This is the ultimate grilled cheese. Forget about American cheese; this grown-up grilled cheese features the real deals. I love goat cheese, but you couldn’t do this sandwich without the cheddar; goat cheese can be too crumbly to melt well, and cheddar—beyond having great flavor—gets all nice and gooey when melted, bringing all of the tasty components together. Tart green tomatoes balance the salty bacon, which is a big part of what makes this sandwich so amazing. One final note: A key factor in making any grilled cheese is to be sure the bread is well toasted.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices double-smoked bacon

　　8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

　　8 (1-inch-thick) slices Pullman or other good-quality white sandwich bread

　　8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices sharp cheddar cheese

　　6 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into 8 slices

　　2 green tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 ounce baby arugula

　　Whole grain Dijon mustard (optional)

　　

Step 1

Place the bacon in a large cast-iron griddle or sauté pan over medium heat and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Clean the griddle and return to medium heat.

　　

Step 2

Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place 4 of the slices, buttered side down, on a cutting board or other clean flat surface. Top each slice of bread with 2 slices cheddar, 2 slices goat cheese, 2 slices tomato, and 2 slices bacon and season with salt and pepper. Place the remaining bread slices on top, buttered side up.

　　

Step 3

Cook the sandwiches on the griddle until golden brown on both sides and the cheddar cheese has melted, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the griddle. Open each sandwich and stuff some arugula into each one. Serve the sandwiches with mustard on the side, if desired, for dipping.

　　Reprinted with permission from Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson, (C) 2011 Clarkson PotterBOBBY FLAY, a New York Times bestselling author, is the chef-owner of six fine dining restaurants, including Mesa Grill, Bar Americain, and Bobby Flay Steak, and an expanding roster of Bobby's Burger Palaces. He is the host of numerous popular cooking shows on Food Network, from the Emmy-winning Boy Meets Grill and Grill It! with Bobby Flay, to the Iron Chef America series, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, and Food Network Star. Brunch @ Bobby's debuted on the Cooking Channel in fall 2010 and America's Next Great Restaurant debuted in March 2011 on NBC. This is his eleventh book. His website is BobbyFlay.com.