For years, I’ve had the goal to learn how to make the perfect grilled cheese. It makes sense when you think about it. I talk about cheese pairings and what makes great mac and cheese, so why not expand that into the grilled cheese market. I can’t wait to take this adventure with you.
Today I made a caramelized onion Boursin and asiago grilled cheese. We’ll look at what went right, what didn’t quite work out, and where I plan to go from here.
Ingredients
It’s important to consider the ingredients that go into our recipes. While plenty of good dishes come from throwing a ton of ingredients into a pot, a little bit of forethought goes a long way into creating a cohesive dish.
Bread
As I research this project, one could argue that bread is as varied and diverse as pasta types. However, we’re going to start with the basics and today that means regular Sara Lee honey wheat bread. You want something without a ton of holes so it holds the cheese well.
Cheeses
When I design recipes, I take into consideration where the flavor is going to show up. Sometimes these flavors are instant, but they fade quickly and these are opener flavors. Other ingredients take a few seconds to develop but shine throughout the end of the bite. The best recipes make use of both opener and closer flavors to help each ingredient shine without overpowering others. This caramelized onion Boursin and Asiago grilled cheese makes use of two great cheeses that give interesting qualities to our sandwich. The Boursin hits immediately with creamy, tangy richness while Asiago melts slowly and lingers with nutty depth, making this a balanced recipe with the perfect texture contrast to keep it interesting.
Caramelized Onion Boursin
Boursin is the most well-known Gournay cheese, known for its mild flavor and spreadable texture. Frequently it comes in flavored varieties, like the caramelized onion version I used in today’s recipe, and they afford an opening to your dish. The creaminess adds an interesting texture layer to the grilled cheese that contrasts beautifully with the Asiago.
The Kitchn has a recipe on how to make your own Boursin at home if you really want to up your game.
Asiago
Asiago is an Italian cheese made from cow’s milk. It comes in two varieties: aged and young, which play very differently in a grilled cheese. For a cheese pull, you’ll want to stick with the younger version. The aging process will produce a drier cheese that won’t have the meltability that young Asiago offers. It’ll still bring plenty of nutty closing flavor, but the meltiness and stretchy texture take this recipe over the top.
You can learn more about Asiago in my article, How to use Asiago in Mac and Cheese.
Mayonnaise
There’s a lot of debate when it comes to what you spread on the outside of grilled cheese. Some people use butter. Others use mayonnaise. I’m in the mayo camp.
The largest ingredient in mayonnaise is oil, so it makes sense to use it to keep your grilled cheese from sticking. Additionally, mayo gives your grilled cheese that classic golden crust that will make your sandwich craveable.
Not every ingredient is in a recipe to add flavor, and this is one of them. There’s a lot of science behind the scenes, but mayonnaise offers the perfect set of circumstances to allow even browning to occur.
What to Serve with Caramelized Onion Boursin and Asiago Grilled Cheese
On its own, this grilled cheese is a great base for a meal, but it really shines when paired with something that helps it stand out.
- Arugula salad adds bitterness to cut the richness.
- Bright tomato soup offers acidity and freshness.
- Pickled vegetables provide snap and contrast.
- Sliced apples echo the sweetness of the caramelized onion and add freshness.
Add a fork
This Caramelized Onion Boursin and Asiago grilled cheese was the perfect introduction to grilled cheeses at mac and cheese club. It has balanced opener and closer flavors in a toasty package that’s hard to pass up
