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Gourmet grilled cheese with date jam and radicchio.
Photo, Roberto Caruso.
The humble sandwich goes haute. Build a better sandwich with a few fresh ingredients and some creative upgrades.
2/3 cup grated mozzarella
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
3 tbsp butter
2/3 cup roughly chopped pitted dates, preferably Medjool
1 shallot, sliced
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
4 slices bacon
4 thick slices sourdough bread
4 to 8 leaves radicchio
Combine mozzarella and blue cheese in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium. Add dates and shallot. Season with pepper. Cook until shallot is soft, about 2 min. Add 1/3 cup water and vinegar. Continue cooking until liquids are absorbed and dates are soft, 1 to 2 more min. Transfer to a small bowl.
Wipe pan clean with paper towels, then set over medium. Cook bacon until crispy, about 5 min. Discard fat and wipe pan clean.
Spread date mixture over all 4 slices of bread. Layer bacon, cheese and radicchio on 2 slices and sandwich with remaining bread. Spread remaining butter on the outside of each sandwich.
Cook sandwiches in frying pan over medium-low, until bread is golden, about 4 min per side. Cut each sandwich in half.
Calories 405, Protein 12g, Carbohydrates 50g, Fat 19g, Fibre 4g, Sodium 713mg.