spread and it's not much different than that. Last night I ended up having a simple one with raspberry-peach jam, and thought it was an extremely flavorful pairing. So tell me, would you eat this grilled cheese sandwich?

Monday's Leftovers: Pork and Grilled Veggie Salad

YumSugar — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 08:13:33 -0700

If you've got a great piece of leftover roasted pork loin, your natural instinct might be to slice it up and serve it in a sandwich. While that's a completely acceptable solution -especially when paired with a fantastic pesto, or fruity fig jam - I thought it would be fun to put the ol' bbq to use before the weather turns completely. This simple salad relies on grilled veggies - if you don't have a grill use the broiler in your oven - and is perfect for an early fall meal. To get the recipe, read more

Pork and Grilled Vegetable Salad
From Cooking Light, September 2004
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2/3 pound red potatoes, cut into (1/8-inch-thick) slices
1 1/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into (1/4-inch-thick) slices
1 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into (1/4-inch-thick) slices
1 large red bell pepper, quartered
1 large orange bell pepper, quartered
1 medium red onion, cut into (1/4-inch-thick) slices
4 (1-ounce) slices sourdough bread
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leftover pork roast (about 8 ounces)
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups salad and 1 bread slice)

Prepare grill.
Toss potatoes with 1 teaspoon oil.
Place potatoes on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until tender.
Place zucchini, squash, bell peppers, and onion on grill rack; cook 3 minutes on each side.
Place bread slices on grill rack; grill 1 minute on each side or until well marked. Rub both sides of each bread slice with cut sides of garlic.
Coarsely chop zucchini, squash, and bell peppers.
Combine vegetables and pork in a large bowl, tossing gently.
Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add remaining 3 1/2 teaspoons oil, stirring with a whisk.
Drizzle vinegar mixture over vegetable mixture, tossing to coat.
Serve bread with salad.

CALORIES 310(25% from fat); FAT 8.5g (sat 1.7g,mono 5.1g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 15g; CHOLESTEROL 26mg; CALCIUM 73mg; SODIUM 755mg; FIBER 5.6g; IRON 2.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.1g

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Come Party With Me: Travel Party - Menu II

partysugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 09:51:31 -0700

I've already got a portion of the menu planned for this week's travel party - where the theme takes itself from five countries. The Mexican, Japanese, and Russian rooms will have delicious savory nibbles, dips, and tasty appetizers for guest to enjoy while they mingle. For an element of surprise, create an English cheese tasting platter for the British room. Generally cheese platters consist of Italian, French, or Swiss cheeses, so a platter with nuts, jams, honey, fig crackers, English cheddar, and Stilton will wow guests with your originality. Meaty Cuban sandwiches with pickles and mustard finish up the menu. Head over to Cost Plus World Market to supplement the rooms with sweet treats and exotic bites from the respective countries. For the recipes that will take you around the globe, read more

Farmhouse Cheddar and Fig Crackers
From Food & Wine magazine
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3 large dried figs, preferably Calimyrna
Boiling water
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 pound extra-sharp farmhouse Cheddar cheese, preferably from England, grated (1 1/4 cups)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten

In a small heatproof bowl, soak the figs in boiling water until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the figs and pat dry. Slice off the tough stems, then cut the figs into 1/2-inch dice.
In a food processor, combine the flour, butter, Cheddar cheese, kosher salt and pepper and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and add the figs and egg. Using your hands, work the dough until it comes together.
Scrape the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and pat it into a 12-by-2-inch rectangular log. Wrap the log tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Butter 2 large baking sheets. Slice the log of dough crosswise 1/4 inch thick.
Arrange the slices at least 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake the Cheddar crackers for about 12 minutes, or until they are golden brown and slightly firm. Carefully transfer the crackers to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 3 dozen.

Make ahead: the dough can be tightly wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days or wrapped in plastic, then in aluminum foil and frozen for up to 1 month. The crackers can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

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Cuban Sandwich
From Whole Foods

1 mini baguette (6 oz, whole grain, if available) cut in half and sliced open to make 4 halves
mayonnaise and Dijon mustard, to taste (optional)
4 very thin slices Black Forest or other lean deli ham
4 very thin slices deli smoked peppered turkey breast
4 very thin slices deli salami
1 large dill pickle, thinly sliced
4 very thin slices Swiss cheese
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
2 thin slices purple onion
2 slices red pepper, raw or roasted

Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle, or a double-sided sandwich maker such as a Foreman Grill.
Spread mustard and mayonnaise as desired on each piece of the bread.
Layer 2 slices each of the ham, turkey, salami, and cheese on 2 pieces of the bread.
Layer even amounts of pickle between the meat and cheese.
Top each with even amounts of spinach, purple onion, and red pepper.
Using the top of the bread, make 2 sandwiches.
Place them on the hot skillet or griddle. (If desired, you can use a small amount of butter on the grill).
Lay a heavy iron skillet or other heavy skillet on top of the sandwich. (You may need to prepare one sandwich at a time). Flatten the sandwich to about 1/4 of its original size,
Grill for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
If using a double-sided sandwich maker, grill for 3 to 4 minutes, watching carefully.

Serves 2

Nutrition Information: Per Serving (168g-wt.): 380 calories (150 calories from fat), 16g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 3g dietary fiber, 20g protein, 36g carbohydrate, 50mg cholesterol, 1310mg sodium

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