FLAVORS
Brandon Howard prepares a grilled
cheese sandwich using foie gras, Piper’s
Pyramid goat cheese, dried apricots and
rosemary bread.
tart flavor of the green tomatoes. We also add
a nice slick of flavored aïoli, which elevates
the creaminess and richness of the grilled
cheese. The lemon adds a nice citrusy acid to
cut the salty bite of the bacon.”
comes time to build. “I try to stick with one or
two ingredients only—like avocado, roasted
zucchini, spinach, roasted mushrooms—the
list is endless,” Vafaie says. “I think adding
more ingredients takes it away from being a
grilled cheese and makes it more of a melt.”
was changing the seasonal menu and
wanted to come up with a sandwich that
people craved and would return to enjoy
again. His truffled grilled cheese, which
features fontina, arugula tossed in truffle
oil and oven-roasted tomatoes sandwiched
between sourdough, was the result.
Santos advises other chefs to not shy
away from using a blend of cheeses. “Don’t
be afraid to grate them and add seasoning
and herbs to them,” he says. “We add chile
and cilantro to the cheese and grate it for
our signature grilled cheese slider.”
Howard adds that chefs should always
look for fresh and exciting ingredients and
use them in unexpected combinations.
“Focus on making the most basic menu
offerings personal and unique,” he says.
“I have always loved the ooey-gooey
melting quality of fontina cheese, so that
was an easy choice,” he says. “Peppery
arugula tossed with truffle oil is one of my
favorites to use in the kitchen. I wasn’t sure
if greens on a grilled cheese would work,
but after trying it, the combination fit.”
SANDWICH SUCCESS
A sandwich may sound, smell and look
appealing, but there’s only one way to
know if it’s a success. “A successful
sandwich creates a craving,” says Smith.
“You need a zippy sauce or spread and the
right cheese. Salt and pepper are huge in
achieving the tastiness of the sandwich.”
To make a successful grilled cheese is
simple, says Currid. “Use ingredients that
you like. Splurge once in a while on unusual
cheeses, breads, and even meats. Don’t be
afraid to experiment and have fun.”
Melanie Wolkoff Wachsman is a freelance
writer based in Louisville, Ky., and a former
editor of Chef and Chef Educator Today.
While it’s easy to get excited about
ingredients, consider heavy editing when it
Lastly, Currid thought a grilled cheese wasn’t
complete without tomato. Oven-dried tomatoes
are featured on many items at Cafe ZuZu, so
Currid thought, why not on grilled cheese.
At Stanton Social, New York, executive chef
Chris Santos serves up grilled cheese sliders
made with aged cheddar, house-cured
jalapeño bacon, fried green tomato and
lemon aïoli on sourdough. Deciding on the
combination of ingredients was easy. “Bacon,
while being so assertive in its own right, really
is a sponge for flavor because of the high fat
content,” Santos says. “We often apply cures
to our bacon, be it maple, or mustard, or in this
case, jalapeño. I love how the jalapeño adds
a sharp bite against the creamy nuttiness of
the cheese. That balances perfectly with the
Yield: 4 sandwiches Wisconsin Edelweiss Town Hall Emmentaler and Confit Duck Sandwich
Wisconsin Milk
Marketing Board
Michael Smith, Chef/Owner
Michael Smith, Extra Virgin,
Kansas City, Mo.
8 slices hearth-baked whole-wheat
bread
½ cup dried fig jam
2 cups shredded duck confit
2 cups Wisconsin Edelweiss
Emmentaler cheese, shredded
2 cups watercress or arugula
3 T. softened butter
Method: Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lay
bread slices on work surface; spread
with fig jam. Divide duck confit among
4 slices of bread. Divide cheese evenly
over duck. Add watercress or arugula.
Top with remaining 4 slices bread, fig-jam-side down. Lightly butter each side of
sandwich. Toast in large nonstick skillet.
Place on baking sheet in oven until hot
and gooey. Serve immediately.
