Recipe
This Grilled Cheese Has A Sweet Secret Addition
The following is an excerpt from James Beard Award-winning chef Karen Akunowicz's latest cookbook, "Crave: Bold Recipes That Make You Want Seconds," available on September 19 on Amazon.
Sometimes our cravings are simple: a homemade grilled cheese — toasty, golden, and melty. However, adding a layer of those sweet and sour notes puts this simple sandwich on a whole new level. Caponata is a miracle condiment, it has those sweet and sour notes that drive our taste buds wild and a hint of spice to keep us coming back for more. Typically it is made with eggplant, but I replace the eggplant with dried figs that amp up the sweetness and give it more texture. I like to use sliced smoked Gouda here, but you could easily swap it out for Cheddar or even mozzarella.
Grilled Cheese With Fig Caponata
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Servings: 4
Ingredients
- cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 cup medium-diced Spanish white onions
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup small-diced red bell peppers
- tsp chopped fresh thyme
- tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 cup dried figs sliced into rounds
- cup red wine vinegar
- cup pureed canned San Marzano tomatoes bought pureed or buy whole and use an immersion blender or food mill to puree
- cup water
- 1 tbsp capers rinsed well
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- For the sandwiches
- 8 slices firm sandwich bread such as sourdough; a baguette is also delicious; just slice lengthwise
- 12 ounces smoked Gouda sliced
- 5.3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature