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
- 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.
- Combine Jack and jalapeños in a small bowl. Spread butter on 1 side of each slice of bread.
- 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).
- 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.