VOILA
Grilled cheese.
I don’t know why but there’s something about pilates class that makes me think of carbs and cheese (if you’re a loyal reader you’ll already know this to be true). Is it the stretching? The planks? The bicep curls? All the time to think? Not sure but either way, about halfway through tonight’s class I started dreaming of some grilled cheese.
First step, dream. Next step, source raw materials. I wasn’t sure if we had any bread, I wasn’t sure if my cheese had gone bad and I definitely needed some new greens. However, despite living 100 feet from a decent supermarket, I’ve found that if I go home first (drop off bags! check on contents of fridge!) the chances I’ll turn around and go back outside are slim to none. And that is how I ended up buying one loaf of bread and one packet of cheese to make one sandwich.
(If anyone wants some Levy’s Everything Rye, give me a shout)
Back to the thing itself. A sandwich is something on which to project your greatest dreams and deepest hungers, and a grilled cheese sandwich is no different. Despite the parameters already set, there is a lot you can do with some bread, cheese and heat.
The secret is in the combination. I prefer adding an element of spice, a foil for the delicious fatty meltiness of the cheese. Tart is also good, and if you have a good quince jam on hand, you’re golden.
For tonight’s masterpiece I chose:
- Seeded rye bread
- Gouda cheese
- Hot yellow English mustard
You must butter the bread (or use a butter substitute, at the very least, like I did, because I definitely did not need to add a lb of butter to the fridge). I also like to salt and pepper the outside because, hello, flavor. It gives you that proper crust.
For today’s exercise, you will also swipe some mustard on the inside of one slice.
Heat the nonstick pan to medium. Place one slice on the pan, buttered/salted/peppered side down. Add cheese and top with other, mustarded, slice. Let one side brown slightly before turning over.
Now, for the key to crispy – but not burned- bread and super melty insides: cover the damn sandwich. Put a lid on it. This basically lets the sandwich steam a bit, speeds up the gooey process and gives the insides a chance to melt without leaving your bread blackened and charred. Do not forget this step.
After insides are sufficiently melted, make sure you get both sides nice and crisp and take off the heat. The whole process should take less than five minutes.
i mean, c’mon
You’re almost ready! The way I feel better about eating lots of cheese is having some greens to go with it. I also happen to love greens so I can’t lose. A simple salad of arugula with shallot vinaigrette was just the ticket.
Ugh.
I can hardly move my arms after today’s workout but I would lift this sandwich up again.
Bury The Fork 