heirloom tomato, cheddar, and chimichurri grilled cheese
Welcoming in plump, juicy tomatoes to go along with my post-run tomato face.
Ingredients
- 6 slices sourdough or another crusty bread
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup basil chimichurri (recipe below)
- 3 + 2 tablespoons butter
- hot honey, for serving (see note)
basil chimichurri
- 1 cup fresh basil, packed
- 1 cup fresh parsley, packed
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Run the blade while slowly streaming in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula until all of the ingredients are well combined. It should resemble pesto sauce in texture.
- Butter one side of two bread slices. Spread 2 tablespoons chimichurri on inside of one slice, then add about 1/4 of each cheese, then 2-3 slices of tomato, then another 2 tablespoons of each cheese. Place the second slice atop, butter-side facing away from the fillings. Repeat with the other 2 sandwiches.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and hissing. Place your sandwich in the center of the skillet (or all 3 if you can fit them!). Cook 4-5 minutes on one side, then flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes until golden and.
- Move to a plate, slice in half, and serve immediately with a heavy drizzle of hot honey!
Notes
*Hot honey: Combine 1/2 cup of honey, 1/4 cup hot sauce, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp each garlic and onion powder, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute on high. Stir, and heat an additional 20-30 seconds until the granules are dissolved. Let cool slightly. Leftover hot honey will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.