Grilled Cheese (Take 2)
- ktsveggielife
- Feb 15, 2017
- 3 min read
I decided to give you a break from Mexican food by catching up on some recipes that I did not have a chance to post before my trip because I was too busy getting ready for the trip.
For our anniversary in December, we went to this awesome Vegetarian restaurant in SLC called Zest. We originally tried to go there for my birthday, in February of 2016, but it is technically a "bar" because it doesn't have a "Zion Curtain" (gotta love UT) and since we had a 6 month old infant, we were denied entry. It only took us 10 months to get back there, shows how often we go out and how often we are willing to get a sitter, and I am glad we did. Everything is vegetarian and gluten free (I don't care about the gf part but for those who do, this is a place for you) and anything can be made vegan upon request.
So, I ordered the grilled cheese sandwich with the soup of the day, tomato soup. I felt like a kid when the only thing I would order when we went out to eat was a grilled cheese sandwich and cheese fries if I was lucky. I have come so far since then. Anyway, I ordered that, Derek ordered curry and we shared. The grilled cheese trumped the curry. And that is saying something. So, I decided I was going to try to recreate the masterpiece. The things I needed were these:
Thick wheat bread (check)
Apples (check)
Pesto (check)
Caramelized Red Onions (check)
Good, melty vegan cheese (???)
I have yet to find a vegan cheese from the store that I love. I have found ones I like, but they are so pricey and I am a tightwad so I have a hard time forking over $4+ for a tiny bag of shredded soy cheese. There was only one solution, I had to master making vegan cheese.
With a wee bit of Pinterest searching, I found a super easy recipe for vegan mozzarella cheese from Gourmandelle and it is so good. Good enough that my husband was fooled for a minute and then said, "Wait, I ate the rest of the cheese yesterday..." And it only takes 20 minutes. No cheese cloth. The only foresight you need is to soak your cashews overnight. Or you could start them in the morning, you'd be okay. You can find the recipe here, but I will include the ingredients you will need so you can grab them when you are shopping.
I served these sandwiches with my tomato soup and it was to die for. It will not disappoint. I promise.
Ingredients
Thick whole wheat bread, 2 slices/person
1-2 Gala Apples, sliced
Pesto Sauce
1/2 Red Onion, sliced thin
Olive Oil
Vegan Cheese of choice
*I have included the recipe from Gourmandelle below*
2 cups (~250g) raw cashews, soaked overnight
1⅔ cups (~400ml) hot water
6 Tbsps tapioca starch/flour
4 Tbsps nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Directions
1. Make vegan cheese (see directions below photo)
2. Slice red onions and saute until very soft and caramelized in olive oil
3. Assemble your sandwiches: spread pesto on one side of bread and top with sliced apples, onions, and cheese. Cover with other slice of bread.
4. I used a grilled cheese maker. You can do that or use a panini maker, or a griddle/pan. Grill your sandwich until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy.
5. ENJOY dipped in tomato soup
(Directions for vegan mozzarella balls)
Put all ingredients in your food processor or blender. Blend well until it has the consistency of milk.
Put a large saucepan over medium heat.
Pour the "milk" in the pan.
Start stirring continuously.
After a few minutes the cheesy sauce with start to thicken. Cook it while continuously stirring for about 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and let it sit for a few minutes.
Fill a large bowl with ice cold water. Add 1 Tbsp of salt and dissolve it.
Using an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, start scooping small mozzarella balls from the composition.
Put the balls in the water and let them cool for one minute. You can refine their shape using your hands too.
Do this until you finish the composition. You can store the vegan mozzarella balls in the fridge for a couple of days
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