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Grilled Cheddar Sandwiches with Bacon and Tomato

Source of Recipe

From "Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food" by Rick Rodgers


Recipe Introduction

"A grilled cheese sandwich, with its crunchy exterior and melting center, is high on my list of comfort foods. Since it's comprised of just a few simple ingredients, quality will make all the difference, so seek out a true farmhouse Cheddar, some seriously thick applewood-smoked bacon, and the juiciest tomatoes you can find."

List of Ingredients

◦  4 to 6 thick slices applewood-smoked bacon
◦  4 slices country-style bread
◦  ¼ pound thinly sliced sharp farmhouse Cheddar cheese
◦  4 thick slices ripe tomato, drained on paper towels
◦  2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature


Recipe

In a large frying pan, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp and brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard the fat in the pan. Cut each bacon slice in half crosswise.

Lay two of the bread slices on a work surface and top each with one-fourth of the cheese, 2 slices of tomato, half of the bacon, and the remaining cheese. Top with the remaining two bread slices. Spread the outsides of each sandwich with 1 tablespoon of the butter.

Return the frying pan to medium heat. Add the sandwiches.
Place a flat lid or a heatproof plate on the sandwiches to weight them down. Cook until the undersides are golden brown and the cheese starts to melt, about 2 minutes. Flip the sandwiches, weight them down with the lid, and brown the other sides, about 2 minutes more. Cut each sandwich in half and serve at once.


Makes 2 sandwiches