The Gatsby Grilled Cheese

Healthy and delightfully light and refreshing, the ‘Gatsby Grilled Cheese’ is the essence of decadence!

Fresh raspberries & blueberries, aged cheddar cheese, buttery & crispy grilled oatnut bread, and peppery arugula & zesty fresh spinach–let the dancing of the tastebuds begin!  I entered this into the Biltmore Hotel’s contest ‘A Culinary & Wine Weekend‘…I mean what’s more elegant than acting like a Gatsby at the Biltmore and eating this amazing sammich!  Swing by and give it a vote (ends September 19, 2012).

Makes:  One big sammich

 

What you need:

3 slices of healthy bread (whole wheat, oatnut, etc.)

3 tbl butter

8-10 fresh raspberries

10-12 fresh blueberries

6 oz aged cheddar cheese (or several slices or pieces—enough for two layers)

1/3 cup arugula and spinach blend (or your favorite greens!)

What you do:

Coat a cast iron grill skillet with cooking spray and turn on medium heat.

Take three slices of healthy bread (i.e., whole wheat, oat, etc), trim the crust from the sides only.

Butter each slice of bread on both sides.

Have sliced cheddar cheese ready.  Place one slice in the grill pan & place bueberries on the buttered side up bread.  Spaces b/t blueberries & mostly in the center.  Lay the cheese atop the blueberries.  Gently press down with your hand.  cheese on the buttered side up.   Cover with the second slice of bread.

Carefully place raspberries on next slice and in center mainly.  Put cheese atop raspberries.  Top with last slice of bread.

Increase heat slightly.  Press down on top of sandwich with a metal spatula to ensure a good grilling on the bottom & to fuse the three layers.  Cook for about 2 minutes.

With metal spatula, carefully flip sandwice so that the top side is now on the bottom to grill.  Grill on this side about 2 minutes or until cheese starts melting out the sides.

Remove, place on a plate and gently nudge off top slice of bread.  Add arugula and spinach.  Replace top piece of bread.  Press down sandwich with your hand to fuse together.  Slice and serve immediately.

©2012 Alice D’Antoni Phillips   Ally’s Kitchen