Cheese Curd Grilled Cheese

On the Menu Today~
"The Dairyland"
Cheese Curd Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Made on:
Pane Turano Italian Bread with
Thick-cut Slices of Wisconsin Hickory Smoked Bacon,
Wisconsin Butterkäse cheese,
Sun-dried Tomatoes,
Deep-fried Wisconsin Cheese Curds and
Wisconsin Honey Goat Cheese

Having lived in America's Dairyland my whole life,
I thought the name "The Dairyland"
would be an appropriate name for my
Grilled Cheese Sandwich made with all
of my Wisconsin Favorites.

"The Dairyland" has it all...

Large slices of Pano Turano Italian Bread,
Creamy Wisconsin Butter,
Thick Slices of Hickory Smoked Wisconsin Bacon,
Velvety Wisconsin Butterkäse cheese,
Sun-Ripened Sun-Dried Tomatoes,
Deep-Fried, Beer-battered Wisconsin Cheese Curds
and
Wisconsin Honey Goat Cheese.

A Grand Slam!

This recipe makes one very large grilled cheese sandwich...

perfect to cut in half and
serve alongside a steamy bowl of tomato soup.

The Dairyland

Ingredients

• 2 slices pano turano Italian bread
• 2 teaspoons butter, room temperature
• 2 slices butterkase cheese (about 4 x 6 inch squares)
• 4 slices, thick cut, hickory-smoked bacon, fried until crisp
• 10 to 12 sun-ripened, sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
• 12 to 14 cheese curds
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup beer
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 ounces honey goat cheese
• oil for deep frying

Cooking Directions

1. Make deep fried cheese curds:
2. Heat 3 to 4 inches of oil in a deep cast iron skillet to 375º
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together beaten egg, 1 tablespoon oil and beer.
4. In a separte medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
5. Add dry ingredients to egg/beer mixture. Mix until smooth.
6. Drop a few cheese curds into batter. Using a fork, toss to coat curds. Drop a few curds at a time into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes or until golden brown. Remove curds with a long handled wire mesh strainer. Drain curds on paper towels, season with salt if desired.
7. Start to assemble sandwich:
8. Butter one side of sliced bread with 1 teaspoon of butter.
9. Place buttered side down in a cold skillet.
10. Lay slices of Butterkäse cheese on bread cutting cheese to fit bread, if necessary.
11. Lay slices of bacon on top of cheese.
12. Top bacon with drained, sun-ripened, sun-dried tomatoes.
13. Lay cheese curds on top of sun-dried tomatoes.
14. Carefully spread honey goat cheese on remaining slice of bread.
15. Place bread, goat cheese side down on top of cheese curds in pan.
16. Lightly butter slice of bread with remaining 1 teaspoon of butter.
17. Place frying pan on burner, heat pan over medium heat. Grill sandwich over medium heat until golden brown. Carefully flip sandwich over.
18. Grill until sandwich is golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted.

Sandwich, Cheese, Bacon, Tomatoes, Bread