Lisa Hix is the Bay Area News Group's features editor overseeing Mercury News and East Bay Times coverage of restaurants, food and drink, as well as arts and entertainment. Previously, she was the copy chief at the San Francisco Standard and the arts and culture editor at Bay City News Foundation’s Local News Matters.
A roasted red pepper grilled cheese sandwich cooks in a pan at the Winters, Calif., home of food writer Georgeanne Brennan. Standing at the kitchen counter, I buttered two slices of white bread and put a slice or two of American cheese between them.
Next, I buttered the top and put the sandwich, buttered-side down, in a hot frying pan, as I had watched my mother do. When the bottom was toasty golden , I buttered the top side and flipped the sandwich, pressing down on it with the back of the spatula, squashing the melting cheese into the bread. A few minutes later, it was ready. That was a while ago, but the memory of those childhood cheese sandwiches, served right out of the pan, eaten alongside my favorite bread and butter pickles, sometimes potato chips or even potato salad, is firmly imprinted in my mind. Those sandwiches were easy to make and tasted comforting, and we always seemed to have bread, butter, and cheese on hand. I could make a grilled cheese sandwich whenever I felt I needed one. Adding roasted red peppers and Dijon mustard to a standard cheddar and sourdough gives the sandwich a more complex flavor profile. The grilled cheese sandwiches I make today are more varied, but the principals remain the same. There are so many different breads, spreads and cheeses readily available now that combinations are limited only by imagination and taste preferences. Sometimes, I want the simplicity of only bread, butter and cheese, but other times, I want more intense flavors, like blue cheese and fig jam, or cheddar with roasted red pepper and a dash of spicy mustard. Along the way, I’ve discovered a few things that help to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich, regardless of style:Freshly grated cheese melts better than pre-packaged grated cheeseStaying patient, keeping the heat on medium to medium-low minimizes the chance of the bread being done before the cheese has melted.Use cheeses that melt well. If you choose a cheese with rind, consider trimming the rind before using the cheese for a more even, gooey melt.After a roasted red pepper grilled cheese sandwich is placed in the pan, a final layer of mayonnaise is spread on the top. Additions are optional and make for a more substantial sandwich. These are best used sparingly, in a single layer, so they combine with the cheese and don’t overwhelm it.Cookbook author Georgeanne Brennan slices homemade rye bread as she prepares to make a grilled cheese sandwich. There are many bread options, and most will make a good grilled cheese sandwich. Thinner, rather than thicker, slices allow you to experience the maximum flavor of all the ingredients.White cheddar with bacon on ciabattaMedium Cheddar and Roasted Red Pepper on Sourdough This grilled cheese sandwich recipe doesn't use butter: Mayo and Dijon mustard are spread inside the sandwich, and mayo is used on the outside. This sandwich delivers complex flavors with the addition of spicy Dijon mustard, which matches the robust, slightly charred taste of the roasted red pepper. Medium cheddar stands up well to these big flavors, but sharp cheddar is a good choice as well.Georgeanne Brennan spreads mayonnaise and Dijon mustard onto slices of sourdough bread for a grilled cheese sandwich. Spread one side of each slice of the bread, edge to edge, with mayonnaise. Do the same with mustard. Scatter half the cheese evenly across one slice of the bread and cover with the roasted pepper. Scatter the remaining cheese evenly over the pepper and top with the other slice of bread, spread side inward. Spread the top, from edge to edge, with mayonnaise. Over medium-high heat, heat a frying pan large enough to hold the sandwich. When the pan is hot, place the sandwich, spread side down, in the frying pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Spread the upper side of the sandwich, edge to edge, with mayonnaise When the bottom side of the sandwich is golden, about 4 minutes, turn and cook, pressing gently with the back of a spatula, until the second side is golden and the cheese has melted, another 4 minutes.Making a croque monsieur takes the humble grilled cheese to another level by covering it in béchamel sauce and broiling it. Only the French could come up with a grilled ham and cheese sandwich that becomes ethereal when napped with béchamel sauce and broiled. This is a rich sandwich that makes a perfect lunch dish or a light evening meal when served alongside a tossed green salad dressed with vinaigrette.Georgeanne Brennan applies freshly shredded cheese to a slice of bread in the process of making a grilled cheese sandwich. To make the sauce, in a small pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. When it foams, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the flour to make a paste. Slowly pour in a little of the milk, whisking vigorously to ensure there are no lumps. Add the rest of the milk and return the pan to the heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the salt and cayenne, and continue to cook, whisking, until thickened, about 10 minutes. If it gets too thick, add a little more milk. Set aside. Brush all 4 slices of the bread, edge to edge, with the melted butter. Place 2 slices of ham on 2 of the slices and scatter each evenly with half the cheese. Cover with the remaining 2 slices, buttered side inward, to make 2 sandwiches. Brush the tops from edge to edge with melted butter. Over medium-high heat, warm a frying pan large enough to hold both sandwiches. When it is hot, place the sandwiches, buttered sides down, in the frying pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Brush the upper sides of the sandwich with the remaining melted butter. When the bottom sides of the sandwiches are golden, about 4 minutes, turn and cook, pressing gently with the back of a spatula, until the second side is golden and the cheese melted, another 4 minutes. Remove the sandwiches to a baking sheet and spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the sauce over each. It should cover the tops and drip down the sides.Fontina, a tangy Italian cheese, makes a friendly pairing with rye bread, creating a sort of minimalist Reuben sandwich. If you want to go full Reuben, add slices of corned beef and a little Thousand Island dressing.Brush both slices of the bread edge to edge with the melted butter. Scatter half the cheese evenly across one slice of the bread. Evenly spread the sauerkraut over the cheese. Scatter the remaining cheese evenly over the sauerkraut and top with the other slice of bread, buttered side inward. Brush the top with melted butter. Over medium-high heat, warm a frying pan large enough to hold the sandwich. When it is hot, place the sandwich, buttered side down, in the frying pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Brush the upper side of the sandwich with the remaining melted butter. When the bottom side of the sandwich is golden, about 4 minutes, turn and cook, gently pressing with the back of a spatula until the second side is golden and the cheese melted, another 4 minutes.This Sacramento suburb is booming. Here's what you don't want to missEnvironmental group signs deal to buy Golden Gate Fields horse track with plans to create huge new East Bay waterfront park Environmental group signs deal to buy Golden Gate Fields horse track with plans to create huge new East Bay waterfront parkSwalwell accuses President Donald Trump, Kash Patel of trying to influence California governor's raceNewsom issues 'final warning' to cities over housing law violations — only one is in the Bay Area
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