Grilled Cheese with Honey and Prosciutto

SoupAddict was bowled over to learn that April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Normally, she never hears about these things until they’ve already passed. Like National Soup Month (January – totally missed that one [hangs head in shame]). And National Potato Chip Day (March 14th). Then there’s National Doughnut Day (first Friday of June). And National Talk Like a Pirate Day (Sept 19th – SoupAddict knows about this one, but forgets about it every, single year. Arrrrrr! This time, she’s putting it on her Google Calendar, and hopes that da Googles will come through for her).

A whole month of grilled cheese. SoupAddict doesn’t know who thinks these things up, but hopes they’ll be rewarded in the ever-after with copious quantities of whatever makes their tummies sing. Like this Grilled Cheese with Honey and Prosciutto, which definitely makes SoupAddict’s tummy sing.

Also, on a list of National days and months, SoupAddict noticed that today is National Blame Somebody Else Day, which SoupAddict plans to take full advantage of here and at work. (Note, for example, that SoupAddict predicts she will overlook a misspelling or two of “prosciutto.” On this, she’ll blame the very inventors of prosciutto, who should’ve foreseen, those many years ago, that one day someone called “SoupAddict” would have fingers with an odd muscle memory that insist on typing “proscuitto” on the yet-to-be-invented Interwebs.)

This grilled cheese version, which features soft, creamy cheeses, begs for hearty bread that toasts up with a snappy crunch, like this artisan multigrain loaf.

Very-thinly sliced prosciutto provides just the right amount of mild, salty-hammy contrast to the smooth, creamy texture of the cheese.

SoupAddict loves fresh basil, which is getting ever easier to find as Spring progresses (SoupAddict maintains an entire garden of nothing but various basils, the seedlings for which are up and at ’em and waving for the light).

SoupAddict wandered amongst the selection of cheeses at the local gourmet cheese shop, and couldn’t decide between these two: Fromage d’Affinois (left) and Taleggio (your other left). So she bought both. The Fromage d’Affinois is smooth and creamy, like buttery cream cheese, with a high-spreadability factor. The Taleggio is a bit more assertive, without Brie’s mushroomy overtones (which SoupAddict dislikes). The two together were lovely. But if you’re a Brie fan, go with the Brie.

SoupAddict couldn’t resist the packaging of this fun find. And yes, there are actual salt crystals visible in the butter. The butter is just awesome. Vermont sure knows how to coax smooth, creamy goodness out of lumpy, cud-chewing cows.

The buttered bread slices are ready to be assembled.

Spread the cheese(s) on a slice of bread, and drizzle honey over the top. Resist the urge to eat as-is (although, this would be a fantastic breakfast…).

Layer on the prosciutto, followed by the basil. Spread a very thin layer of coarse ground mustard on the remaining slice….

And sandwich up!

SoupAddict must give yet another nod to her panini grill, which heats up these cheesy wonders lickety-split. And leaves behind adorable grill marks in the process. SoupAddict like love.

Grilled Cheese with Honey and Prosciutto

Ingredients:
8 slices crusty bread
butter, softened for spreading
6 oz soft cheese (such as Brie. SoupAddict used both Fromage d’Affinois and Taleggio)
4 oz prosciutto, shaved or sliced chiffonade
2 fresh basil leaves, sliced chiffonade
honey, for drizzling
course ground mustard, for spreading

Instructions:

1. Butter one side of all of the bread slices.
2. Spread a medium-thick layer of cheese on the non-buttered sides of 4 of the slices. Drizzle honey over the cheese.
3. Add a thin layer of prosciutto on the honey, following by a sprinkling of basil.
4. Spread a very thin layer of mustard on the non-buttered sides of the remaining 4 slices. Then top the each of the cheese halves with the mustard coated slices.
5. Grill both sides of each sandwich in a pan, electric griddle, or panini press, until cheese is nice and melty.