Foodie Friday
Messy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Best rainy day meal! Hot Roasted Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese… now I’m hungry!
Ingredients:
- 6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room
temperature
- 6 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 12 slices country-style bread, each 3/4 inch
thick
- 1 lb. aged cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
Directions:
Preheat an electric panini press according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
In a small bowl, stir together the butter and parsley. Spread one side of each bread slice with the parsley butter. Lay 6 slices, buttered side down, on a clean work surface and top with the cheese, dividing evenly. Top each with one of the remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
Working in batches, place the sandwiches on the preheated panini press, cover and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes.
Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.
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Roasted Tomato Soup
Roasting intensifies the sweetness of the tomatoes, caramelizing the sugars and producing a rich-tasting soup with wonderful depth of flavor. Bread is added to help thicken the soup and give it more body.
If desired, garnish the soup with a blend of mascarpone and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses, or simply sprinkle with chopped thyme leaves. Our Messy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches or our Prosciutto Cheese Panini (see related recipes at left) are a wonderful accompaniment to this soup.
Ingredients:
- 3 lb. plum tomatoes, cored and halved
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 garlic cloves
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 5 Tbs. olive oil
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (optional)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese (optional)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 4 slices country-style bread, toasted
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 275°F.
Arrange the tomato halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Scatter the thyme sprigs and garlic on top of the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 3 Tbs. of the olive oil. Roast until the tomatoes have dried slightly and some of the skins have burst, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, stir together the mascarpone and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Pass the roasted tomatoes through a tomato press according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 Tbs. oil. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the pureed tomatoes, stock and bread and simmer for 5 minutes.
Using a stick blender or blender, puree the soup and season with salt and pepper. Divide the soup among 6 warmed soup bowls and top each with a dollop of the cheese mixture. Serves 6.
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.
