A grilled cheese sandwich is as American as American gets. But other countries have their favorite form of cheese sandwich. The Swiss have the tradition of eating melted Raclette cheese spread on toasted bread.
The French have the cafe favorite, the Croque-monsieur, a hot ham and
cheese sandwich. The English have Welsh rarebit, which features slices
of toast doused in a savory cheese sauce. And of course, the Americans
have processed cheese product melted between two pieces of cardboard
white bread. It's what most kids grow up on, even me. But I think it's
time for a more mature grilled cheese sandwich.
My version puts a twist on an English classic, the Ploughman's lunch.
It's a sandwich I enjoyed countless times through my travels in
England. The lunch is typically made of country bread, cheese, pickle
or gherkin, and apple, pickled onions, or beets. Supposedly the lunch
was popularized by the cheese board to market British cheeses. It's not
unlike all the marketing that goes into selling a popular brand of
American cheese. Nowadays, sandwich shops in England have a special
Ploughman's sandwich, which includes bread spread with pickle and
layered with Cheddar cheese and apple slices. I take that sandwich and
grill it to create the ultimate gourmet grilled cheese sandwich.
The ingredient that really makes the sandwich is the pickle, which is
what the English term relish. Branston makes the famous English pickle,
which includes rutabaga, carrot, onion, cauliflower, and gherkin, all
pickled in a vinegary and spicy sauce. It hits all the savory and sweet
receptors in your mouth. However, the most important ingredient is
cheese, in this case a very good English Cheddar. As a rule I always
buy English or Wisconsin cheddar and never processed cheese. The apple
slices add a slight sweetness and crunch to the sandwich. It's perfect
for lunch or just a snack and it's easy enough to make in the frying
pan or the toaster oven.
Ploughman's Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Note: Find Branston pickle in the international aisle of the
supermarket, specialty British shops, or online. To make the chunky
relish more spreadable, chop finely in the food processor.
2 slices whole-wheat bread
4 slices English Cheddar
1 tablespoon Branston pickle
1/2 apple, thinly sliced
Warm a skillet set over medium heat. Lay bread slices in pan and toast
on both sides. Spread each slice of bread with 1-1/2 teaspoons pickle.
Lay 2 cheese slices on each bread slice. Layer one slice of bread with
apple slices and top with other slice of bread. Grill sandwich until
cheese is melted and bread is golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes per
side.
Yield: 1 sandwich.
Joseph Erdos is a New York–based writer and editor, but above all a gastronomer and oenophile. He shares his passion for food on his blog, Gastronomer's Guide , which features unique recipes and restaurant reviews among many other musings on the all-encompassing topic of food.