Grilled Cheese Invitational, by Absentee

April is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month, you know.

If I could have been lucky enough to participate in the 1st 6th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational in LA on Sunday, I would have definitely tested these recipes first. In theory, I had two winners. (But I always think that, heh).

There were four categories this year: Missionary Position (make a classic: butter, bread, and Cheddar or American cheese only), Spoons (any flavor butter, bread, and cheese), Kama Sutra (grilled cheese sammie with added ingredients), and Honey Pot (dessert grilled cheese). I chose to enter the Missionary and Honey Pot categories (yeah, in my own little world, okay).

Okay, Missionary. Let's start with English muffin bread. If you haven't tried it (English muffin bread), I implore you. It is something in and of itself. It tastes (kind of) like an English muffin, but more importantly, it toasts like one. Crunchy toasted bread holding in all that butter. Yum! (I even went so far as to bake my own, but that's another story.)

Next, cheese. I love sharp cheddar, all the way. Now, to shred or slice. It has only recently occurred to me that shredding is an option. I grew up eating grilled cheese sandwiches with sliced cheddar; that is how it was done. But, shredded? Some authorities swear by it, but this time I chose to stick with a good old-fashioned slab. (I did slice it pretty thick.) Yes, I will try it the other way some time.

Finally, butter. I am a die hard fan of unsalted butter, especially with good bread, but in this case... I'd have to say, go salty. It adds a savory quality to that crispy grilled cheese crust. This time around I would try a salted Irish butter. This beautiful deep-yellow colored butter had me checking the label for colorant. No silly, it's the cows; they're grass fed, and higher nutrients going in equal higher nutrients coming out. (That's quite a picture.)

The cooking experience itself went as expected. Bubbly butter, browning crust, melting cheese. It looked even better than anticipated. Dark golden buttery goodness as far as the eye could see. But here, the digression. It wasn't nearly as crispy as I would have liked. The bread on the outside had a fabulous crunch, but it didn't carry through the sammie as it should. A real grilled cheese (in my opinion) should have a toothsome wall surrounding an oozy center. This type of bread, while very crispy, is truly only so when it is toasted (implying both sides of the slice), which in this case, it isn't. What's more, as the cheese melted it settled into the nooks and crannies of the bread, further adding to its softness. Don't get me wrong, that part in particular was quite incredible, I just wouldn't call that a classic grilled cheese. I would call it crispy buttery cheesy bread. Back to the drawing board, I suppose.

The next category, dessert: the Honey Pot. Again, English muffin bread, and Irish butter. But I happened to have some Brie on hand, and then there were a few strawberries left over from a recent go at frozen yogurt. Then there was the sugar. I felt the strawberries alone were not sweet enough to turn a grilled Brie sandwich into dessert. So, after I got a wrinkle-nosed response to the suggestion of honey or maple syrup finding their way into the sammie, I decided sugar was the way to go. I would add a bit a sugar to the butter destined for the bread slices. Truth be told, I couldn't resist and I snuck some maple syrup into another bit of butter. I made two versions, both exactly the same, except one with sugar-butter and one with maple syrup-butter, we'll just see which one comes out on top.

Given my response to the bread in my first experiment, one might wonder I would use the very same for my dessert entry. Simple, this cheesy bread-attribute may make it just the thing for dessert. This is not a classic, this is a twist. A little crispy, a little soft and gooey. I like the sound of that.

Oh goodness. This is good stuff. I have to say, the maple syrup won me over. The flavor combination just sang, it was quite good. Even a winner, perhaps. The sugared butter provided a caramelized crunch to the bread, which was pleasing but made for very messy cutting (of the finished sandwich, which isn't necessarily necessary, I suppose) and the maple butter sammie stuck to the pan during cooking, which made for messy flipping. But still, delicious. Lick-your-fingers (and the plate)-clean-good.

Out of all of this, I think next time I'll start with different bread, clearly the foundation of a winning grilled cheese sandwich (and you thought it was the cheese). Overall, I would have made for some stiff competition, but with a year between me and the next Grilled Cheese Invitational, it's on.

Frozen Yogurt for Breakfast

Spring berries are here! And after so many years on this planet I never thought I would utter such words. I always associated berries with summer, and with the modern day conveniences of year-round produce, I have stuck to my guns. But I stand corrected. There at the market were red, ripe, luscious looking berries complete with the imperfections of natures. No sir, no manufactured berries here.

And what goes better with berries than cream? Mmmm, ice cream. Too bad I hadn't thought that through before making it home. No cream, no milk, nada. But I had yogurt.

One quick search for "frozen yogurt" and there it was, the perfect recipe. Only three ingredients: yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. Check, check and check, plus strawberries. The recipe called for a whole milk yogurt, though I happened to have nonfat, but because I had Greek style yogurt, draining was not necessary. Score, I'll go one for two.

