Whenever I'm in Hayes Valley around lunchtime, I'm always tempted to stop by Arlequin for a toasted cheddar, pear and bacon sandwich. The bread is crispy and crunchy, the cheese oozes and the sweetness of the pear is offset by the smoky saltiness of the bacon. Taking that sandwich as inspiration I decided to add mustard to my version. I was sure the warm spices including cinnamon, clove and cayenne in the mustard would really be delicious with the pear but I didn't want the intensity of bacon for this sandwich. After experimenting a bit, the combination I settled on was smoked turkey, white cheddar and pear. Smoked turkey is a good sandwich choice, it adds some heft and lean protein, and is healthier than ham or bacon.
One trick to getting this sandwich is right is to layer the ingredients just so. Start with a mustard slathered slice of bread and top it with cheese. The cheese and the mustard will kind of melt together. Put the smoked turkey in the middle and on the top put the pear. By grilling or toasting the sandwich on both sides in a pan you get a warmed through pear and gooey cheese that holds the turkey firmly in the middle. Make sure the cheese has melted before taking it off the heat. The last key is to let the sandwich sit for a few minutes before slicing, if you can!
Grilled Cheese, Pear and Smoked Turkey Sandwich
Serves 1
Ingredients:
2 slices of sandwich bread, white or wheat
Butter for the bread
Mustard, preferably Dulcet Madras Curry but Dijon is fine too
One half a ripe pear, thinly sliced (enough to cover the bread)
2-3 slices white cheddar cheese
2 thin slices smoked turkey (or use roast turkey if you prefer)
Instructions:
Butter the bread on one side of each slice, and spread mustard on one slice. Layer cheese, turkey and one layer of pear on top of the mustard spread side of bread and top with another slice. Buttered sides of the bread should be facing out. Toast in a frying pan, sandwich press or non-stick grill. If toasting in a pan, place something on top of the sandwich to weigh it down such as baking sheet or a heavy frying pan. Cook until golden brown and cheese melts. Let cool slightly before cutting in half and serving.
Enjoy!
Amy Sherman is a San Francisco–based writer, recipe developer, restaurant reviewer and all around culinary enthusiast. She blogs for Epicurious , Bay Area Bites and Cooking with Amy .