Stone Fruit & Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Stone Fruit & Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2 slices pumpernickel, rye or pumpernickel swirl bread

1-2 tablespoons of butter, as needed

white cheddar cheese, sliced thin

mozzarella (not fresh), sliced thin

1 ripe peach or nectarine, pitted, cut into ¼-inch thick slices

leaves from one sprig of rosemary, finely chopped

sea salt

3-4 strips of bacon, cooked until golden brown and crispy (see below for sheet pan method)

nonstick cooking spray for the pan, if needed

Preheat your oven to 350˚F.

Use a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed oven-safe skillet. You can use an oven-safe nonstick pan, if desired. If you aren’t using a nonstick pan, you can use a little cooking spray to lightly coat your pan. Sear the fruit quickly in the pan over medium / medium-high heat to dry it out just a little, add a pinch of finely chopped rosemary and then set aside. Heat your pan over medium heat and add a pat or two of butter, let it melt. Shingle the cheese on one side of the bread, alternating the cheddar cheese and mozzarella. On the other slice of the bread, layer some of the peaches or nectarines, top with a little sea salt. Close your sandwich, placing the cheese side down into the pan, cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on one side. Flip over to the other side and place in the oven. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the bottom side of the bread is golden brown. Remove from the oven, add as much bacon as you like and enjoy.

*Note:

If you’d like to cook the bacon on a sheet tray, preheat your oven to 400˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the bacon on the tray in a single layer. Top with another sheet of parchment paper and then place a second sheet tray on top to weigh down the bacon. Cook for 10-18 minutes, depending on the thickness of your bacon and desired doneness. Begin checking the bacon at about 10 minutes. Make sure to rotate the baking sheet halfway through cooking. Once the bacon is cooked to your desired doneness, carefully remove the top baking sheet and parchment paper. Let cool for a couple minutes then pour off the fat from the baking sheet into a heat proof dish. Transfer the bacon to a plate or tray lined with paper towels.