Review: The Grilled Cheese Invitational

The Salty Cook attended last Saturday's "1st 8th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational" along with some friends. After an afternoon filled with cups of tomato soup and eating more cheese than ever before, here is what we thought:

The YEAHS!:

The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen

1 S. Park

San Francisco 94107

www.theamericansf.com

**Opening TBA

-Their "Piglet" grilled cheese was phenomenal -- sourdough, a smoked slab of ham, and cheesy goodness. This was a perfect blend of salty and savory!

-Kudos on the extra-large skillets--it was fun to watch and shortened the wait!

Campanile Restaurant

624 S. La Brea Ave.

Los Angeles 90036

www.campanilerestaurant.com

-Their standard grilled cheese featured La Brea Bakery bread and high quality gruyere, proving the saying that "less is more".

Greenspan's

a.k.a. Eric Greenspan's upcoming mac 'n cheese restaurant, set to open on Melrose next to his other restaurant, The Foundry, later this summer.

-They featured a grilled cheese that was basically an ooey gooey version of a reuben -- the pastrami grilled cheese with whole grain dijon mustard. Tangy and delicious!

The NAYS:

The Grilled Cheese Truck

www.thegrilledcheesetruck.com

-Now, many will probably disagree with this vote. But, considering that the Grilled Cheese Truck's sole purpose is to provide grilled cheese, you would think that the would have prepared a special menu of cheesy offerings in honor of the invitational. But despite this event, they did not offer any specials, and in fact, they actually limited their standard menu. Considering that they had two (!) trucks in attendance, they could have offered something besides their standards...

HotKnives

www.urbanhonking.com/hotknives

-First of all, they decided to offer one type of grilled cheese per two hour block. So, from 12pm-2pm, the only option was the "Band Camp ." I found this infuriating, because some people (including myself) did not stay for the full 6 hours of the event. That meant that your tasting opportunities were incredibly limited. This is an event celebrating grilled cheese, people! Bring your A-games.

-Second of all, they devised a 2-line system: one line to go up and order (but is it really ordering if you have no options?) then you receive a ticket and go to the back of the second line and wait for your pre-selected grilled cheese. I found this ridiculously time consuming, especially considering the fact that they were grilling only one kind of sandwich! One line would have been perfectly suitable, not to mention that everyone else in attendance seemed to manage just fine with one line.

--

P.S. -- LA-based ice-cream sandwich truck Cool Haus was also in attendance...YUM!

The Perfect Roast Chicken

It has taken many attempts, but I was finally able to produce a roast chicken that is incredibly moist, crispy, and, most importantly, interesting. The combination of the paprika with the lemon juice and white wine made for a very flavorful dish that packed a little bit of a punch! I baked yukon gold potatoes, onion, celery, and carrots along with the chicken, but any combo of veggies would work. Delicious!

1 whole roasting chicken, 3-5 pounds

2 t paprika

1 t thyme

2 sprigs fresh thyme, divided

1 t coarse sea salt

1 t black pepper

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 lemon, quartered

2 T plus 1 t extra virgin olive oil

1 pound yukon gold potatoes, quartered

1 large yellow onion, cubed

2 large celery stalks, sliced

2 large carrots, sliced

salt and pepper to taste

For the Gravy:

2 T whole wheat flour

1/2 C dry white wine

1 C low-sodium chicken broth

1 T fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1 t sugar

Preheat the oven to 425*. Combine the paprika, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Gently loosen the skin from the meat (you can do this by gently slipping your finger under the skin). Rub about 2/3 of the spice mixture under the skin of the chicken, spreading evenly. Thinly slice one lemon, then gently slip the slices under the skin of the chicken. Rub the remaining spice mixture on the skin of the chicken, then brush with 1 t. olive oil. Insert the lemon quarters and 2 sprigs of thyme into the cavity.

