Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook - Bobby Flay [16]
CEDAR-PLANKED BURGER ♦ RED WINE BARBECUE SAUCE, CHEDDAR CHEESE, SAUTÉED MUSHROOMS
GREEN CHILE CHEESEBURGER
BISON REUBEN SANDWICH ♦ HUNDRED ISLAND DRESSING
Grilled Cheese
GRILLED CHEESE
AGED CHEDDAR, GOAT CHEESE, BACON, GREEN TOMATO
This is the ultimate grilled cheese. Forget about American cheese; this grown-up grilled cheese features the real deals. I love goat cheese, but you couldn’t do this sandwich without the cheddar; goat cheese can be too crumbly to melt well, and cheddar—beyond having great flavor—gets all nice and gooey when melted, bringing all of the tasty components together. Tart green tomatoes balance the salty bacon, which is a big part of what makes this sandwich so amazing. One final note: A key factor in making any grilled cheese is to be sure the bread is well toasted.
Serves 4
8 (¼-inch-thick) slices double-smoked bacon
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 (1-inch-thick) slices Pullman or other good-quality white sandwich bread
8 (½-inch-thick) slices sharp cheddar cheese
6 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into 8 slices
2 green tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce baby arugula
Whole grain Dijon mustard (optional)
1. Place the bacon in a large cast-iron griddle or sauté pan over medium heat and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Clean the griddle and return to medium heat.
2. Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place 4 of the slices, buttered side down, on a cutting board or other clean flat surface. Top each slice of bread with 2 slices cheddar, 2 slices goat cheese, 2 slices tomato, and 2 slices bacon and season with salt and pepper. Place the remaining bread slices on top, buttered side up.
3. Cook the sandwiches on the griddle until golden brown on both sides and the cheddar cheese has melted, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the griddle. Open each sandwich and stuff some arugula into each one. Serve the sandwiches with mustard on the side, if desired, for dipping.
Lobster Club
LOBSTER CLUB
GREEN ONION DRESSING, CRISPY HAM, ARUGULA
The standard club sandwich layers turkey or chicken with bacon. Dressed up with lobster salad and thin slices of country ham, this sandwich is anything but standard. The fresh green onion dressing, both a component of the lobster salad and spread on the bread, has real impact in flavor and in presentation. The sandwich is amazing served on buttery, slightly spicy Chipotle Brioche, but a good-quality white Pullman loaf will certainly do in a pinch. Serve with a side of Barbecued Potato Chips to complete the Bar Americain experience.
Serves 4
½ cup canola oil
4 thin slices country ham
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 heaping tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 small stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 green onions, green and pale green parts, thinly sliced
¼ cup finely diced red onion
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ pounds cooked fresh lobster meat, chopped
8 (½-inch-thick) slices Chipotle Brioche, lightly toasted
Green Onion Dressing
1 ounce arugula leaves
1. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Working in batches, carefully add 2 slices of the ham at a time and cook until crispy on both sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
2. Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, both mustards, the celery, green onions, red onion, and parsley in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the lobster meat.
3. Spread each slice of bread with some of the green onion dressing. Divide half of the arugula among 4 slices of the bread. Top the arugula with some of the lobster salad and a slice of crisp ham. Place the remaining arugula on top of the ham and top with the remaining bread.
GREEN ONION DRESSING
Makes about ¾ cup
¼ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons