Gourmet Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich

Gourmet Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich

Serves: 4

Gourmet Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich

This is the second riff on the basic grilled ham and cheese….only this time made upscale by use of superior flavored ham and cheese and topped with a glorious fried egg ….yum! For the previous grilled ham and cheese recipe see “Grilled Cheese, Bacon & Tomatillo Sandwich” posted at http://cookingwithlarue.blogspot.com/2013/02/grilled-cheese-bacon-tomatillo-sandwich.html.

In this recipe, we will be using Serrano ham and Manchego cheese. Prosciutto could be easily substituted for Serrano ham. Prosciutto is a raw Italian style ham, the curing of which is done through a dry salting method using the leg or thigh portion of the pig. It is covered in salt for approximately four weeks; it is then washed and allowed to dry for around six months or more. Serrano Ham is a Spanish style of ham, which is generally aged and cured at a high altitude.  It is done in a similar way with the salting usually only lasting two weeks and the final aging being anywhere from 6-18 months.

If you have never had Manchego cheese, you are in for quite a treat. It is made in the La Mancha region of Spain, (home of Don Quixote!); from the milk of sheep of the Manchega breed. Official cheese is to be aged from between 60 days and two years.  Manchego has a firm and compact consistency and a buttery texture with a white to ivory-yellow color.  The cheese has a distinctive buttery, nutty flavor and pairs beautifully with Serrano Ham.

• 8 slices of peasant or Tuscan bread
• 6 oz thinly sliced Serrano Ham or Prosciutto
• 2 oz Manchego cheese, shaved (½ C)
• 2 Tb unsalted butter (divided)
• 2 Tb extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
• 4 large eggs
• salt and freshly ground pepper 

Lay the bread slices on your work surface.  Arrange Serrano ham and Manchego cheese evenly on 4 slices Tuscan bread, and then close the sandwiches.

Tuscan bread

Layering the cheese and ham

In a large skillet, melt 1 Tb butter in 1 Tb of olive oil in the skillet. Brush the sandwiches on 1 side with the melted butter and oil, then add to the skillet, buttered side up. Cook over moderate heat, turning once, until the cheese is melted and the sandwiches are golden, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 250-degree F oven.

Toasted to a golden brown

Melt the remaining 1 Tb butter and 1 Tb olive oil in the skillet. Crack in the eggs and cook over moderate heat until the whites are set and yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Top each sandwich with an egg and season with salt and pepper.

Now with the egg and an Arugula/tomato salad

We love this sandwich with a cup of soup and/or a small salad.  In this case, the salad was a mix of arugula & tomatoes. After mixing in a small bowl, add 1 Tb olive oil and 1 Tb fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.  That’s it! Toss and place next to the sandwich. A wonderful Spanish wine would serve best. I love Tempranillo, as seen here, but if inclined for a white wine, try white Rioja, a dry sherry or any sparkling wine, such as Cava. Other options: Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais.

Buen Apetito!

Larue

Grilled Cheese, Bacon & Tomatillo Sandwich

Grilled Cheese, Bacon & Tomatillo Sandwich

Serves 4 - 6

Grilled Cheese, Bacon & Tomatillo Sandwich 

I love a great sandwich with a salad and/or soup. It’s a classic homey food and a “best childhood memory meal”. We ate grilled cheese sandwiches, we loved mac-and-cheese, but all I wanted was Kraft. With this long, wet winter, this seems as good a time as any to start making my own because these recipes are keepers. I take issue with the banality of most sandwich recipes.  I will actually change the channel if I see a food program that walks viewers through making a grilled cheese sandwich. I mean, is this how low the bar has dropped for “cooking”? But it’s not the shows that are to blame, it's the sandwiches because they are dull. Some sliced stuff and schmeer between two uninspired slices of bread. Who wants to stay around for that?  Not me, so I bring you not one but two twists on the classic grilled cheese. This week – augmented with my hubby’s favorite food, BACON!, and kicked-up with a tart tomatillo. Watch for the second, Upscale Grilled Ham & Cheese, which will be posted in the near future. For another great sandwich idea, see http://cookingwithlarue.blogspot.com/2012/02/best-sandwicheverblt-fried-egg-and.html.

Tomatillos are considered a staple in Mexican cooking and are members of the nightshade family. It now grows everywhere in the Western Hemisphere. Fruit should be firm and bright green, as the green color and tart flavor are the main culinary contributions of the fruit. Peel the husk by hand and wash them thoroughly in cold water to remove sticky residue from the surface. Fresh tomatillos can be used raw and cooked in recipes.  See previous post for more on tomatillos, “Fried Egg with Squash and Tomatillo” (http://cookingwithlarue.blogspot.com/2012/10/fried-egg-with-squash-and-tomatillo.html) for other uses of tomatillos.

Tomatillos....remove the husk!

• 12 slices (½ inch thick) ciabatta bread
• 2-3 Tb softened butter
• 4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
• 4 tomatillos (6 oz), husks removed, rinsed and cut into ¼ inch thick slices
• 8-12 slices cooked bacon, broken into thirds
• ¼ C cilantro sprigs
• 6 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices, or panela cheese

Spread a side of each bread slice with butter. Turn 6 slices over; top with cheddar cheese, then tomatillo slices, bacon, cilantro sprigs and mozzarella. Top with remaining bread, buttered side up.

Ciabatta bread. You can remove some of the interior to make it less "bready".

What goes into the sandwich....including bacon, nature's most perfect food!

Cook sandwiches in a large nonstick frying pan – working in batches or use two pans – over medium-low heat until golden brown on both sides and the cheese melts, about 8 – 10 minutes total. Or, use a panini grill if you have one. 

Simple, right?  You know it is. So it give a try – great for guests as well as a quick and tasty family meal.

Bon Appetit

Larue

Roasted Potato, Leek and Arugula Soup

Roasted Potato, Leek and Arugula Soup

Serves: 6-8

Roasted Potato, Leek and Arugula Soup

Every year around this time – well into the winter season, but long after we found it charmingly brisk – we get some sort of cold snap. Yes, a cold snap even in sunny Southern California. This year is no different. I was listening to the weather report when they were amused by the fact that it was 40 degrees colder in San Diego on this January day than it was in Chicago! That day, that chilly chilly frosty day, when I walk outside on that first 30-degree day, hear the Chicago weather report, and utter in disbelief, “WHAT THE WHAT?”

Weeks like this require ones own family-friendly elixir comfort food. Its soup – hands down!  Not a thin runny soup but one you can really roll around in your mouth and even gives it a bit of a chew. This soup is hearty and intense and absolutely the best remedy for a brittle, cold winter day – a meal in a bowl that also leaves your home smelling amazing.

• 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & cut into ¾ inch chunks
• 4 C chopped leeks, white & light green parts, cleaned of all dirt (about 4 leeks)
• ¼ C extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 C baby arugula, lightly packed
• ½ C dry white wine, plus extra for serving
• 6-7 C chicken or vegetable stock
• ½ - ¾ C heavy cream
• 8 ounces crème fraiche
• ¼ C freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
• Crispy Shallots, recipe follows, optional garnish

Chopping the leeks

Preheat the oven to 400 degree F. Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40-45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4-5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 C of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits that stick to the pan.

Adding the potatoes

Roasted leeks and potatoes

Now with the arugula

In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor or blender, adding the pan liquid and about 5 C of the chicken or vegetable stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they’re all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1-2 C stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, cream fraiche, 2-3 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and check for seasoning.

When ready to serve, reheat gently and whisk in 2 Tb white wine and ¼ C Parmesan.  Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan and crispy shallots, if using.

Crispy Shallots

• 1½ C olive oil or vegetable oil
• 3 Tb unsalted butter
• 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings

Heat the oil and butter in a pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 220-degree F on a candy thermometer. Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260-degree F. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.

Frying the shallots

Crispy shallots

Try this warm soup for a quick weeknight meal with bread and salad, or dress it up for company with crisp bacon or cheesy croutons. I am serving it here with crispy shallots, which adds a whollop of flavor as well as crunch to your bite.  No matter what you serve with this hearty soup, you and your family will love it and ask for more.

Bon Appetit!

Larue