My Francophile Version of the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The grilled cheese sandwich is a classic, not because of its complexity or difficulty but because of its simplicity. That simplicity, however, gives one the ability to make this humble sandwich his or her own. As my regular readers of this blog should know by now, I love anything French-food related: French cheese, wine, deserts, bread, etc. As a result, I’ve created my own version of the grilled cheese that I call a French grilled cheese sandwich. Here’s how I make it. 

First, I take a mixture of softened butter and mayo (a ratio of about 1.5 parts mayo—Hellman’s—and 1 part unsalted butter) and then spread this mixture on the outside of two pieces of plain white bread. This “insulates” the bread from burning whilst giving the cheese on the inside time to melt. Next, on the inside of the bread, I spread a mixture of Dijon mustard (I prefer Maille) and diced cornichons (about 3). Then I place about 2-3 ounces of thinly sliced comté on the bread, put the two halves together, and place in a nonstick pan on medium heat. I cook each side until golden brown or even slightly blackened in places (about about a minute to a minute and a half for each side). I use comté because it melts well and has a sweet, slightly nutty, flavor which balances nicely against the acidity of the dijon mustard and cornichons. Yum!