Cosmic Crisp® Apple and Blue Cheese Grilled Cheese Panzanella

Ingredients

  • 1 Cosmic Crisp® apple
  • 1/4 of a small red onion
  • 4 slices of bread
  • 4 slices of havarti cheese
  • 1/4 cup of blue cheese crumbles
  • 2 tablespoons of melted butter
  • 1/2 of a lemon
  • 6 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Parsley

Directions

Culinary Challenge Winner!

Recipe by Kari Henes, Winner of the Cosmic Crisp® Culinary Challenge At-Home Chef Category!

“This is definitely thinking outside the box with a familiar dish and a familiar pairing BUT presenting it in a different way. The photo made me want to make it immediately. I could see the different textures and imagine the taste of the sweet crispness of the apples paired with the salty gooeyness of the blue cheese grilled cheese.”

-Carla Hall, Chef and Cosmic Crisp® Culinary Challenge Judge

  1. Preheat oven to 400℉. Prepare each of the two grilled cheese sandwiches by placing two slices of havarti cheese and 1/2 the blue cheese crumbles between two slices of bread. Spread each side of the sandwiches with melted butter and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes per side, or until brown.
  2. While the sandwiches bake, core one Cosmic Crisp® apple and slice thinly. Also slice thinly 1/4 of a small red onion. Set both aside.
  3. To prepare the dressing, add the olive oil, juice of half a lemon and honey to a bowl. Salt and pepper to taste and whisk together.
  4. Once the sandwiches have finished baking, cut each one into 8 squares and place into a large glass bowl. Add the Cosmic Crisp® apples, red onion and dressing to the bowl, toss gently. Garnish with additional blue cheese crumbles chopped parsley or apple slices and enjoy!