I did get a bit impatient, added the strawberries too soon. Because the yogurt was so cold to begin with, it started to freeze so quickly, I thought it was time. The poor little machine strained and struggled to incorporate the berries, but it just couldn't take it. Satisfied with the results nonetheless, I dished out a healthy portion of the frozen treat. (Though in retrospect, I had a very cold bowl of sweetened yogurt with berries. It wouldn't be until later, after some quality time in the freezer. that I actually had frozen yogurt.)

And it was worth the wait. Because I used nonfat yogurt, the texture was a little icy, but I attributed that to having no fat present to smooth it out. I don't mean for that to sound like a complaint. Simply delicious; just the right amount of sweetness (could have even gone with less sugar), tangy yogurt, bursting with fresh berry flavor. I could have this for breakfast.

And I did. Thrice.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
inspired by 101 cookbooks

1 16oz container Greek-style yogurt
½ cup sugar (or to taste – though be aware the yogurt will taste sweeter prior to freezing)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh strawberries

1. Mix together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. Set aside, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved.

2. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

3. Meanwhile, rinse strawberries, hull and cut into quarters.

4. Once the yogurt has reached the desired consistency, transfer to a bowl (or whatever container you plan on keeping the yogurt in) and quickly fold in the berries; place in the freezer.

*If using non-fat yogurt, this frozen treat will be solid once left in the freezer overnight. Remove it from the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving.

Attack of the Artichoke Dip

Remember that "sour cream" I made not too long ago? Well, if you haven't been keeping up, I created some sort of dairy product that was supposed to be cheese (I think) but turned out to be the consistency of yogurt with the flavor of sour cream. I had attempted to bake with the stuff, but that was an experiment I will likely not revisit. (Actually, I still hope to make the original recipe some day, sans brazen substitutions, just to see how it should've come out.)

Now, what to do with the rest...

I had about a cup left over, and I really did not want to send it down, so to speak. During my previous efforts to find sweetened sour cream recipes, I came upon quite a few savory ideas. And the one what won me over? Artichoke dip. Who doesn't love artichoke dip? Or better yet, spinach artichoke dip. I would only need a few more ingredients: artichokes, spinach, Parmigiano cheese, and mayonnaise. A garlic clove might be nice, if I've got it laying around.

Well, I didn't follow a recipe per se. Rather, I tried to work from the memory of the slew of recipes I had read. It seemed pretty straightforward: prep ingredients, mix ingredients, bake ingredients.

I really didn't mean to make enough of this baked dip to outlast my desires for it, but I suppose that's what you get when you don't follow a recipe. But let me just tell you, before I went into a mild food coma after uncontrollable gorging (I like spinach artichoke dip)...wow! Creamy, cheesy, rich and bubbly, bursting with chunks (big chunks) of artichokes, and covered in crunchy gratineed cheese. Heaven. Seriously.

The following recipe is half of what I made originally. It's easy to double if you really do need more dip than you could ever possibly hope to eat on your own. When purchasing artichokes hearts, I prefer jars over the can; not to say there is anything wrong with canned artichokes. If you find that the quantities available by can or jar do not easily translate to what is listed below, do not fret, adding a bit more or less couldn't possibly hurt. This is the kind of recipe that lends itself very well to your own additions and subtractions.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch spinach, washed thoroughly and de-stemmed
1½ cups drained artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated (separate out 2 tbsp)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°.

1. In a large pot over medium heat, sweat the garlic in olive oil. Add spinach, season with salt and wilt, 2-3 minutes. (Your goal is to cook the spinach as little as possible. Cover the pot initially to get it going, then “turn” the spinach in the pot, stirring the spinach at the bottom up to the top to expedite the process.) Remove spinach from the pot and spread out onto a cookie sheet or plate to cool.

2. In a medium bowl, combine artichokes, sour cream, mayonnaise, all but 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano.

3. Once spinach had cooled, gather it up in your hands and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Place the ball of spinach on a cutting board and cut ½” slices in one direction, turn the spinach 90° and cut ½” slices again. Break apart the chopped spinach into the bowl holding the artichoke mixture and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste (if you need a measure, start with ½ tsp and ¼ tsp, respectively), tasting after each addition. Be conservative with the salt, the salty Parmigiano cheese contributes well to this dish.

4. Spoon the mixture into a shallow baking dish, approximately 9 X 9 or similar, and sprinkle top with remaining grated cheese. Cover loosely with foil and place on a middle rack in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

5. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the top has browned. For an extra crispy top, broil the mixture until golden brown (but watch closely to avoid burning). Serve immediately with crackers, bread or tortilla chips. Beware of overindulgence.

Must We Call it Lactic?

Lactic cheese, there's just something about that name. It sounds so...technical, or biological, or something. I guess cheese is very much those things, but I prefer monikers of historical or geographical significance, graced with whimsy, even. But lactic? Must I? Well, I suppose...

