Kale & Fontina Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese use to be a food of childhood only. Something you remember being served in the school cafeteria or on snow days with a bowl of soup. Now you find it on most upscale menus in one form or another.

I still think the best version is enjoyed at home; maybe now it includes some fancier ingredients and a glass of wine to go with it. It was a single ingredient found while exploring a new town that led to this version of the classic sandwich.

Originally I headed to Lambertville, NJ to check out the multiple antique shops, but we found so much more. The walkable downtown area is packed with cute little shops and eateries. Located on the Delaware River it is just a short walk across the bridge into Pennsylvania where you find another little walkable town full of shops and eats. Pick a beautiful day and you could spend the whole time exploring.

One place we stumbled onto was Savour gourmet food store. This quaint little shop is filled with fine foods from both local and international brands. On a recommendation from the shop owner I picked up a small jar of Eat This Yum! Balsamic Caramelized Onions. Originally I had planned on grabbing a hunk of cheese, crackers, and some veggies for a quick picnic style meal. But there was just something calling me to smear it on a grilled cheese. So the kale, fontina, balsamic onion grilled cheese was griddled and devoured.

I’m sure if you’ve spent any time in the kitchen you know how to make a grilled cheese, but there are a few things that can help take your sandwich to the next level.

Bread

The bread is your base so you need to make sure it will stand up to the extra fillings in this sandwich. Opt for a farmhouse style bread with bigger slices and a hearty texture that won’t tear.

Cheese

This version is made with fontina which leads to a perfectly melty inside. The key to the perfect melt is choosing the right cheese. Stick to semi-soft cheeses such as fontina, gruyere, and gouda. The other thing to do, especially if using a harder cheese, is shred the cheese for a faster more even melt.

Fillings

We love spinach and tomatoes, but they can lead to sad soggy sandwiches. If using fillings with higher water content pull out some of the moisture by sautéing or patting with a paper towel. Or use the item sparingly, such as in the case of fresh spinach. Also, make sure you evenly distribute the fillings across the bread base. No body wants a lopsided sandwich.

Butter

Softened butter is the only way to go. I’ve seen people try to make sandwiches with cold hard butter and it just leads to ripped bread or uneven spread. And you want an even spread for a sandwich that is perfectly griddled on the outside.

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