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Good Day Gourmet: Provolone-Fontina grilled cheese with tomato-basil bisque

Published  July 25, 2018 10:23am EDT
Good Day Gourmet
FOX 13 Tampa Bay

TAMPA (FOX 13) - It's been a rainy week for Tampa Bay, making it the perfect storm for a comfort recipe.

Vanessa created her own spin on a grilled cheese sandwich and a tomato bisque, but with an Italian flare. Her recipe below provides a serving for four people.

Watch the video above for directions; here's what you'll need to make it:

INGREDIENTS:

Bisque
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
29 oz. can of tomato purée
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbsp. chicken bouillon
4 cups water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup cream sherry
Salt, pepper, & cayenne pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. fresh basil
1 tbsp. oregano

Sandwiches
Sourdough bread slices, 2 per sandwich
Sliced provolone cheese, 2 per sandwich
Sliced fontina cheese, 2 per sandwich
Softened butter, 1/2 tbsp. per sandwich
Truffle oil, 1/8 tsp. per sandwich
Garlic powder, 1/8 tsp. per sandwich

INSTRUCTIONS:

Bisque
1) In a soup pot on medium heat, melt butter, and sauté onion and garlic for several minutes until onion is translucent and soft.
2) Add tomato purée, tomato paste, chicken bouillon, water, heavy cream, and sherry to the pot and increase heat to medium-high to bring mixture to a boil.
3) Add seasonings and herbs, then reduce the heat to let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes.
4) Turn off heat and, using an immersion blender or traditional stand blender, blend bisque until it's smooth.

Sandwiches
1) Mix softened butter, truffle oil, and garlic powder together, and spread butter blend onto 1 side of each slice of bread.
2) Layer 2 slices of each cheese on the bread and top the cheese with another slice of buttered bread. (You want the buttered side facing out on both sides of the sandwich).
3) In a frying pan on medium-low heat, place sandwiches face down and cover with a lid to help the cheese melt.
4) Once the first side is browned to your liking and the cheese has started to melt, flip sandwiches and replace the lid.
5) Sandwiches are done when the second side is browned and cheese is melted.
6) Serve alongside your bisque and enjoy!