Buttery toasted bread stuffed with spicy jalapeños and nutty aged Monterey Jack cheese is sure to be a top contender for your no-time-to-cook meal of choice.

What to buy: Use the best aged Jack you can find; we are particularly fond of Vella Dry Monterey Jack.

This recipe was featured as part of our Chile Pepper Recipes photo gallery.

See more grilled cheese combinations.

  • Yield: 1 sandwich
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 20 mins 
  • Active: 20 mins

Ingredients (5)

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 2 medium jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 1 1/2 ounces grated aged Monterey Jack cheese (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 (1/2-inch-thick, 7-by-3-inch-long) slices pain au levain

Instructions

  1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. When it’s heated, add oil and jalapeños. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauté peppers until tender, about 5 minutes. Set jalapeños aside and let cool slightly.
  2. Combine Jack and jalapeños in a small bowl. Spread butter on 1 side of each slice of bread.
  3. Return the pan to medium-low heat. Once the pan is warm, add 1 slice of bread (buttered side down), top with cheese mixture, then close sandwich with second bread slice (buttered side up).
  4. Cook until bread is toasted and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes per side.

Beverage pairing: Benton Lane Pinot Gris, Oregon. There are two main flavors in this sandwich: herbaceous, spicy peppers and rich, nutty cheese. A good Pinot Gris such as Benton Lane’s has the same duality: a lovely, herbaceous “greenness” along with rich, apple fruit.