When it rains, grill indoors
It’s cold and it’s rainy outside, and the last thing I want to
do is go outside and fire up the grill. But that doesn’t mean there
isn’t a chance to get grill marks inside the house. Though foods
cooked on indoor grills don’t have the same charcoal flavor as
outdoor grills, they can have the same texture and tons of
flavor.
When it rains, grill indoors
It’s cold and it’s rainy outside, and the last thing I want to do is go outside and fire up the grill. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a chance to get grill marks inside the house. Though foods cooked on indoor grills don’t have the same charcoal flavor as outdoor grills, they can have the same texture and tons of flavor.
One of my favorite throwbacks to childhood is the grilled cheese sandwich. When I was a kid, my mom and dad made them on white bread with slices of Kraft American cheese. We’d dip them into tomato soup – condensed – so it tasted a bit more like ketchup than actual tomatoes.
While in college, I discovered the magic of Colby jack and tomato slices grilled to perfection on sourdough at a little campus cafe at the student center. It helped, of course, that the cutest boy on campus worked at the cafe and always made up my sandwiches free of charge.
Now when we feel like indulging in a cold day classic, my family has a spread of different cheeses and ingredients to add to the sandwiches. Colby jack or Monterey cheese remain my favorites, but Havarti and sharp cheddar are also good choices. And we always pick up a few tomatoes, thinly slice them and stick them in the middle. By the time the cheese is gooey in the middle and the bread is crusty, the tomatoes are hot enough to burn so proceed with caution. These fancier grilled cheese sandwiches are often still paired with tomato soup, but now it tends to be the spicier stuff mixed with basil and peppers sold in most grocery store delis.
When grilling indoors – whether it be grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken or steak – there are two main options. Grill pans work on the stovetop and have raised lines or circles that can create grill marks. It is easier to control the temperature of a grill pan on the stovetop so that is often a better option for cooking meat or veggies.
The other option is a countertop grill. They often resemble a paninni press, with two grills that fold together to create contact on both sides. The plus is that foods cook quicker and for grilled cheese sandwiches it has a nice effect.
Here is my basic recipe for grilled cheese and some fancier grilled sandwich options.
Grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches
½ lb. Colby jack cheese
½ lb. Havarti
2 tomatoes, sliced thinly
1 loaf sliced sourdough bread
½ c. butter
Butter the outside of bread slices; olive oil or nonstick spray can be used as a healthier alternative. Put down cheese slices of choice to cover the non-buttered side of the bread. Place two tomato slices on top and add two more slices of cheese. Put sandwich on the grill with butter side out. If cooking on a grill pan, flip halfway through cooking and weigh down sandwich. With a contact grill, skip this step.
Serve with tomato basil soup, or other favorites.
Grilled roast beef and Stilton sandwiches
Courtesy of Gourmet Magazine
1 c. crumbled Stilton cheese
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. prepared horseradish
8 (3 by 5-inch) sourdough bread slices
1 lb. thinly sliced roast beef
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch arugula, stems trimmed
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. (1/4 stick) butter
Mash first three ingredients in a small bowl until almost smooth. Place bread on work surface spread mixture on one side of each slice. Top each of four bread slices with 1/4 of beef, then onion and arugula. Season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining bread, cheese side down. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sandwiches and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Serve hot.
Grilled vegetable sandwiches
Courtesy of Rachael Ray
1 Japanese eggplant sliced on an angle in half-inch thick slices
1 small zucchini sliced on an angle in half-inch thick slices
1 red pepper cut in quarter’s lengthwise
1 small red onion cut into 4 slices
2 portobello mushroom caps
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
8 slices crusty peasant style bread cut 1/2-inch thick
4 pieces red leaf lettuce
Herbed Mayonnaise:
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1/2 lemon, juiced
A few drop hot sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed and skin removed
2 tbsp. thyme leaves
2 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp. chopped chives
Combine all ingredients for herbed mayonnaise in a food processor and pulse.
Using a pastry brush, brush olive oil on the vegetable slices and the portobello mushrooms. Season them with salt and pepper. Place vegetables on a hot grill and cook until they are tender. Once vegetables are done brush sliced bread with olive oil and grill on both sides. To assemble, slice portobellos into 1/4-inch slices, spread both sides of the grilled bread with herbed mayonnaise and then top with 1 slice each of grilled vegetables and a quarter of the mushrooms, and finish off with lettuce and top with remaining piece of bread.
