Receta Roasted Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Harissa Mayonnaise
Another way to use those Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes I made last week!
Most days, I eat reasonably healthy; but some days, you know, I just don’t want to. It may be the mood I’m in; other times it’s all about the weather, making me crave something gooey and soft, full of flavors and textures from my childhood. Yesterday we had a drizzle that lasted all day. I tucked myself under our big table umbrella on the patio for this grilled cheese lunch, and listened to raindrops softly kiss the Japanese maple leaves around me, and watched luscious yellow roses droop and then explode into large, soft petals that drifted to the patio. It was so peaceful, and slightly cool, making this melty sandwich the perfect counterbalance to the day.
A Few Cooking Notes:
Use your favorite cheese, but I recommend two cheeses for same reason I always use two different kinds of apples when I make apple pies. Two different cheeses offer different melting characteristics, and a greater depth of flavor. I find this particularly important on this sandwich as the roasting of the tomatoes really amps up the tomato in the sandwich, and needs balanced.
If you don’t like things too spicy, adjust the harissa content in the mayonnaise down, or just use mayonnaise. Another option is my Avocado Cream. I’ve used it on this sandwich with great success. If you like things a little spicier, you can add more harissa (obviously), or add chipotle peppers in adobo to the mayo instead of the harissa.
You can purchase harissa in the condiments section of many grocery stores, or the International section. Or, you can just make your own.
The amount of cheese is somewhat approximate, since it largely depends on the size of the bread you’re using. Rule of thumb with this sandwich is to ensure good coverage of the bread, and the same thickness grated as three slices of traditional American cheese. Otherwise, the roasted tomatoes will overwhelm the flavor of the cheese.
Cooking for the Omnivores at the Table:
Add two slices of crispy bacon per sandwich. To. Die. For. per the resolute omnivore in my home.
by Susan Pridmore
Makes 2 sandwiches
Prep Time: 5 minutes (if tomatoes are already roasted)
Cook Time: 10 minutes
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons harissa
- 4 slices whole grain bread
- 2/3 cup grated your favorite cheese (I used a combination of cheddar and fontina)
- 4 roasted tomato halves thickly sliced
- 2 slices of bacon (for the omnivore’s sandwich)
- butter
Stir together the mayonnaise and harissa. Spread onto the bread.
Pile the grated cheese onto two of the slices of bread, and add the sliced tomatoes. Add the bacon for the omnivore’s sandwich, and top with the remaining two bread slices.
Melt a little butter in a heated skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the skillet and loosely cover. Cook for five minutes. Flip, using a spatula, loosely cover, and cook for another five minutes.
Remove and slice in half.
I served mine with a large green salad with avocado slices, dressed with oil, vinegar and mustard.
Enjoy!
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