At the risk of either igniting a holy war or having something that could be its own thread ... what are your preferences for interesting grilled cheese sandwiches?
(Attempted holy war defusing: use your own grilled cheese definition / preparation, explain if you may. I don't care if it's technically a toasted cheese sandwich, a (grilled) (cheese sandwich) or a (grilled cheese) (sandwich), or some other interpretation.)
I recently had a basil pesto grilled turkey & cheese sandwich, which had basil pesto spread on the inside of the bread on both sides before the assembled sandwich was grilled. Honestly it wasn't to my taste, so I'm curious what spreads or additions others might use to spice up the bread + cheese.
I make all kinds of hot sandwiches that might as well be called grilled, even if they never hit a frying pan or griddle. IMHO, a hot press or giving a sandwich on toasted bread a little oven time is culinarily similar enough as doesn’t matter.
And as an ardent believer that Cheeses are my personal savor, I say try any kind you like, and maybe even mix & match. Besides American, Cheddar or Colby Jack, easy cheeses to try include Swiss, provelone, smoked Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Cotswold. Caramelized onion cheeses- a cheddar from Dietz & Watson and a Monterrey jack from Boar’s Head- have become stapes. If nothing else, they’re a cheat to making fast faux Phillies.
Further afield, I first had melted blue cheese served to me on a burger; I’ve since found it also works on ham sandwiches, grilled or not. A French bistro near me makes a different kind of BLT: brie, lettuce & tomato. Feta works well on hot sandwiches.
I sometimes use dill relish instead of pickles. The flavor gets distributed more evenly. A dill seasoning mix does likewise, without the liquid.
Which, of course, makes me recommend using your favorite dry seasoning mixes on sandwiches. Sprinkled on or mixed in another condiment, you can find a BUNCH of flavors work. Besides dill-based mixes, I’ve used Tony Chachere’s, Tajin, and proprietary blends from small vendors.
Tomato or tomatillo salsas make for a spicy addition.
I’ve had Akawi melted on pita drizzled with honey, and it was a salty/sweet revelation. No reason you couldn’t do it as a grilled sandwich.
Many Mexican restaurants around here make queso flameado: a white Mexican cheese that gets lit on fire in a pan after being doused by a shot of tequila, then mixed it some kind of meat, and served in flour tortillas. That’s a grilled cheese roll-up, Mexican style.
Try different meats. I used to eat hot sausage sandwiches with just bread & mayo, but now I add mustard and melted Swiss to the event.
Greens- cooked or raw; mature, baby or sprouts- can add a nice freshness to any sandwich, even grilled ones. I tried making Geechee/Gullah- inspired collard green sandwiches a few years ago, and was impressed with the results. Some were greens & Swiss, some were greens & ham, some were greens, ham and Swiss. All were good.
And while often taken for granted, the bread you choose DOES matter. Not every grilled cheese combo works with white or wheat. I usually default to sourdough, honestly, but a good rye (of any kind) is another solid option.
One of my favorite hot cheesy sandwiches I only get to eat late in the year: I buy a loaf of roasted garlic bread (a rustic white with whole roasted garlic cloves) OR rosemary & olive oil bread. On it goes toum (a Lebanese puréed garlic spread similar in appearance to mayo, but with a LOT more bite), a little mustard, glazed holiday ham*, and a smoked cheese of some kind.
* ours is a fruit glaze, but it should be just as good with honey or maple glazed.
