Grilled Cheese Lab

Better Living Through Grilled Cheese

[grilledcheeselab]

Experiment GCL GCL0032 | We’re Brie-lievers

Hypothesis

Is there a combination of ingredients that will create a grilled cheese sandwich that will make you jump up and testify?

Methodology

Apply the following ingredient for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly:

2 slices of crusty bread

½ cup arugula

½ cup Brie cheese

2 tbsps Riesling Apricot Jam

2 tbsps butter

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Combine the Brie, arugula and Riesling Apricot Jam into a sandwich.

Butter outside of a slice of bread and place sandwich in pan.

Flip sandwich when bread becomes golden

Serve with a side of fries, chips or just by itself

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Experiment GCL 3.1415926535 | Happy Pi Day

Hypothesis

Can we formulate the same heartwarming effects of apple pie in a grilled cheese sandwich?

Methodology

Apply the following ingredient for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly:

2 slices of sourdough bread

½ cup caramelized spinach

1 cup old cheddar

2 pieces of bacon

2 tbsps apple butter

2 tbsps butter

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

In large pan, cook spinach with butter until caramelized, remove from pan

Cook the bacon in same pan as spinach until crisp, remove from pan

Combine  the cheddar, spinach, bacon and apple butter into a sandwich.

Butter outside of a slice of bread and place in pan.

Flip sandwich when bread becomes golden

Serve with a nice slice of apple pie, or a series or repeating numbers.

[grilledcheeselab]

Experiment GCL0030 | The Centre of the Universe

Hypothesis

Like a large star’s gravitational pull, does an egg-in-a-hole pull together the tastes of cheddar, Gouda, caramelized onions and mache lettuce?

Methodology

Apply the following ingredient for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly:

3 slices of toast bread (white or whole wheat)

½ cup caramelized onions

½ cup old cheddar

½ cup Gouda

½ cup mache lettuce

1 large egg

2 tbsps butter

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

In large pan, cook onions with butter until caramelized, remove from pan

Cut hole in middle of one piece of toast bread, then butter both sides

Place one slice of toast bread on pan, and crack egg into the middle

Flip once to cook egg on both sides

When egg is thoroughly cooked, place cheddar and onions on top

Butter outside of another slice of bread and place on top of cheddar/onions

Once cheddar has melted, flip over and add Gouda and mache lettuce

Butter outside of the last slice of bread and place on top of Gouda/mache

Once Gouda has melted, flip sandwich and continue grilling until bread is crispy/golden

Serve with fries/chips/Hadron collider

[grilledcheeselab]

Experiment GCL0029 | The Onion

Hypothesis

A strong onion taste will pair well with the sweetness of the fig jam to create a great tasting grilled cheese sandwich.

Methodology

Apply the following ingredient for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly:

2 slices of onion bread

½ cup goat cheese

½ cup fig jam

½ cup caramelized onions

3 slices of turkey bacon

½ white onion, sliced

1 tbsp butter

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Cook the turkey bacon until crisp, remove from pan

In same pan, cook onions with butter until translucent and caramelized

Butter outside of onion bread with thin layer of butter

Combine cheese, onions, fig jam and bacon into sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan, buttered side down

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with a spinach salad, warm soup or fresh journalistic satire

[grilledcheeselab]

Experiment GCL0028 | The Tremaine

Hypothesis

Can basil bring out the best in a grilled cheese, and make it the classy sandwich it deserves to be?

Methodology

Apply the following ingredient for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly (we modified one with bacon, because... bacon, but you’re free to exclude it if you want):

2 slices of thick toast bread

½ cup shredded cheddar

½ cup shredded Monterrey jack

½ cup shredded mozzarella

handful of arugula

handful of chopped basil

handful of chopped Italian parsley

2tbsps of extra virgin olive oil

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Brush outside of the bread with olive oil

Combine cheese, arugula, basil and parsley into sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan, olive oil side down

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with tortilla chips or side of choice

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Experiment GCL0027 | The Big Bacon

Hypothesis

Does introducing thick slabs of homemade bacon increase or decrease the likelihood of sticking with a healthy diet in the new year.

Methodology

Apply the following ingredient for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly.

1 ciabatta bun

2-3 strips of thickly cut bacon

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Fry strips of bacon in pan until meat is crispy and fat is translucent. Remove from pan but conserve fat drippings

Combine bacon and cheese into a sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan and cook in fat drippings

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with something green in order to keep some of your resolution

[grilledcheeselab]

Season 2 Coming Soon / We’re Back Like A Phoenix

The holidays were a prefect time to gather people around the table, crack some beers and break out the grilled cheese sandwiches.

We’ll be back in 2016 with more experiments. In the meantime, go make some grilled cheeses with the people you love.

Happy Holidays - The Grilled Cheese Lab Team

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Experiment GCL0026 | The Closer

Hypothesis

By combining the remaining cheeses from Season 1 into one simple sandwich, we make a delicious grilled cheese.

Methodology

Apply the following ingredients for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly.

2 slices of egg bread

4 strips of bacon

1½ slices of Swiss cheese

½ cup shredded sharp cheddar

½ cup shredded Havarti cheese

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Fry bacon in pan until soft yet crunchy.

Spread butter on the outside face of each piece of bread

Combine cheeses and bacon into a sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan and cook in fat drippings

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with your favourite side dish

[grilledcheeselab]

Experiment GCL0025 | The Bitter Sweet Symphony

Hypothesis

Was Richard Ashcroft on to something when he combined “bitter” and “sweet” to make a one hit wonder?

Methodology

Apply the following ingredients for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly.