But one thing this cheese does have going for it is simplicity. Heat milk to temperature, add culture and rennet, mix well, and leave it until tomorrow. Can't really get much easier.

For this trial, I misguidedly thought the room temperature was just that, which is what this cheese needed (72 degrees). As it has warmed up a bit, by San Francisco standards, the furnace was retired days ago and the cheese stood alone. And nearly 24 hours passed (12 longer than suggested by the recipe), and the milk had less than fully coagulated before I was informed of my error in judgement. Yes, the cheese spoke.

And not only that, it was less than generous with me. A gallon of whole milk yielded less than 1 pound (rather than the expected 2), which by volume came to just under two cups. This was my first attempt at such a cheese and had little idea what to expect. The result: pleasantly piquant (make that extremely, though still pleasant, like a very active-cultured yogurt) smooth and rich in the mouth, but not heavy. I suppose I could've allowed it to drain further, but I wanted a softer, creamier texture.

But I didn't know what to do with it. It didn't seem "ready." On it's own not altogether exciting, it needed something more than just the ole salt, pepper, and herb treatment. Then I remembered coming across a recipe for labneh, a Middle Eastern (Lebanese) yogurt cheese commonly served (or marinated) with olive oil, herbs, and spices.

Perfect. This lactic cheese was very much like the consistency of drained yogurt (or so I thought). Now, I would only need a jar-like accoutrement and some olive oil (I decided to marinate this one). Forgoing any seasoning at this step, I wanted to remain true to the cheese itself with only the additional flavor of olive oil; I began spooning up the soft cheese.

Um, yeah, this may not work. The gooey cheese barely fell off my spoon, and if it had, I largely imagined the eventuality of one big smear of cheese drenched in oil. (That might not be so bad, actually.) So I filled the bottom of my glass container with a generous pool of olive oil and scooped up dollops of cheese large enough for gravity to help me do the rest. Keeping each little gob separated by olive oil, I dropped the last bit into the dish.

I tucked the container into my cheese cave (i.e. my temperature-controlled dorm fridge) for the next 7 days, anxiously awaiting the next taste. I'm not sure where temperature played a roll here, as my "cave" is kept at approximately 10 degrees higher than your every day home fridge. I would have expected the flavor to develop even further, perhaps becoming more intensely sharp. Instead, the cheese had mellowed. It was tart at first, just as I had remembered, but it finished very softly. Still rich and creamy, and ever so slightly more coagulated. It did need salt, that's for sure, so with that I was generous. Fresh ground pepper, a rough chop of parsley, a fiery drizzle from a jar of oil-packed (hot!) little peppers, and now you're talkin'...

Sorry, I really shouldn't talk with my mouthful.

The following recipe is for yogurt (rather than lactic) cheese. You'll get similar results with much greater ease.

Yogurt Cheese in Olive Oil

inspired by 80 Breakfasts

1 quart plain yogurt (without stabilizers)
Kosher salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, at least one cup
Black peppercorns, dried chilies, herbs, garlic cloves, the choice is yours (and optional)

2 sq ft (more or less) fine cheesecloth or butter muslin
1 colander
1 bowl (to go under the colander)
1 Large Mason jar or glass or ceramic bowl for storage

1. Line a colander placed over a deep catch bowl with cheesecloth. Spoon half of the curd into the cheesecloth and add a sprinkle roughly ½ tsp of salt over the surface. Then add the remaining curds to the cheesecloth and another ½ tsp of salt.

2. Allow the yogurt to drain in the refrigerator for at least 6-12 hours (or longer, even), depending on the consistency you desire. Once the cheese has reached the desired texture, remove it from the cheesecloth and place in a clean bowl. At this point you may add any salt, pepper, herbs and spices to the cheese, otherwise they will be added to the oil in the next step.

3. In a large Mason jar, or similar container, pour a generous quantity (enough to coat the bottom with at least ¼ inch) of good quality olive oil (something you enjoy the flavor of). With a clean spoon, scoop up a dollop of cheese and drop into the oil. If you have a drier textured cheese, lightly roll the cheese into balls before dropping into the oil. Drizzle oil over each layer before adding more to the container to help keep the balls of cheese separated. If you are adding flavorings (herbs, spices, etc.) you may choose to do so between layers, otherwise, lay them in at the top when you have finished with the cheese.

4. Add olive oil to cover and seal the container airtight with its accompanying lid or plastic wrap.

5. Store in the refrigerator for at least 5 days to allow the flavors to meld.

6. To serve, spoon out some of the cheese and oil into a dish and garnish with salt, pepper, and herbs if desired. Spread on toast, crusty bread, or crackers, and enjoy! Remaining cheese (covered in olive oil) will keep in the fridge for weeks.