Another delightfully surprising element of this sandwich is the inclusion of apricot preserves. Fruit and cheese make a great taste combo. Just think about how many times you have served a fruit-and-cheese plate to your guests.

Fruit also pairs extremely well with meats, especially a salty or spicy bacon. The sweetness of the apricot preserves also balances out the piquant taste that is introduced by the balsamic vinegar reduction that is drizzled over the completed sandwich, almost like an after-thought.

It is just the perfect amount, however, because balsamic vinegar has a bold sweet-tart taste. Preparing a reduction of balsamic vinegar concentrates this strong taste even further. Using too much of it would spoil the entire sandwich!

 

INGREDIENTS

A few slices of bacon

2 slices of sandwich bread (sourdough would be awesome)

Apricot preserves (or jam)

Brie cheese

Butter

About 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

Fresh Basil, for garnish, if desired
DIRECTIONS

Cook the bacon and remove from pan. Drain on paper towel.

Spread apricot preserves on both slices of bread.

Add slices of brie and the cooked bacon and put the sandwich together.

Liberally butter both sides of the sandwich on the outside and cook, covered, over medium heat, flipping halfway through until the bread is browned and the cheese is melted (if the cheese still isn’t melted all the way, sometimes I just take the sandwich apart and put the cheese directly on the pan for a few seconds).

Meanwhile, put the balsamic vinegar in a small, microwavable cup or bowl in the microwave. Cook on high in minute-long increments, stirring between each increment, until it starts to boil. Then heat and stir every 20 seconds until syrupy (you can also do this on the stove).

Drizzle the finished grilled cheese with the balsamic reduction and garnish with basil if desired.

USE RED NEXT PAGE LINK BELOW

NEXT

Quick Tip:  In a sandwich like this, where the bacon is a key element, don’t be afraid to try some of the different bacons on the market these days, such as maple-cured, honey-jalapeno, and apple wood-smoked.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Yammie at Yammie’s Noshery