Hog Island Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 oz butter at room temperature ()
• 8 slices bread thick
• 4 ounces lillet blanc 
• 4 ounces gruyere cheese grated (coarsely (you could swap Comté or Swiss)
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese grated (coarsely (up to you how sharp a Cheddar)
• 4 ounces havarti cheese grated (coarsely )

Equipment

• frying pan
• spatula
• cutting board

Directions

1. Butter one side of each slice of bread, using all of the butter.
2. Place 4 of the slices, buttered side down, on a parchment-lined counter or a cutting board.
3. Spread 1/4 of the fromage blanc on the plain side of each of those 4 slices, then top each with 1/4 of the Gruyère, 1/4 of the Cheddar, and 1/4 of the Havarti. You may need to use your hand to squash the cheese a little to keep it from falling off the bread. Top each teetering tower of cheese with one of the remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.
5. Place 1 or 2 sandwiches in the pan, cover, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown. Turn the sandwiches and press each one firmly with a spatula to flatten it slightly. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the undersides are well browned.
6. Remove the lid, turn the sandwiches once more, and press firmly with the spatula once again. Cook for 1 minute, or until the cheese has melted completely into a quagmire of gooeyness.
7. Remove from the pan and let cool for 5 minutes while you repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
8. Cut each in—either on the diagonal or right down the center—and serve immediately. With plenty of napkins. Originally published April 11, 2011.