2 slices of olive bread

2 tbsps apricot jam

½ cup shredded Emmental

½ cup shredded sharp cheddar

½ cup shredded Havarti cheese

Put The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony” on repeat in the background

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Spread butter on the outside face of each piece of bread

Combine cheeses and jam into a sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with black jeans, black jacket and black sunglasses

[grilledcheeselab]

Experiment GCL0024 | The Slightly Burnt One

Hypothesis

Burning the top of a grilled cheese does not affect the deliciousness. Especially when Joe Beef products are involved.

Methodology

Apply the following ingredients for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly.

1 bun of Joe Beef Montreal Style Bagel bread

4-5 slices of pancetta

4-5 slices of capicollo

3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp of garlic salt

1 cup spinach

1 cup shredded Emmental cheese

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Add EVOO, garlic salt and spinach into the pan

Sautee until it is slightly wilted

Butter the outside of the bun

Combine cheese, spinach, capicollo and pancetta into a sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with side of your choice

[grilledcheeselab]

Experiment GCL0023 | The Mexican

Hypothesis

By honouring our next adversaries in the North American Champions League, the Montreal Impact will win!

Methodology

Apply the following ingredients for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly.

2 slices of Belgian bread

3 tbsps President’s Choice Salsa

2 tbsps guacamole

3 strips of turkey bacon

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

½ cup shredded Havarti cheese

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Fry turkey bacon in pan until crispy. Remove bacon and conserve drippings

Combine bacon, cheeses and and guacamole into a sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with nachos

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Experiment GCL0022 | The Winter Slayer

Hypothesis

Does spring arrive sooner when you deploy a winter killing grilled cheese sandwich?

Methodology

Apply the following ingredients for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly.

2 slices of toast bread

½ white onion, sliced

½ cup arugula

½ cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup shredded sharp cheddar

½ cup shredded Havarti

½ cup shredded goat cheese mozzarella

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Add onion slices to frying pan and heat lightly

Add balsamic vinegar and caramelize the onions slowly

Spread butter on the outside face of each piece of bread

Combine cheese, caramelized onions and arugula into a sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with sweet potato fries or chips

[grilledcheeselab]

Experiment GCL0021 | The Magnum Opus

Hypothesis

Can the pinnacle of diner side dishes become the main star in a grilled cheese sandwich?

Methodology

Apply the following ingredients for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly. Visit this link for ingredients and recipe for the Easy Stove Top Macaroni And Cheese from Food.com. We added crisped bacon to the mix to jazz it up.

2 slices thickly cut Belgian bread

1 cup Macaroni and Cheese

Bacon (optional)

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Spread butter on the outside face of each piece of bread

Combine mac n cheese and bacon (if added) into a sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with ketchup chips on top for the total package

[grilledcheeselab]

Experiment GCL0020 | The Italian Stallion

Hypothesis

How do we create a grilled cheese sandwich that packs enough punch to knock out Rocky Balboa?

Methodology

Apply the following ingredients for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly. The meatballs are a trade secret, so ask your mamma or nonna for hers (or use this food.com recipe, Grilled Cheese Lab approved):

2-3 meatballs (depending on size), cut in half

1 medium length ciabatta bun

½ cup tomato sauce

1½ cup firm ricotta

2 tbsps chopped fresh basil

1 tbspn Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 panini press (ideal but not required)

If you have a panini press:

Rub the panini press surface with olive oil

Heat panini press on medium heat (or not the highest setting)

Combine cheese, meatballs and basil into sandwich

Place sandwich on panini press and close

Remove from heat when ricotta is warm and melted, and bread is golden

Serve with your favourite Italian side dish, or with a left hook.

If you do not have a panini press:

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Add olive oil to pan

Combine cheese, meatballs and basil into sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with favourite Italian side dish, while running up your front steps listening to Gonna Fly Now

[grilledcheeselab]

Experiment GCL0019 | The "Healthy” Alternative

Hypothesis

Eating healthier foods will help you to recover from a birthday party binge eating session. Spinach is healthy, right?

Methodology

Apply the following ingredients for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly.

2 slices of french loaf

½ white onion, sliced

½ cup fresh spinach

½ cup balsamic vinegar

1 ½ cup shredded Havarti

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Add spinach to frying pan and heat lightly

Add balsamic vinegar and caramelize the spinach slowly

Spread butter on the outside face of each piece of bread

Combine cheese and caramelized spinach into a sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with healthy, healthy nachos!

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Experiment GCL0018 | The Montrealer

Hypothesis

Can a grilled cheese be made with a slightly modified version of something that makes Montreal the greatest?

Methodology

Apply the following ingredients for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly. You can make your own fries, but for efficiency’s sake, we used fries from frozen (sweet potato fries to be exact):

2 slices of Belgian bread

½ cup cheese curds

handful of french fries (sweet potato or otherwise)

½ cup poutine gravy

1 tsp butter

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Spread butter on the outside face of each piece of bread

Place one slice of bread, buttered side down, on frying pan

Quickly add fries and cheese curds on top

Ladle poutine gravy (generously) on top and add second piece of bread

Use a cast iron weight on top of sandwich to ensure that it stays together

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with nothing, because it is everything!

[grilledcheeselab]

Experiment GCL00XVII | The Joe Beef

Hypothesis

Can we make a delicious and decadent grilled cheese in honour of one of Montreal’s most famous restaurants?

Methodology

Apply the following ingredients for one sandwich. Double or triple portions accordingly.

2 slices of Belgian bread

4-5 slices of Joe Beef bacon

1 ½ cup shredded sharp aged cheddar

Heat frying pan on medium-low heat

Cook bacon until crisp, remove and conserve drippings

Combine cheese and bacon into a sandwich

Place sandwich on frying pan

Flip sides once bread has become golden

Serve with The Montrealer for the full experience!