Grilled Cheese with Blistered Tomato Soup

Before you start

• Preheat the cast-iron skillet.

  Give your 10-inch cast-iron skillet a full five minutes on medium-low heat before starting the sandwiches to ensure an even, consistent cooking surface.

Ingredients

• cherry or grape tomatoes1 pt
• extra virgin olive oil3 tbsp
• yellow onion1 large
• garlic3 clove
• crushed tomatoes28 oz
• chicken or vegetable broth1 1/2 cup
• tomato paste1 tbsp
• baking soda1/2 tsp
• granulated sugar1 tsp
• heavy cream1/4 cup
• sturdy white bread4 slice
• full fat mayonnaise3 tbsp
• processed American cheese2 slice
• sharp cheddar cheese2 slice
• Parmesan cheese1 tbsp
• kosher salt1 tsp
• black pepper1 tsp

Method

1. 01

   Blister the tomatoes in a smoking hot cast-iron skillet.

   Toss the cherry tomatoes in one tablespoon of olive oil, drop them into the hot pan, and let them sit untouched until the undersides are heavily charred and the skins burst. Scrape them into a bowl and wipe the skillet clean for later.

2. 02

   Build the savory base for the soup.

   In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, sweat the chopped onion in the remaining olive oil until translucent, then add the garlic and tomato paste, stirring constantly until the paste darkens to a deep rust color.

3. 03

   Simmer the soup with the diner baking soda trick.

   Pour in the crushed tomatoes, broth, blistered tomatoes, sugar, and baking soda. The soup will foam briefly as the soda neutralizes the tinny acid of the canned tomatoes; bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for twenty minutes.

4. 04

   Blend the soup and finish with heavy cream.

   Puree the soup with an immersion blender until velvety smooth, stir in the heavy cream, and season heavily with salt and black pepper before keeping it warm.

5. 05

   Spread mayonnaise from edge to edge on the bread.

   Lay your bread slices on a board and coat one side of each with a thin layer of full-fat mayonnaise, dusting with a little freshly grated Parmesan if you like.

6. 06

   Drop the sandwiches into the skillet and dome them immediately.

   Place the bread mayo-side down into a preheated cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat, layer on the American and cheddar cheeses, top with the remaining bread, and cover instantly with a pot lid to trap the steam and melt the cheese.

7. 07

   Execute the short-order scrape.

   Remove the lid, slide a stiff, sharp-edged metal spatula under the bread at a firm angle, and scrape forward with authority to shear the sandwich off the metal without tearing your hard-won crust.

8. 08

   Flip the sandwiches and crisp the second side.

   Turn the sandwiches confidently and cook uncovered until the bottom is a deep mahogany gold and the cheese is weeping down the sides.

9. 09

   Rest the sandwiches on a cooling rack before slicing.

   Transfer the sandwiches to a wire rack for sixty seconds so the escaping steam doesn't turn the bottom soggy, then slice on a sharp diagonal and serve alongside a heavy mug of the hot soup.

Notes

• Respect the thermal mass.

  A cast-iron skillet replicates the heat retention of a commercial flat-top; preheat it thoroughly on medium-low for at least five minutes so the heat is saturated and even, rather than screaming hot and prone to incinerating the bread.

• Arm yourself with the right spatula.

  A flimsy silicone flipper has ruined many home-cooked diner meals; you need a stiff, sharp-edged stainless steel turner to apply downward pressure and cleanly separate the crust from the pan.

• Master moisture management.

  Moving a screaming hot sandwich directly to a cold ceramic plate traps the evaporating steam and instantly creates a soggy bottom. Let it breathe on a wire rack for a minute before plating.

• Leverage the baking soda trick.

  A fractional amount of baking soda neutralizes the sharp citric acid in canned tomatoes, creating a smoother flavor profile and guaranteeing the heavy cream integrates flawlessly without curdling.