Friday, November 20, 2015

Grilled Smoked Gouda and Korean Pear Sandwich



It's Korean Pear season! Are you as excited as I am? You should be. Korean Pears are sweet, juicy, and crunchy, and so are perfect for eating, snacking, and baking. Unlike the more traditional varieties that are either mealy or mushy, and largely insipid, these peel-and-eat fruits are crunchy like an apple, pair (if you'll pardon the pun) nicely with cheeses of all varieties, prove excellent in cooking (you must try this lovely fall pork dish, Pork Tenderloin with Sauteed Korean Pears and Brandy Cream Sauce – delicious!), and make one heck of a tasty addition to a grilled cheese sandwich.

I grew up eating a lot of grilled cheese/tomato soup lunches. I still like the soup-and-sandwich combo, but today mixed things up a bit by serving us each a cup of
broccoli cheese soup and halving a Smoked Gouda and Korean Pear sandwich. The soup had already been prepared, so just needed warming; the sandwich could not have been easier. This recipe makes one large sandwich, perfect for halving and sharing.

Grilled Smoked Gouda 
and Korean Pear Sandwich

2 large slices marble rye
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 cup grated smoked Gouda
1
Melissa's Korean pear, peeled, cored, and thinly diced

Spread one side of each slice of marble rye with half of the butter.

Place one slice, butter size down, into a 9” saute pan. Top with half of the shredded cheese, spreading out to cover entire slice. Arrange pear slices evenly on top. Cover pears with remaining cheese. Top with the remaining slice of buttered rye, butter side up. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until cheese starts to get melty and bread browns. Using a spatula, carefully flip bread over to brown the other side. When browned to your liking, remove from pan to cutting board and cut in half. Serve with your favorite soup.
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4 comments:

Deborah Lacy said...

This sounds so yummy. I love Asian pears, rye bread and gouda! I can't wait to try this sandwich. It might also be good with apples.

Mae Travels said...

From a review of the book "Cheese, Pears, and History in a Proverb" -- "'Do not let the peasant know how good cheese is with pears' goes the extremely well known yet hard to decipher saying. Intrigued by this proverb, which has endured since the Middle Ages, Massimo Montanari launches an adventurous history of its origins and utility."

So your combination is a very historic classic!

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

~~louise~~ said...

What an intriguing combination, Pattie. I LOVE it, including the soup!!! Asian pears are just hitting the markets out this way. I'll be looking forward to eating them. Who knows, once things calm down around here I may even get to prepare this sandwich!

Thanks so much for sharing, Pattie...

Jennifer@MyFlagstaffHome said...

What a yummy dish! Thanks for sharing at My Flagstaff Home!

Jennifer