Kimchi Grilled Cheese

Happy New Year! For my first recipe of the year, I really wanted to take it back to something simple and comforting because 2020 was a dumpster fire of a year. So what is better than a simple grilled cheese and tomato soup? I put my own twist on this recipe by making it a kimchi grilled cheese. I have always loved how kimchi can cut through heavy flavors like cheddar, so I thought it would work perfectly to dress up a plain ole grilled cheese. Even my mom loved it and she was skeptical at first.

Using mayonnaise vs butter

A lot of grilled cheese recipes out there use butter for the crust, but I read that mayonnaise actually makes a better crust, so I decided to try it. After testing both, I concluded the mayo people have it right; mayo creates for a browner, crispier crust. However, I will say butter has a better flavor even though the crust is not as crispy. If I had to give a recommendation, I would say use mayo if you have it but butter works just as well.

My simple tomato soup recipe

You cannot have a grilled cheese without tomato soup, so I whipped up a simple batch with 4 ingredients: olive oil, 1 shallot, 6 tomatoes, and 1 can of chicken broth. First cut the tomatoes into 4 pieces and roughly chop the shallots. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a soup pot with the shallots. Cook for ~30 seconds until the shallots are soft. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes until the tomatoes soften a bit. Add the can of chicken broth (use veggie broth to make it vegetarian). Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Simmer for 40 minutes. Pour into a blender and pulse until a smooth consistency. If the soup is not thick enough for you, put it back in the pot and reduce until it is the consistency you desire. Serve with a side of grilled cheese!

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