The Art of the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

March 5, 2008

My first simple recipe for The New Cook is a classic: the grilled cheese sandwich. It may seem a bit easy, but I’ve seen my college roommate live off these and they are always delicious.

The Recipe

What you’ll need for this recipe is two slices of bread, cheese, and butter. Pre-heat a skillet over medium-low heat (pick the skillet size depending on how many sandwiches you are making: 12 inch for two or more, 8 or 10 inch for one). Put a small slice of butter in the pan - enough to coat the bottom. Remember, butter burns at a fairly low temperature compared to other oils - so not too hot.

Assemble your sandwich (cheese between the bread!) and place it in the pan when hot and the butter is melted.

Give your sandwich a firm press with your spatula and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Check the underside and make sure you have a crisp, golden brown - cooking times are never exact.

Remove the sandwich with the spatula and deftly deposit another sliver of butter. Return the sandwich to the skillet with the uncooked side down. Press and wait another 3-4 minutes.

By now the sandwich should be golden brown on both sides and the cheese melted. You can always leave it in the pan a little longer if you want the cheese to melt more, but I’m usually too hungry to wait. When the sandwich is finished, remove and feast.

I haven’t discussed what type of bread, cheese or other condiments to use with your grilled cheese. I tried to leave it slightly vague (if a recipe for grilled cheese can be called vague) in order to encourage experimentation with ingredients. After most recipes, I’ll include a section called Preferences and Tips where I’ll highlight specifics that I enjoy or list tips offered by different cookbooks.

Preferences and Tips:

• I’m a big fan of white bread and sharp cheddar cheese for my sandwiches. I haven’t tried it yet, but I want to make one with thick, fresh bread.
• Good cheeses for melting include Cheddar, Emmenthal, Gruyere, and Jarlsberg. I’ve only tried cheddar on a grilled cheese, but I think I’ve eaten Emmenthal once before. Certainly options to keep it exciting.
• Try shredded cheese to get a meltier and more even consistency.
• A dressing like Russian or spicy mustard could add more flavor (although I prefer straight cheese).
• One last tip offered by one book is to place a plate and can of soup on top of your sandwich while it cooks (plate first, then can on top of that). Personally, I don’t bother dirtying another plate for this and I just smash it a little with my spatula.

Printable Recipe:

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Equipment:

• Skillet
• Spatula
• Stove

Ingredients:

• Bread
• Cheese
• Butter

Procedure:

1. Heat skillet over medium-low heat and add butter to coat the bottom.
2. Assemble the sandwich and place in the skillet, pressing down on top with a spatula. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Remove the sandwich, re-butter the skillet, flip the sandwich and return to the pan, pressing down again. Let it cook another 3-4 minutes.
4. When crispy golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted, serve and enjoy.

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