This Mon Cheri is a delicious grilled ham and cheese sandwich filled with apple smoked ham drizzled with a rich creamy cheese sauce made with swiss, Brie and mascarpone cheese, piled onto a sweet red cherry and golden raisin chutney found in-between two grilled pieces of ciabatta, oh but wait there’s more—a few slices of crisp Granny Smith apples and some chopped chives to bring it all home.
This delicious grilled ham and cheese was created for The Wisconsin Grilled Cheese contest. Unfortunately, it didn’t win but it’s still delicious! My mom and I worked extra hard to create it.
INGREDIENTS
Cheese sauce ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon AP Flour
- 3/4 cup 2% Milk
- 1 cup Swiss Cheese
- 2 tablespoons Mascarpone cheese
- 2 tablespoons pinot grigio wine
- 1/4 cup brie cheese rind removed
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- to taste Cracked pepper
Cherry and golden raisin chutney
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup brown onion peeled, trimmed and small diced
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 1/4 cup water
Grilled cheese ingredients
- 4 slices ciabatta bread
- 4 slices ham
- 1/4 cup cheese sauce
- 1 ea Granny Smith apple thinly sliced
- 1 bunch chives thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Cheese Sauce
- In a saucepot add the butter and melt it completely on a low fire. Next stir the flour into the butter making a roux and cook for a few minutes on a low heat until the roux is runny and light in color. Whisk in the milk and remove any and all lumps. Whisk in the Swiss cheese, mascarpone and brie. Melt the cheese on a low fire and then add the wine, salt and cracked pepper. Once the cheese is melted set aside until all of the ingredients are ready.
Chutney
- Cherry and golden raisin chutney directions In a small pot add the butter and melt it completely. Then add the onions and combine with the butter. When the onions are glossy and aromatic add the cherries, golden raisins and water. Simmer the chutney for 10 minutes on a very low fire. After 10 minutes add the chutney into a blender and puree it into a thick yet runny consistency. Set aside.
Grilled Cheese
- Take the loaf of ciabatta and trim the top and the bottom of the bread exposing the inside and allowing the bread to be fully grilled when it’s time to cook it. Next cut the bread into desired size and cut each-bread through the middle. Next using a griddle melt the butter and add all four slices to the pan and toast them on a medium low heat on both sides. When all four sides are toasted add the chutney to the bottom bread, then add the ham, apple slices, top with cheese sauce and the top pieces of bread. Sprinkle cut chives and kosher salt all over the grilled cheeses and serve.
