Kimchi Grilled Cheese Ronald. This ooey, gooey, crunchy, tart, salty, wonderfully indulgent, grilled cheese sandwich is Ron’s go-to snack after a three-hour mountain bike ride. No need to worry about the calories! Despite that fact that he loads up on carbs before a ride, he’s spent when he gets home. I try to have a snack ready for him, but if I’ve been otherwise occupied that day, he relishes the ritual of constructing (and eating!) this sandwich. It takes no time at all.
You may be surprised to hear that there is technique to creating the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. You start with the best ingredients, of course – fresh-baked sourdough bread, unsalted butter, house-made kimchi, a melty cheese. Starting the first slice of bread in a cold pan so that the bread doesn’t caramelize before the cheese melts is key. Ron uses a cast-iron pan, which is non-stick and which produces such a crispy exterior on the buttered sourdough. You bite through the crunch and the bread is still alive. The cheese mellows the hot/sour bite of the kimchi. Grilled Cheese is wonderfully reminiscent of childhood, but Kimchi Grilled Cheese Ronald is all grown up, a bit more complex. Interesting. Yummy.
Kimchi Grilled Cheese Ronald
Ingredients
- 2 thick slices sourdough bread
- butter
- 1/4 cup kimchi
- 2 ounces cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Butter the bread, slice the cheese, and strain the kimchi – Generously butter one side of each slice of bread. Thinly slice the cheese. Drain as much liquid from the kimchi as possible to prevent a soggy sandwich.
- Sauté the bread – Place the bread butter side down in a cold pan, layer the cheese on top, Cover the pan and cook on very low heat until the butter is melted, the cheese is softening, and the bread is just starting to crisp.
- Assemble the sandwich and grill – Spread the kimchi evenly on one piece of bread and cover with the other piece, so that the kimchi gets cozy with the cheese. Press down with a spatula and cook on moderately high heat until the bread is golden brown and well-toasted. Plate and Serve.
Notes
What’s your favorite go-to snack? Ditch the chips! This Kimchi Grilled Cheese Ronald is a bit indulgent, I admit. But you’re not eating it every day, and you’re not eating factory food from McDonald’s. This is MacDonald fare. So good.