Grilled Cheese Revival!

For reasons I cannot quite explain, I am the author of many (incomplete) food blogs floating around on the internet. Perhaps I cannot quite commit to just one blog name, perhaps I lack focus...who knows. But for now, I have decided I like this blog. And I feel that this blog could benefit from a few of my previous posts...which I will now re-share with you here!

And in case I ever revive the other blog, the link to the original post can be found here: http://alittletasteof.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/grilled-cheese-revival/

Happy eating!

Truffle Grilled Cheese with Mushrooms and Tomato Jam

When you think of a grilled cheese sandwich, what comes to mind? Childhood days in your elementary school cafeteria, munching on slices of toasted white bread with melted American cheese, coming home on wintry afternoons after endless exhausting snowball battles to your grilled cheese sandwich and bowl of tomato soup, your go-to food in college when you were starving and had no idea what else to cook. But now, possibly thanks to the effects of Gossip Girl and the notorious truffle grilled cheese sandwich incident at the Plaza Hotel, grilled cheese is experiencing its second wind, taking this basic sandwich and dressing it up with as many different flavor combinations as possible. Back in the day, if someone had asked me if I would like to try a $50 truffle grilled cheese sandwich, I would have said they were crazy and shooed them away. Now? Sign me up!

Inspired by the flavor combination presented in this recent grilled cheese recipe request (recipe request: grilled cheese with tomato jam), I was determined to set out and create an epic grilled cheese sandwich. And of course, it absolutely had to include truffles.

The sandwich on its own is already a rich and comforting delight, with the flavors of the strong pecorino cheese balancing against the light provolone cheese and earthy slices of cremini mushrooms scattered throughout, all enveloped between two slices of warm, buttery, toasted bread - with just a slight hint of truffle oil (note: truffles are really too expensive for me to experiment with!) to really push the sandwich over the edge. When topped with the light tomato salsa, the warm hearty flavors of the sandwich are beautifully cut by the cool refreshing taste and texture of the tomatoes, creating a completely different grilled cheese experience. A mixture of hot and cold, of sweet and salty, of gooey and crunchy - it's the perfect grilled cheese experience!

Tomato Salsa/Jam

• 1 tomato
• 1 tsp diced red onion
• 1/4 tsp diced basil
• lemon juice
• salt
• sugar
• balsamic vinegar

Finely dice the tomato and mix with onion and basil. Squeeze a sprinkle of lemon juice over the mixture. Add a pinch of salt and slightly more than a pinch of sugar. Pour in 1/4 tsp balsamic vinegar. Mix well.


Grilled cheese with mushrooms, provolone, and pecorino cheese

• 2 slices of white sandwich bread
• 2 Cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 slices Provolone cheese
• 1-2 tbsp grated Pecorino cheese
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• pinch of sea salt
• dash of Truffle oil

Heat olive oil in a pan and add the sliced mushrooms. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with a sprinkle of sea salt. Remove from heat.

Melt the butter in a pan on medium-low heat. Pour in the truffle oil (amount at your discretion). Place the 2 slices of bread in the pan. Place the Provolone slices on top of one slice and sprinkle the Pecorino cheese on top of the Provolone. Scatter the mushroom slices on top of the cheese. Take the other slice of bread and place the untouched side face down on top of the cheese and mushrooms. Flip every 20 seconds or so, taking care to monitor the bread so it does not burn. Remove from heat when cheese is melted, approximately 2 minutes.