Inside Out Grilled Cheese Club Sandwich
| Serves | 24 |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Cheese |
| Menu Part | Sandwich/Wrap |
Chef Grant Morgan
Velvet Taco
Plano, Texas
Velvet Taco’s chef Grant Morgan turns this sandwich inside out by grilling the cheese on the outside of the bread to create an irresistibly crispy exterior. To enhance the sandwich experience even more, he adds two house-made condiments: basil aioli and mustard vinaigrette. To complete the build, the sandwich is then stuffed with roast turkey, kale, tomato, avocado slices and bacon.
Ingredients
Basil puree
8 oz. basil leaves, stemmed
6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
Basil aioli
4 cups mayonnaise
½ cup basil puree (recipe above)
¼ cup chopped garlic
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. freshly ground pepper
Dijon mustard vinaigrette
2½ cups olive oil
2 cups red wine vinegar
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. kosher salt
Sandwich
3 lb. Hispanic-style Manchego cheese, grated
48 thick-cut slices brioche bread
1½ lb. unsalted butter
6 cups baby kale leaves
6 lb. thinly sliced roast turkey
48 thick slices tomato
12 avocados, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼-in. slices
96 slices thick Applewood-smoked bacon, cooked crisp
Steps
1. For basil puree, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add basil leaves and blanch for 20 seconds. Transfer leaves to an ice water bath for a few seconds; drain and pat dry. Place basil, oil and salt in food processor; blend until completely puréed.
2. For basil aioli, whisk together mayonnaise, ½ cup basil puree, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in stainless-steel bowl until thoroughly mixed; set aside.
3. For each sandwich, preheat flat top griddle to 350 F. Evenly spread 1 ounce grated manchego cheese the size of each bread slice on heated griddle; place bread slice on top and gently press down. Cook until cheese is light brown and a little crispy. Repeat with second piece of bread and 1 ounce grated cheese.
4. Place 2 tablespoons butter on griddle and spread out evenly with spatula. Flip both bread slices onto melted butter to brown and crisp the sides without cheese. Remove bread to serving plate.
5. Evenly spread 2 tablespoons basil aioli on the butter-toasted sides of bread. Toss ¼ cup baby kale leaves with mustard Vinaigrette and arrange evenly over 1 side of bread. Top kale with 4 ounces turkey. Place 2 slices tomato on top of turkey and lay 4 slices avocado over tomatoes. Lay 4 slices bacon across avocado then top with second bread slice, cheese-toasted side out. Slice at angle before serving.
Photo courtesy of California Milk Advisory Board