grilled cheese

April – Grilled Cheese with Prosciutto and Kale
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April – Grilled Cheese with Prosciutto and Kale

My garden is overflowing with kale, and unfortunately, it is not my favorite green. I know it’s good for me, full of antioxidants and other vitamins, but I have a hard time getting around to cooking it. Enter some great ideas from two books, An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler and Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Norsrat. Ms. Adler modeled her book after one of my favorite food essayists, M.F.K. Fisher. Her classic collection of essays, How to Cook a Wolf, was written amid the hardships of W.W. II and is about cooking well in spite of lack. The New York Times described it as “spiritually restorative”. Ms. Adlers book is about eating affordably, responsibly, and well. There are recipes but it also contains many ideas to think about in light of our current global situation. I recommend all three of the books, they are essential parts of my library..

Sorry, I didn’t mean to get off on a tangent and turn this into a book review.

So, on to grilled cheese…

Ms. Adler recommends pre-cooking or preparing the greens as soon as you get them into your kitchen from the market or your garden. That way they are ready to finish quickly. Blanching also removes most of the bitterness from kale. So, I took her advice using the blanching instructions by Ms. Norsat. What a fabulous idea! The greens are ready to saute or add to a soup or other dish. A bonus is how much less space they take up in the fridge. You will see her simple instructions below.

Enter Friday night and the complete loss of ambition. Do you ever get like that? I couldn’t think of a single thing I really wanted to cook, and I write a food blog. With no energy to make a quick trip to the market, my husband suggested “Why don’t we just make grilled cheese?” It was a request to make me smile. Grilled cheese is one of my favorites, and not an everyday meal. It’s a special treat because we have cut down on both gluten and dairy, we don’t have either very frequently. This simple Friday night dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches became a special occasion. It was time to take a quick assessment of what was in the fridge and pantry. Earlier that afternoon we had picked up a loaf of wonderful seeded whole wheat bread from Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino. That already blanched kale added another layer of deliciousness and health. Rounding out my ingredient list was a package of thinly sliced prosciutto I found in the cheese drawer (kale pairs especially well with cured meats according to the The Flavor Bible), and a sharp white cheddar from the UK. It melted beautifully.

The combo elevated grilled cheese to a gourmet treat.

Seed Bread

Just look at that melty cheese!

Grilled Cheese with Kale

I used a panini press but a heavy skillet would work just as well.

To prepare your greens:

  • Wash them if they have just come in from the garden or farmer’s market.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it liberally. Put a half sheet pan or baking dish next to the pot and line it with parchment paper.
  • Drop the trimmed greens (strip off any tough stems) into the pot and bring it back to the boil.
  • Cook until tender, my variety of kale only needed a couple of minutes. Chard may take up to 3 while collards could take as much as 15. Taste a sample to determine when they are tender.
  • Using a sieve or spider to to pull the greens from the pot and spread them on your baking pan to cool.
  • Once cool, squeeze out any excess water using your hands or a dishtowel.
  • Chop them coarsely and store in the fridge until ready to use.

To prepare the sandwiches…

Ingrediens for 2:

  • 4 slices of sturdy bread
  • 4 thin slices of prosciutto or other deli meat
  • 4 generous slices of a good sharp melting cheese
  • about 1/3 cup of precooked kale per sandwich
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • butter or oil if frying in a pan

Method:

  1. Lay out two slices of bread, cover each with a layer of kale (sprinkled with a pinch of red pepper flakes), then prosciutto, then cheese. Cover with the second slice of bread.
  2. Grill or fry until the bread is crisp and cheese is melted.

Sliced sturdy bread

The seeds were deliciously crunchy and flavorful. A green salad rounded out the meal.

Grilled cheese and salad

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. This sandwich would also make a fabulous Saturday lunch, put an egg on it and it could be brunch.

I going to take this idea to the folks at Fiesta Friday, it’s Fiesta Friday #271, hosted by Angie. The co-host this week is Ai @ Ai Made It For You

Come enjoy the posts on food, crafts and gardening.

September in the Kitchen – Carrot Habanero Sauce
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September in the Kitchen – Carrot Habanero Sauce

‘Tis the season for peppers…sweet peppers, hot peppers, small peppers, large ones, and all colors…green, red, yellow, purple and orange.

Sweet peppers

Sweet peppers

But the season is short, much too short here in Northern California. This bright orange hot sauce using habaneros will bring back the taste (and heat) of summer on a dull winter day. What’s the best part? You can save a bit of summer in a jar and it is easy to make even for a beginner.

Habaneros

Habaneros

Use the sauce on grilled cheese sandwiches, tacos, or scrambled eggs…anywhere you need a touch of spicy heat. The carrots add sweetness and a lovely orange color. Plus it’s a wonderful hostess or Christmas gift.

I recommend using small (4-ounce) jars. This sauce is potent and a little goes a long way. If you prefer less heat, use more Serrano chilies or jalapeños and less habaneros. The habaneros are one of the hottest of the chilies.

Use a hot water canner if you have one, or a large pot if you don’t. Please refer to a good book on canning for more detailed instructions if you are not familiar with the basic techniques.

Carrot Habanero Sauce

  • 1 1/2 pounds of carrots (orange), peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds. A food processor will make short work of this.

