Sharp Cheddar and Bresaola Melt
Recipe from 100 Wine Pairings by Jill Silverman Hough
This is simply, brilliantly, nothing more than a dressed-up grilled cheese sandwich, perhaps one of life's most perfect foods.
But while a plain grilled cheese sandwich would be okay with a glass of Cabernet, this one really works, thanks to the addition of savory bresaola, bright Dijon mustard, and either sun-dried tomatoes or arugula. (Although that last ingredient—sun-dried tomatoes or arugula—gives you two pretty different options, they both add color and Cabernet-friendly notes, the tomatoes being richly savory and the arugula having a slight nuttiness.)
Learn how to pair wine with this and other dishes.
But while a plain grilled cheese sandwich would be okay with a glass of Cabernet, this one really works, thanks to the addition of savory bresaola, bright Dijon mustard, and either sun-dried tomatoes or arugula. (Although that last ingredient—sun-dried tomatoes or arugula—gives you two pretty different options, they both add color and Cabernet-friendly notes, the tomatoes being richly savory and the arugula having a slight nuttiness.)
Learn how to pair wine with this and other dishes.
Servings: Serves 4
Ingredients
Directions
Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread, dividing it evenly. Place 3 slices, buttered side down, on a work surface and spread the unbuttered side with the mustard, dividing it evenly. Top with the cheese, sun-dried tomatoes or arugula, and bresaola, dividing them evenly. Top with the remaining bread, buttered side up.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sandwiches, cover, and cook, in batches if necessary, until golden brown and the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes per side. (You can also cook the sandwiches on a panini grill for 3 to 5 minutes.)
Cut the sandwiches into quarters and serve hot.
Food and wine tip: Sharp Cheddar has a great affinity to Cabernet Sauvignon—as do blue cheeses, aged cheeses, Parmesan, and sometimes stinky cheeses.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sandwiches, cover, and cook, in batches if necessary, until golden brown and the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes per side. (You can also cook the sandwiches on a panini grill for 3 to 5 minutes.)
Cut the sandwiches into quarters and serve hot.
Food and wine tip: Sharp Cheddar has a great affinity to Cabernet Sauvignon—as do blue cheeses, aged cheeses, Parmesan, and sometimes stinky cheeses.
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