Grilled Cheese with Mushroom-Olive-Pepperocini Relish
A grilled cheese should be perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside. This one, a grown-up version of my favorite childhood sandwich, is inspired by both an Italian antipasto plate and the English cheese toastie, with its sweet-and-sour Branston pickle.
4 sandwiches
- Make the relish: Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and dry sauté for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking (they will release moisture as they cook).
- In a bowl, combine the mushrooms, pepperoncini, olives, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Make the sandwiches: Cut eight ½-inch-thick (1 cm) slices of bread. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, shave the cheese into very thin slices. Place the bread on a cutting board or sheet pan and spread ½ tablespoon butter on one side of each slice. Flip 4 slices over, buttered side down, and top each with 4 tablespoons relish, followed by cheese slices, dividing evenly. Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread, buttered side up.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook the sandwiches until golden, about 4 minutes per side, pressing down firmly on each side with a spatula occasionally, and flipping and pressing at least twice. Sprinkle both sides of each sandwich with salt. Serve hot.