Place all of the vegetables in a large bowl. Toss in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Arrange the vegetables in the bottom of a large baking dish. Place the chicken, breast-side up, on the vegetables. Bake for 10 minutes at 425*, then an additional hour and 10 minutes at 325*. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

While the chicken rests, transfer the drippings from the baking dish into a ziplock bag. Allow the fat to rise to the top of the bag, about 10 minutes. Snip off a tiny portion of one of the corners of the bag, then let the drippings drain into a measuring cup, stopping before the fat. In a saucepan, combine flour and wine. Bring to a boil over low-medium heat, then add the drippings and remaining ingredients. Let simmer until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with the chicken and vegetables.

The Grilled Cheese Invitational

What:
The Grilled Cheese Invitational: Bread-Butter-Cheese-Victory!

When:
Saturday, April 24
12-6pm

Where:
Los Angeles Center Studios
1201 West Fifth Street

Etc. Details:
Tickets are $10 in advance (available online at: https://beticketing.com/_E1_view.php?editid1=99) or $15 at the door. Note: this event has been gaining popularity, so chances are that tickets will be slim to none day-of.

http://grilledcheeseinvitational.com

Why:
Melty goodness

Highlights:
Amateur and Professional Grilled Cheese Competitions
Cheesy samples (free and for purchase)
Cooking demo with Eric Greenspan (The Foundry chef-owner) and Mark Peel (Campanile chef-owner)
Beer Garden featuring Lagunitas, Stone and New Belgium

Image courtesy of The Grilled Cheese Invitational (GCI).

Pulled-Pork BBQ Sandwiches

This made a delicious dinner! The simplicity of the coleslaw complemented the richness of the pork perfectly.

1 boneless pork shoulder, 5 pounds
1 C barbecue sauce
1 carrot, shredded
2 C shredded green cabbage (about 1/2 of a small head)
2 T cider vinegar
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns

Slow-Cooker Method:
Place pork in slow-cooker, fat side up. Add 1/2 cup of water, season with salt and pepper and set on high for 1 hour. Reduce to low, then cook an additional 3 hours.

Oven Method:
Preheat oven to 450*. Place pork fat side up in a roasting pan or large Dutch oven with 1/2 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Roast 45 minutes, then remove from oven. Adjust the temperature to 350*. Tightly cover the pan with foil or a lid. Cook for 4 hours, or until meat is tender.

Coleslaw:
In a small bowl, combine cabbage, carrot, vinegar, olive oil with salt and pepper.

When the pork is cool enough to handle, remove fat from the top of the roast. Using two forks, shred the meat into bit-size pieces. In a small saucepan, combine the shredded pork with the barbecue sauce. Serve on hamburger buns, lightly toasted, with coleslaw either on the side or on the sandwiches.

Vinegar & Spice Ribs

These ribs had a little "sass" to them, due to the vinegar and garlic. Serve them hot, or take them along on a picnic and enjoy them chilled. I served these with a basic cole slaw, with some barbeque sauce on the side for dipping. Tastes like summertime!

3/4 C brown sugar

1/4 C cider vinegar

1/4 C lemon zest (about 4 lemons), plus the juice

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 T kosher salt

4 t paprika

2 t black pepper

2 full racks of baby back pork ribs (about 5 pounds)

Place all of the ingredients (excluding the ribs) into a small bowl. Whisk until ingredients are well-combined. Coat the ribs evenly with the marinade, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Note: the longer you can let it marinate, the better the flavors will be. I marinated mine for 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325*. As the oven warms up, remove the ribs from the fridge and allow them to get to room temperature (this takes about 20 minutes, so I took the ribs out of the fridge a few minutes before preheating the oven). Once the oven is ready, arrange each rack of ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place one baking sheet on the top rack, the other on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake the ribs for 45 minutes, then switch the baking sheets and bake for an additional 45 minutes.

Honey and Ricotta Turnovers

These turnovers were so nice and light--the perfect sweet treat after dinner! This recipe makes enough so you can freeze half for later.

3/4 C low-fat ricotta
3 T sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
pinch of salt
1/4 C unsalted butter
2 T honey, plus more for serving
12 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Preheat oven to 350*. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, sugar, vanilla, egg and a pinch of salt. Mix well to combine. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and honey until the butter melts, about 30 seconds on high. Stir well to combine.

Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a lightly floured work surface. Keep the remaining sheets of phyllo covered with a lightly damp towel to keep them from drying out. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the phyllo with the butter and honey mixture. Lay 2 more sheets of phyllo onto the first sheet, applying the honey mixture to each. Cut the dough crosswise into 4 rectangles. Place 1 T. of the ricotta mixture into the corner of each of the rectangles. Gently fold the corner opposite the corner containing the ricotta mixture in half to form a triangle. Tuck the extra folds of phyllo over the edges of the triangle, brushing some of the honey onto the edges to hold it together ("flag style"). Repeat this with the remaining rectangles, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 sheets of phyllo. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. Serve warm, drizzled with honey.

Repeat the entire process with the remaining 6 sheets of phyllo. Freeze in a single layer for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen at 350* for 30 minutes.

Cinnamon Rolls

This was my first (and most likely last) time making cinnamon rolls from scratch. Although the method was relatively simple, it was quite time consuming. If you want to serve these for brunch, make sure you allow for plenty of time for the dough to rise!

Rolls
1 C warm fat-free milk (100-110*)
5 T. melted butter, divided
1/3 C granulated sugar, divided
1 package quick-rise yeast (available in the baking aisle)
3 3/4 C all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 t. salt
Cooking spray
2/3 C packed brown sugar
1 1/2 T. ground cinnamon
1/3 C raisins

Icing
3 T. melted butter
2 T. half-and-half
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 C powdered sugar

Combine the milk, 3 T. melted butter, 1 T. sugar, and yeast. Let the mixture stand 5 minutes. Add the egg and remaining sugar. Gradually stir in 1 C flour until combined. Let the mixture stand 10 minutes.

Add 2 1/2 C flour and salt to the milk mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms (it will be quite sticky). Turn onto a floured surface. Knead until the dough becomes elastic, about 6 minutes. Add small amounts to flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands.

Place dough in a large bowl coated in cooking spray, then turn to coat the top of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for 35 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch the dough down, then cover and let rise for an additional 35 minute or until doubled in size. Punch the dough down for a third down, then let rest for 5 minutes.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon a small bowl. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into an 18 x 11" rectangle. Brush the remaining 2 T. melted butter over the dough, and sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle the raisins evenly over the dough.

Beginning at one long side of the rectangle, roll up the dough tightly. Pinch the seam to seal, excluding the ends. Cut the roll into 18 equal slices, about 1" each. Arrange 9 slices, cut sides up, into two 8" square baking dishes coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise for 35 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350*.

Uncover the rolls. Bake for 22 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes on wire racks, still in the baking dishes. Turn the rolls onto the wire rack and let cool for an additional 5 minutes.

While the rolls cool, combine 3 T. softened butter and cream. Whisk to combine, then stir in vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar, and stir until well-blended. Spread the icing over the rolls, and serve warm.

Roasted Beet Salad

This beet salad was delicious! The vinaigrette provides a nice contrast to the richness of the roasted beets. I can't wait to make this for my next cookout!

2 lbs beets (about 5 or 6 medium)
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
2 T white wine vinegar
1/2 t. dijon mustard
1/2 t. honey
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 C onion, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400*. Divide the beets into 2 aluminum foil packages. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until tender. Unwrap the beets and let them cool.

While the beets cool, whisk oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl to create the dressing.

Once the beets have cooled, slip off the skins. Cut the beets into 1/2" cubes and place in a large bowl, along with the celery and onion. Coat in the dressing, then toss well to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

The beet salad will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 days.

Smoked Salmon and Dill Deviled Eggs

These deviled eggs were a great variation on the original! Try this recipe with any variety of herbs, such as tarragon or chives. Delicious!

4 large eggs
1/8 C fat-free sour cream
1 T mayonnaise
1 t. dijon mustard
1 T minced fresh dill
2 ounces smoked salmon

Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover with cool water, about 1" above the tops of the eggs. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and place eggs in a bowl of cool water. Leave in the cool water about 10 minutes or until eggs are cool enough to handle.

Peel eggs, then cut in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a medium bowl. Mash the yolks with a form until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and stir will to combine. Spoon the mixture into the egg halves, about 1 tablespoon in each half. Garnish each deviled egg with a sprig of dill, if desirable.