Grilled Cheese with Apple and Bacon
Like classic grilled cheese, dunk this super-flavorful sandwich in a bowl of roasted tomato soup.
Dovetailing Tip: While cooking bacon for todays sandwiches, cook an additional 12 oz plus 4 slices to be used day 5 in both the Breakfast Pizza and the Bacon Cheddar Scones. Also reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease to be used in the scones as well.
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Ingredients:
| 8 slices | country white bread |
| 4 slices | Cheddar cheese |
| 12 slices | cooked bacon |
| 2 | granny Smith apples sliced |
| butter for taosting bread | |
| Dijon style mustard to spread on bread | |
| Soup | |
| 2 1/2 pounds | assorted tomatoes (heirloom, vine and plum) |
| 1/2 cup | cherry tomato, for garnish (optional) |
| 1/2 cup | extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling |
| 6 cloves | garlic |
| 2 | small onions, sliced |
| kosher salt and freshly ground pepper | |
| 1 quart | chicken stock |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 4 tablespoons | unsalted butter |
| 1/2 cup | chopped fresh basil |
| 3/4 cup | heavy cream |
Directions:
Spread dijon mustard on 4 slices country white bread. Top with sliced cheddar cheese, cooked bacon and sliced Granny Smith apple, then top with 4 more slices bread. Butter the sandwiches, then cook in a skillet over medium-low heat until the cheese melts and the bread is golden, about 3 minutes per side.
Serve with Roasted Tomato Soup, recipe follows.
Roasted Tomato Soup:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Core and halve the tomatoes (leave the cherry tomatoes whole). Heat a flameproof roasting pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle with the 1/2 cup olive oil, then spread all of the tomatoes, the garlic and onions in the pan. Cook, stirring gently, until the garlic is browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the tomatoes are caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove the roasted tomatoes, garlic and onions from the oven and transfer to a large stockpot (set aside the cherry tomatoes for garnish). Add 3 cups chicken stock, the bay leaves and butter. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid is reduced by one-third, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
Add the basil to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth (or puree in a regular blender and return to the pot). Reduce the heat to low, add the heavy cream and adjust the consistency with the remaining 1 cup chicken stock, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and top with the roasted cherry tomatoes; drizzle with olive oil.
Photograph by Ryan Liebe
Source: foodnetwork.com
