Pimento cheese spread, red-pepper sourdough bread and veggies take the grilled cheese from Gulf Coast Sourdough from good to epic! Christina Cann shares her recipe and pro tips.

Epic Grilled Cheese

2 slices good quality bread

Several slices of a variety of cheeses — I like a mix of cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, and havarti

3 Tbsp pimento cheese spread

Handful of arugula or spinach

1-2 slices of tomato

1-2 slices of red onion

Olive oil or butter

Coarse sea salt

1. Turn on your sandwich press or heat a small skillet on medium. Toast your bread in a toaster for two minutes.

2. Remove bread from toaster and spread pimento cheese on one slice. Top with a slice of cheddar, if using. 

3. Add arugula, tomato, and onion.

4. Add remaining slices of cheese then top with second slice of bread.

5. Add olive oil or butter to sandwich press or skillet, enough to cover. Wait 30-60 seconds for it to warm up, then sprinkle with a dash of coarse sea salt.

6. Put sandwich in press or skillet, with the slice with pimento on the bottom. If you are using a sandwich press, brush olive oil or melted butter on the exposed slice of bread, sprinkle with coarse sea salt, and close the press. If you are using a skillet, brush olive oil or melted butter on the exposed slice of bread, sprinkle with coarse sea salt, and either add a steak weight for pressure or press down with a spatula.

7. If using a skillet, after 2-3 minutes, carefully flip the sandwich and add the steak weight or spatula pressure. If using a sandwich press, carefully open the press and flip sandwich if necessary.

8. When bread is toasted well on both sides, remove from cooktop, slice in half diagonally, and enjoy!

Tips:

– Good bread is critical! Using the best bread available enhances the entire flavor of a sandwich and provides great structure to hold your grilled cheese together.

– Experiment with using multiple types of cheese. Cheddar has great flavor but can be overly greasy if you use too much. Mozzarella melts wonderfully but has a very mild flavor that can easily get lost. Use a little bit of several varieties for great taste and meltiness!

– Investing in a sandwich press is great for making multiple grilled cheeses at a time. If you’re working with a skillet and need to keep sandwiches warm while making multiple batches, put a parchment paper-lined sheet pan in the oven and set it to 200F. As sandwiches are done, keep them warm in the oven until you are ready to serve.