As soon as I Began Including This to Grilled Cheese, I’ve By no means Made It One other Approach (It’s Good for Fall)

As we transition into fall and the crisp autumn air rolls in, there’s nothing extra comforting to me than a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch (or dinner … and even breakfast, tbh). It’s easy, doesn’t require a lot effort to make, and at all times satisfying and scrumptious.

While you may follow basic cheese slices (you realize those), I usually prefer to mess around with my substances and add some flair to the humble sandwich. Sometimes it’s Brie and pear; different occasions I’ll go along with a truffle cheddar. This fall I’ve discovered my newest obsession that fully takes my grilled cheese sandwiches to the subsequent degree: caramelized figs.

Figs are in season proper now (they peak August by means of October), so it’s the right time to go on over to your favourite grocery retailer or farmers market and choose up a pint of this scrumptious fruit. Figs and cheese are a beloved pairing (fig jam is a staple on many charcuterie boards), so including a few of the recent fruit to a grilled cheese solely appeared proper.

To begin, I sliced two figs in half (though I in all probability may’ve added one other one), then pan-seared them cut-side down for a couple of minutes till the fruit was golden in shade and its pure sugars had caramelized. Then I flipped them over and allowed the figs to prepare dinner a bit extra on the opposite facet till the fruit was tender and pliable.

Then I took a slice of sourdough bread and topped it with a couple of slices of my present favourite cheese (Tillamook’s Maker’s Reserve 2015 White Cheddar — no skimping right here!) and the cooked figs. A bit extra concerning the cheese: This particular reserve selection has been aged for 10 years, which ends up in a super-creamy, buttery-soft, extra-sharp cheese that hits the again corners of your mouth. It melds superbly with the candy, barely tart notes of the figs.

Don’t simply take my phrase for it. Jill Allen, cheese knowledgeable and director of product excellence at Tillamook, agrees: “Yes, fresh figs, fig jam, or fig compote will pair brilliantly with the robust cheddar notes, a hint of sweetness, and wonderful crystalline texture.”

The pairing is really a match made in heaven. The super-sharp cheddar cheese pairs sublimely with the earthy, candy figs. Caramelizing the figs first actually brings out their pure sweetness and provides depth of taste. The fruit will get so tender that it virtually has a melty, jam-like high quality, which makes it tremendous straightforward to chunk into. Plus, the purple, golden-yellow tones are fairly to have a look at. I’ll positively be making extra all fall lengthy.

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