As promised, today’s recipe is the grilled cheese companion to the tomato soup recipe from earlier this week. As with most of what I post, there is a twist to the recipe. It is not just bread & cheese grilled together in melty goodness. There are a few unexpected components to this sandwich. While these particular ingredients may not be typical on a grilled cheese sandwich, they are quite good together. This very combination of fig preserves, blue cheese, and prosciutto comprise one of our favorite pizzas from the local wood-fired pizzeria. (Ham & Jam Pizza was a blog post last summer.)

Prior to that pizza, we had never used fig preserves on or in anything, so I was unsure as to whether I would be able to find it in our local grocery stores. (Our town is not big on specialty food choices, unless they are Polish or Lithuanian items.) Figs, one of the oldest fruits consumed by humans, originated in the Middle East and spread throughout the Mediterranean region. They were brought to North America in the 1500s. Most of the commercial figs grown in the US come from California, but they are also grown in the Southeast. I was pleasantly surprised to easily find fig preserves in the gourmet cheese section of our supermarkets. And I expect to find more delicious ways to use the condiment in the future!

Grilled Blue Cheese & Prosciutto Sandwich

Grilled Blue Cheese & Prosciutto Sandwich (adapted from southernkitchen.com) Total

Time Required: 20 minutes, Makes: 1 sandwich

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon fig preserves
2 slices sourdough bread
1 ounce blue cheese, thinly sliced
2 slices prosciutto
1 tablespoon butter, softened

Instructions:

Take a slice of sourdough bread and spread the preserves on one side, completely covering the slice.

Spread the preserves.

Layer the blue cheese slices over the preserves and follow it with the slices of prosciutto.

Add the cheese.

Then the ham.

Place another slice of the bread on top, and spread half of the softened butter on the top-facing side of the sandwich.

Butter the top piece of bread.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the sandwich inside the pan, with the buttered side facing down. Spread the remaining softened butter on the top side of the sandwich.

Grill the sandwiches.

Let the bread on the bottom cook until it is golden brown, then flip it to the other side. Let it cook on the second side until equally golden brown and the cheese is hot and melted throughout.

Wonderful with tomato soup!

Serve.

Stay warm!  ~Linda

Grilled Blue Cheese & Prosciutto Sandwich (adapted from southernkitchen.com) Total Time Required: 20 minutes Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon fig preserves
2 slices sourdough bread
1 ounce blue cheese, thinly sliced
2 slices prosciutto
1 tablespoon butter, softened

Instructions:

Take a slice of sourdough bread and spread the preserves on one side, completely covering the slice. Layer the blue cheese slices over the preserves and follow it with the slices of prosciutto. Place another slice of the bread on top, and spread half of the softened butter on the top-facing side of the sandwich.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the sandwich inside the pan, with the buttered side facing down. Spread the remaining softened butter on the top side of the sandwich.

Let the bread on the bottom cook until it is golden brown, then flip it to the other side. Let it cook on the second side until equally golden brown and the cheese is hot and melted throughout. Serve.