Henley - The grilled cheese sandwich: 60 unbrielievably delicious recipes

Contents

ABOUT THE BOOK

The ultimate crispy, cheap, comfort-food classic that youll come back to time and time again

With 60 of the gooiest and most mouthwatering recipes, from quirky twists on classics like the Grilled Cheese Club Sandwich to sweet treats such as the Banoffee Toastie, youll find a sandwich to satisfy every craving.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After taking evening courses at Leiths School of Food and Wine whilst working in interior design, Sian Henley realised that working with food was what she really wanted to do. Soon after she completed a year long Leiths diploma and has since worked for editorial clients including Waitrose Kitchen, the Guardian, Jamies Magazine and Octopus Publishing as well as advertising clients such as Avon.

RECIPE LIST

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

This is a hearty start to the morning, full of good things. It is probably best saved for a weekend brunch when you have a little extra time to cook and digest.

SERVES
PREP TIME 10 mins
COOK TIME 45 mins

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons olive oil

50g bacon lardons/cubed pancetta

1 tablespoon butter

2 slices brioche

1 tablespoon tomato chutney

5 slices goats cheese

avocado, sliced

1 egg

Handful of rocket

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)

Hot sauce

Place a large frying pan over a medium heat, add 1 teaspoon of the oil and fry the bacon lardons or pancetta until crisp and golden, then remove and set aside on kitchen paper to drain.

Meanwhile, butter both slices of brioche, using just enough to create a thin layer, then turn the slices over. Spread one slice with the tomato chutney and top with the goats cheese, lardons or pancetta and avocado. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Wipe the frying pan out with kitchen paper and place over a low heat. Carefully add the loaded slice of bread and the other slice next to it, butter side down. Fry for about 45 minutes until golden brown and crisp.

Meanwhile, add the remaining oil to a separate pan and fry the egg to your liking, seasoning to taste.

Carefully remove your open sandwich from the pan, top the loaded slice with the fried egg and rocket, place the other slice of bread on top and enjoy with a splash of hot sauce, if you fancy it.

California Dreaming

MANCHEGO OVERBOARD

Inspired by a Mexican quesadilla, this is a spicy kick-start to the morning. If you have any guacamole you could dip your toasted sandwich in it.

SERVES
PREP TIME 5 mins
COOK TIME 1012 mins

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons drained and rinsed tinned black beans

2 tablespoons drained and rinsed tinned sweetcorn

avocado, diced

Small handful of coriander, chopped

3 heaped tablespoons grated Manchego

2 heaped tablespoons grated Monterey Jack

2 pickled jalapeo slices, drained and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon butter

2 slices sourdough

1 tablespoons salsa

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix the black beans, sweetcorn, avocado, coriander, cheese and jalapeo in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Butter both slices of bread, then turn them over. Top one slice with the black bean and cheese mixture, spoon over the salsa and place the other slice of bread on top, butter side up.

Heat a large frying pan over a medium-low heat, add the sandwich to the pan and fry for 56 minutes each side, until its a deep golden brown. Use a spatula to press down on the sandwich every now and then, to ensure the bread has good contact with the pan. Dont worry if some of the filling melts out in to the pan it will be all crispy and taste delicious.

YOU DONT KNOW JACK

You cant go wrong with sausage and egg in the morning, and this sandwich uses chorizo to speed things up a little.

SERVES
PREP TIME 5 mins
COOK TIME 56 mins

INGREDIENTS

12 cm/5 inch length of ciabatta

6 slices chorizo

1 teaspoon butter

2 eggs

4 heaped tablespoons grated Monterey Jack

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Slice the ciabatta in half horizontally and top the bottom half with the chorizo; set aside. Heat a sandwich press.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over a low heat. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a small bowl, whisk with a fork to break up and season with salt and pepper. Once the butter is foaming, add the eggs. Allow a layer to firm up on the bottom before gently stirring with a wooden spoon until the egg is almost all set, then spoon it on top of the chorizo.

Sprinkle the cheese over the eggs, place the second piece of ciabatta on top and toast in the sandwich press for 56 minutes until the cheese has melted.

B.M.T.

This is an Italian take on the classic B.L.T. You could use shop-bought or homemade pesto whatever you have to hand.

SERVES
PREP TIME 10 mins
COOK TIME 57 mins

INGREDIENTS

ball of mozzarella, sliced

3 rashers bacon

12 cm/5 inch length of ciabatta

12 tablespoons pesto

1 tomato, sliced

Handful of rocket

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the sliced mozzarella on some kitchen paper to absorb excess moisture while you get on with preparing the rest of your sandwich.

Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the bacon and fry for about 6 minutes until crisp on both sides, then place on a clean piece of kitchen paper to drain.

Heat a sandwich press. Cut the ciabatta in half horizontally and spread both cut sides with pesto. Add the mozzarella, bacon, sliced tomato and some salt and pepper to the bottom half of ciabatta, add the rocket and put the other ciabatta half on top.

Toast in the sandwich press for 57 minutes until the cheese is gooey and the bread is crisp.

B.M.T.

PAN CON TOMATE

In Spain this very well known dish I have based this sandwich on is made by rubbing garlic and tomato on grilled, olive-oil-saturated bread. You could swap the serrano ham for prosciutto or any other cured ham you have.

SERVES
PREP TIME 10 mins
COOK TIME 10 mins

INGREDIENTS

2 slices sourdough

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, cut in half

1 large tomato, cut in half

30 g/1 oz piece of Parmesan

4 slices serrano ham

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put a frying pan over a medium heat. Brush both slices of bread on one side with half the olive oil and place, oiled side down, in the frying pan for 34 minutes until nicely coloured on the underside. Weighing them down with something heavy, such as another pan, will help them toast evenly.

Remove from the pan and rub the toasted sides with a half garlic clove and then half a tomato each, making sure you really squash the tomato in. Season with salt and pepper.

Using a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan into thin strips. Add the ham and Parmesan shavings to one slice of toasted bread, garlic- and tomato-rubbed side up, and top with the other slice, toasted and rubbed side facing down. Brush each side with the remaining olive oil and return to the frying pan for 34 minutes each side, applying pressure with your spatula to ensure an even colour.