Grilled Gruyere Sandwiches with Asian Pear and Sage

This is a grown up version of a grilled cheese sandwich. The sweetness and subtle crunch of thinly sliced asian pears offsets the salty, gooey cheese. A smattering of crispy sage leaves give the sandwich an aromatic boost. Add a bowl of tomato soup and dinner is served.

  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
  • 20 fresh sage leaves, rinsed and dried
  • Olive oil
  • 8 slices chewy, artisan bread (see tips)
  • 8 oz. gruyere, thinly sliced
  • 2 small asian pears, thinly sliced
  • In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sage and cook until leaves are crispy and skillet is coated with fragrant butter. Remove the sage leaves and set aside. Remove skillet from the hot burner and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, brush one side of each slice of bread lightly with olive oil. Place the slices with the oiled side down on a large cutting board. Add 1 oz. gruyere to each slice of bread, then top with slices of pear and finally, with the crispy sage leaves.
  • Return the skillet to the burner and warm the scented butter over medium heat. Assemble the sandwiches by carefully bringing together the halves so the cheese, pear and sage are in the middle and the oiled sides face out. Place the sandwiches on the hot skillet, pressing down with a spatula. Once the bread is golden and a bit crunchy on one side, flip the sandwich and toast the other side. Depending on the size of your skillet and bread, you may need to do this in batches. I was able to do 2 sandwiches at a time and each took about 4 minutes per side. The inside of the sandwich should be warm throughout and a bit oozy.
  • To serve, cut sandwiches in half and enjoy with a side of soup.
  • Quick Tips
  • 1. I used whole wheat sourdough bread, which is both chewy and deeply flavored. You can use any bread you like.
  • 2. I like the strong flavor of gruyere, but for the kids I used provolone (not the smoked kind), which has a milder flavor. They also enjoyed their pear on the side.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 10 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4




2 responses to “Grilled Gruyere Sandwiches with Asian Pear and Sage”

  1. Lynda says:
    September 30, 2011 at 6:34 pm

    I love this! Gruyere is one of my favorites, and to combine it with pear AND melt it? Sublime.

    Reply

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