goat-gouda-and-robusto-grilled-cheese and tomato-coconut-curry-soup

grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup are my ultimate comfort food and are perfect for a snowy day.  i’ve tried creating several different combinations over the last year before creating a grilled cheese and tomato soup combination that i’d want to make more than once and feel comfortable serving for company.  when it came down to it, back to the basics was better.  for the grilled cheese, i focused on a good quality bread- zingerman’s farm house bread - which is a white bread made with a sourdough starter which gives it a subtle sour taste that is not overwhelming in a way that would compete with the cheese.  when selecting the cheese, i focused on consistency and looked for a combination of cheeses that weren’t too soft but also not too hard that they would take too long to melt. after much deliberation and trial and error, i have selected a newer goat gouda and robusto as my cheeses.  the robusto is a cheese from holland that has a slightly nutty flavor with a subtle sharpness reminiscent of a good parmesan, this marries well with the goat gouda which is the perfect combination of a cow’s milk gouda and creamy goat cheese- its flavors slightly more refined. and i’ve also learned over the last year that using the appropriate amount of butter really makes a difference in the taste of the grilled cheese.  and for the tomato soup, i wanted something with full flavor and a touch of cream that would be just as good on its own as it was  as a dipping soup for the grilled cheese. from this consideration, i give you my goat-gouda-and-robusto grilled cheese with a tomato-coconut-curry-soup.

gouda and robusto grilled cheese

makes 1

ingredients:

zingerman’s farm house bread

2 tablespoons butter

goat gouda

robusto

directions:

butter only the outsides of 2 slices of bread. layer thinly sliced goat gouda and robusto cheese on the unbuttered slice of one piece of bread and top with the unbuttered side of the other piece of bread.  melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan and reduce the heat to medium, add  the sandwich and place a lid on the pan for 3-4 minutes- this will accelerate the melting of the cheese.  once the underside of the bread has slightly browned, flip and toast the other side until it is also has lightly browned (if your pan gets too hot during the cooking and your butter browns to the pan, go ahead and add another half tablespoon of butter to prevent the grilled cheese from sticking). once both sides are toasted, remove the grilled cheese and serve alongside tomato-coconut-curry soup.

tomato-coconut-curry-soup

serves 4

ingredients:

1 onion

1-2 leeks

28 oz can whole italian peeled tomatoes (as before, dei fratelli’s are best)

red curry paste

chicken stock

crushed red pepper

coconut milk (unsweetened)

chinese five spices

dried basil

salt

pepper

brown sugar

lime

saute sliced onion and leek in a dutch oven with 2- 2.5 tbsp red curry paste, salt and pepper on medium heat until soft  and the onions are translucent (7-8 minutes),  puree the tomatoes and add to pan with the onions and leeks. add about 4 oz of coconut milk, juice of ½ lime, a pinch of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon chinese five spices, 1/3 cup of chicken stock- you can add less or more depending on how you like the consistency of your soup, pinches of crushed red pepper and dried basil and salt and pepper to taste.  simmer on low for 30 minutes before serving.