Wisconsin smoked gouda, with its nutty, buttery intensity, is one that can hold its own against this flavorful chutney, and the two make a great match in this smoked gouda grilled cheese sandwich. Here I’ve used one of my favorite techniques for making grilled cheese sandwiches. The technique calls for browning one surface of each slice of bread on the stovetop, tops each untoasted half with cheese, then finishes the melting process in the oven. // alexandracooks.com

More often than I would like to admit, I open the fridge and think: How can this be? How can there be nothing to make for dinner? Again.

A few nights ago this happened, but as I was closing the door, a spot of color — a few tablespoons of curried apple chutney in a jam jar — caught my eye and saved the day.

I had made the chutney, a mix of stewed apples, onion, ginger, vinegar, sugar, and curry a few weeks ago to pair with smoked gouda in a grilled cheese for a post over on the Wisconsin Cheese Talk blog. A spoonful of this sweet, tart, spicy condiment goes a long way, and the little that remained in the jar proved plenty for two good-sized grilled cheese made on peasant bread using my favorite Suzanne Goin technique.

ingredients
curried apple chutney
grated gouda
peasant bread
Wisconsin smoked gouda, with its nutty, buttery intensity, is one that can hold its own against this flavorful chutney, and the two make a great match in this smoked gouda grilled cheese sandwich. Here I’ve used one of my favorite techniques for making grilled cheese sandwiches. The technique calls for browning one surface of each slice of bread on the stovetop, tops each untoasted half with cheese, then finishes the melting process in the oven. // alexandracooks.com
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Grilled Cheese with Curried Apple Chutney

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Ingredients

For the chutney: 

  • 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • zest of 1 orange 
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • pinch kosher salt
  • pinch red pepper flakes to taste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • one lemon
  • small handful of cilantro, minced

For 1 grilled cheese:

  • 2 slices good, bakery style bread
  • mayonnaise
  • neutral oil such as  canola or grapeseed
  • 1–2 tablespoons curried apple chutney
  • Gouda, grated

Instructions

Make the chutney:

  1. Combine all of the chutney ingredients with the exception of the lemon and cilantro in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Uncover, mash the apples with a spoon (or potato masher or whisk) to help them breakdown, give everything a stir, cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly.
  2. Uncover, stir, and add the juice of half a lemon and the minced cilantro. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed: a pinch more salt or pepper flakes, a squeeze more lemon, etc. Transfer chutney to a storage vessel, let cool completely, cover and refrigerate.

Make the grilled cheese:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°.  Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over one side of each slice of bread. Add a thin layer of oil (2 teaspoons or so) to skillet. When the oil is hot, place the bread, mayonnaise side down in pan and let cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat, transfer bread to work surface. 
  2. Spread a layer of chutney over each non-toasted side of bread. Top with a handful of grated cheese. Place each slice of bread back into pan (cheese side up) and transfer skillet to the oven. Bake until cheese is melted, 5-7 minutes.
  3. Remove skillet from oven, press the two pieces of bread together, melted cheese sides in. Halve sandwich on a diagonal and let cool briefly before eating. 

 

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: American, Indian