    Carrots

    Carrots

  • 1 large white onion
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons of kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
  • 4 habanero peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 2 jalapeño peppers (red if you can find them), seeded and chopped
  • 5 cups white vinegar
  • Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
  1. Combine the carrots, onion, water, lemon juice, salt, garlic and ginger in a medium non-reactive pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer until the carrots are very soft. This could take 30 minutes. If the mixture seems dry, add a tablespoon or two of water.
  2. Once the carrots are soft, add the peppers and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, lime juice and zest.
  3. Either blend the mixture with an immersion blender or transfer in batches to a standing blender or food processor. (I prefer the smoother texture you get with a blender, you might like more texture.) Blend until smooth.
  4. Optional (I don’t do this as I prefer the color and texture of the unstrained sauce. Your yield will also be higher): Strain the sauce through a strainer, using a rubber spatula to press the liquid through. Discard any chunky bits.
  5. Pour into a large container and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors blend.
  6. The following day, blend the sauce again. Return it to the pot and bring it to a simmer, cook for about 25-30 minutes until it is thick and glossy.
  7. Ladle the sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Check for air bubbles, wipe the rim, and seal. Process for 10 minutes.

This recipe makes approximately 6 pints of sauce. I use 4 oz. jars, so you will have plenty for both your own use and gift giving.

Carrot Habanero Sauce

Carrot Habanero Sauce

Recipe adapted from Tart and Sweet by Kelly Geary and Jessie Knadler.

And what is my personal favorite way to use it? Grilled cheese with a sharp Canadian white cheddar. I was recently in Seattle where grilled cheese is big business, here you see a food truck parked in from of Tesla. “Gourmet Grilled Cheese”… I think this could hang in there with their offerings.

Grilled Cheese is Big Business

Grilled Cheese is Big Business

Grilled cheese on Focaccia with Carrot Habanero

Grilled cheese on Focaccia with Carrot Habanero

November in the kitchen – Cream of Tomato Soup with Crispy Grilled Cheese Croutons
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November in the kitchen – Cream of Tomato Soup with Crispy Grilled Cheese Croutons

Do you have a favorite comfort food? Maybe a food that you crave when things feel a bit overwhelming? Or, when you are under the weather, not actually sick, just not feeling quite right? Mine is tomato soup and grilled cheese. I take a warm mug to bed and watch reruns of “The Good Wife”. The next day, my world is much improved.

This is the best cream of tomato soup I have ever tasted, bar none! The grilled cheese croutons are a great additon (but it doesn’t need much). The croutons are crisp on the outside, but become soft and cheesy on the inside as they soak up the soup. It’s the perfect combination of textures and flavors. What can beat tomatoes and cheese? You could also make grilled cheese sandwiches and simply dunk them in the soup. All excellent!

Originally the recipe was adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook. It came to me from the archives of the blog Smitten Kitchen. It would be difficult to improve on it.

Cream of Tomato Soup

  • 2 – 28 oz. cans of whole Roma tomatoes packed in juice
  • 1 ½ tablespoon of dark brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons of melted butter
  • 4 large shallots, minced (about ½ cup)
  • 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
  • 1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice
  • 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¾ cups of chicken or vegetable stock
  • ½ cup of heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons of brandy
  • Salt and cayenne pepper as needed
  1. Adjust your oven rack to the upper-middle position and pre-heat to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
  2. Place a strainer over a large bowl. Open the cans of tomatoes and, using your hands, gently squeeze each tomato open over the strainer. You want to remove the seeds without crushing the tomato. Lay each tomato on the foil lined baking sheet.
  3. Pour the rest of the juice into the strainer and push the juices through. Clean the bottom of the strainer into the bowl. You should have just the seeds left inside the strainer.
  4. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the brown sugar and bake until the liquid has evaporated. It took about 30 minutes in my oven. You are concentrating the flavor of the tomatoes.
  5. When finished, remove from the oven and let cool.
  6. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the shallots, tomato paste, and allspice. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the shallots are soft. Stir it occasionally; it will take about 10 minutes.
  7. Add the flour and stir well to mix with the contents of the skillet. To cook the flour and remove the raw taste, stir for 30 seconds to a minute. You don’t want the flour to burn.
  8. Add the chicken or vegetable stock gradually, whisking or stirring constantly.
  9. Stir in the tomato juice and roast tomatoes.
  10. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
  11. At this point you can either blend it smooth (be careful to vent the top and fill your blender only half full) or use an immersion blender directly in the pot.
  12. When smooth, add the cream, reheat for a minute, and then add the brandy.

Taste for salt and a bit of spice, I didn’t think it needed any.

Crispy Grilled Cheese

Crispy Grilled Cheese

Crispy Grilled Cheese Croutons

  • 4 slices of sandwich bread, crusts removed
  • 1 ¼ cup of grated cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
  2. Butter one side of each slice of bread.
  3. Brush the hot skillet with any remaining butter.
  4. Sprinkle two small piles of cheese directly on to the skillet, about 2 tablespoons. Spread them to the approximate size of your bread. Place a slice of bread (buttered side down) on top of each pile.
  5. Put about ½ cup of cheese on top of each slice in the pan, cover with the second slice of bread (buttered side up).
  6. Brown the first side, and then remove the bread to a plate.
  7. Sprinkle another 2 tablespoons of cheese into two piles in the skillet.
  8. Carefully slide the bread, other side down, on top of the cheese and brown the second side. The cheese in the middle should have started to melt.
  9. Remove the bread to the plate and cool slightly.
  10. When cool, cut into cubes.
  11. Top the hot soup with the croutons; or eat the crisp grilled sandwiches as they are, dipping them into the soup.
Cream of Tomato Soup with Crispy Grilled Cheese Croutons

Cream of Tomato Soup with Crispy Grilled Cheese Croutons

Crispy Grilled Cheese Croutons

Crispy Grilled Cheese Croutons

Cream of tomato soup with grilled cheese

Ready for “The Good Wife”

What is your favorite comfort food?

I’m taking this to Fiesta Friday #43 to party with Angie and friends from the Novice Gardener. This time of year we are all in need of a little comfort.

Fiesta Friday