In this installment
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Recipe
Moroccan Spiced Tomato Soup
Sourdough Bread
L’amuse Pril Young Gouda Cheese
Peanut Brittle
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Recipe
Wherever you are at the moment I hope it’s overcast, a little windy, and it chills you to the bone because THAT’S when grilled cheese and tomato soup shines so bright. If it’s nice out, draw the shades and turn up the AC till you need a sweater. Trust me: it will complete the experience.
Most of us have made grilled cheese and heated up soup on the stove before. If you have a method you like to employ, go for it! Here’s how we do it:
- Place the naked bread loaf into a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
- Take the loaf out of the oven. Careful—it’s hot! Grip the “twice baked” loaf with a towel in your hand. Roll the loaf up on its side. Cut one inch slices at a 30 degree angle. Protractor not required.
- Empty contents of soup jar into a pot and simmer on the stove over low to low/medium heat. If it starts to boil, turn the heat to very low to keep it warm while you make the grilled cheese.
- Slice strips of cheese from the wedge and remove any pieces of rind from the strips. Lay the strips on a slice of bread enough to cover it. Some folks like to grate their cheese and spread it on the bread and that’s fine, too. Use 2 ounces of cheese per sandwich.
- Close sandwich. Butter or spread olive oil on the top of sandwich and the bottom.
- Place sandwich onto a saute pan at low heat. Over the course of several minutes keep a watchful eye on the sandwich. Flip it over when the bottom is golden brown. It will take some time before the cheese inside melts so try to find that balance between crisp golden brown crust and ooey gooey insides. Once you’ve achieved this sort of sandwich perfection, remove from saute pan and place on plate.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve alongside the grilled cheese sandwich.
- Eat peanut brittle if you’re not too full. Otherwise, wait until you’ve got some room and then crunch away.
Moroccan Spiced Tomato Soup
The soil of southwest Michigan grows fabulous heirloom tomatoes. In August, at the peak of the season, there’s nothing better than eating one fresh off the vine. The rest of the year, this soup can help you get your fix.
It starts with a base of roasted heirloom tomatoes from a few small Michigan farms. They get cooked down with roasted onions plus a comforting blend of warming, Moroccan spices like coriander, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and more. They add warmth and depth, but don’t make the soup spicy.
The soup is smooth and velvety, not chunky. You could sip it straight from the jar, or heat it up in the microwave or on the stovetop for a warm, cozy meal in minutes. Great with grilled cheese.
Sourdough Bread
This naturally leavened loaf is made with only 4 ingredients—organic wheat flour, water, sea salt, and the sourdough starter we’ve been caring for since 1992. However, time is the secret ingredient we rely on to achieve a well-developed flavor. From the moment we feed our starter to the minute those caramel-colored loaves emerge from the stone hearth oven, 18 hours will have elapsed. This all-American sourdough bread has a beautifully thin, blistered crust and a remarkably tender and moist crumb. The soft, almost melt-in-your-mouth interior is thanks to the high percentage of starter in the recipe compared to other naturally leavened breads.
L’Amuse Pril Young Gouda Cheese
While Gouda is made everywhere in the Netherlands, there are major differences between goudas from different regions.
This particular gouda is selected for us by Betty Koster of L’amuse, Amsterdam’s top cheese shop. It’s aged for half a year or so, so it’s on the younger side, but it tastes like a much more mature cheese. The flavor fills your mouth with notes of butterscotch and caramel, finishing with a milky sweetness that makes it a favorite eating cheese, especially alongside a good cracker. And of course we think it makes great grilled cheese.
Peanut Brittle
Zingerman’s Candy Manufactory doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, but they love making it more delicious. That’s what happened with this peanut brittle…it’s received a heckuva flavor-charged upgrade thanks to amazing ingredients.
Jumbo Runner peanuts jut like boulders from a shiny, golden candy sea. The texture looks silky but shatters in crisp shards with each bite. To achieve this consistency, the candy cooks make small batches by hand with a watchful eye.
This is stovetop brittle, not factory gristle, with butterscotch-brown flavor, sharp, crackly texture and a finishing savor of roasted peanuts. It’s ideal for picnics because it won’t melt in the heat. A small sliver is a wonderful treat. It’s also great if you coarse chop it and toss it onto gelato. Or on savory salads. Or after a meal of grilled cheese and tomato soup.