I am just like everyone; there are days when I crave comfort food, especially after a stressful day. One of my favorite comfort foods is grilled cheese sandwiches dipped in tomato soup. I do not enjoy the tomato soup on its own, but when added to a warm, crispy, cheese filled sandwich it is wonderful. I do allow myself to enjoy my comfort foods; however I have been experimenting with some of them. Here is a great recipe for a more sophisticated grilled cheese sandwich. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Life is too short to not enjoy comfort foods once in a while.
Ingredients - serves 3
1 medium organic eggplants, sliced
Olive oil
3 ounces of fresh bocconcini mozzarella balls in whey, drained, patted dry and sliced
Organic unsalted Butter, soften
½ loaf grainy bread, sliced toast thickness or Sourdough bread (my personal favorite!!)
2 medium organic heirloom tomatoes
2 ounces organic arugula leaves
½ cup organic basil leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil
½ juicy lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
Instructions
Lightly brush eggplant slices in olive oil and grill until well done, once done, place two slices of mozzarella between two eggplant slices.
Butter the outside of the bread, while the eggplant is cooking, also cut the tomatoes.
Make a salad with the arugula and basil leaves. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and crushed garlic.
Finish making the sandwich by placing the buttered side down on a skillet, place the sandwiched eggplant and cheese on top and top with the other piece of bread, butter side-up.
Cook toasties over medium heat until bread is golden brown. Flip and cook the other side. Once cooked, remove from pan, cut in half and place tomatoes into the center of the sandwich.