Comfort food is trendy, and restaurants with fancy prices are always trying to come up with exotic versions so they charge a lot for them. Here is a gourmet version of the grill cheese sandwich.

Serves: 4

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
8 sandwich-size slices pain au levain (or use sourdough bread)
4 ounces Fromage blanc cream cheese (you can substitute Greek yogurt)
4 ounces Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated (or use Comté or Swiss)
4 ounces cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
4 ounces Havarti cheese, coarsely grated


To assemble:
Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place 4 slices, buttered side down, on your work surface.

Spread the fromage blanc on each slice. Layer with the Gruyère, cheddar, and Havarti cheeses. You may need to use your hand to compress the cheese.

Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered side up.

Cooking for stovetop method:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Put the sandwiches into the pan, cover, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown.

Turn the sandwiches, pressing each one firmly with a spatula to flatten slightly.

Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the undersides are well browned.

Remove the cover, turn the sandwiches once more, and press firmly with the spatula once again.

Cook for 1 minute, or until the cheese has melted completely. (You may need to peek inside to make sure.) |

Remove from the pan and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut in half and serve.

For sandwich maker method:
Preheat the sandwich maker. Follow directions for assembly above.

Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Here is how my mother made a grilled cheese sandwich:

Take your two pieces of bread (hers was homemade) and spread Crisco on both sides of each piece. Brown one side of each in a hot cast iron skillet. Turn over one and put sliced American cheese on the browned side. Place the other piece of bread on top with the browed side touching the cheese. Flip the sandwich and brown the other side.

When I worked in a restaurant in college I discovered another method:

Take two pieces of Wonder Bread and put American cheese between them. Use a large brush to paint buttery oil on the outsides of the sandwich and brown on a hot grill using a weight to press down and ensure even browning.

One of the Las Vegas buffets used to have one of those conveyor toasters and it would spew out toasted (not grilled) cheese sandwiches. The locals lined up for them. Then they took out the machine so here is how I make them at home.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and put a baking sheet in it to preheat. Meanwhile take your bread and assemble cheese sandwiches. I never use American cheese, so some nice sliced Cheddar or Swiss is the thing. Brush the outsides of the sandwiches with melted butter. Pull the heated pan out of that hot oven and put your sandwiches on it. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake until browned. At some point flip them so they brown evenly.

Most of the time I just make 'dry' grilled cheese sandwiches:

Take your healthy whole grain bread and put it on a hot grill or frying pan until browed. When the first side of each piece of bread is browned, flip the bread and put the cheese on that warm side. Assemble the sandwich and brown both outsides over medium low heat so the cheese gets warmed up before the outside gets too dark. No, this isn't the yummiest thing you ever ate, but if you serve it with tomato soup you can dunk it and that helps.