Grilled cheese and tomato bisque hit the spot if you’re not in the mood for holiday leftovers

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Grilled cheese and tomato soup. 

They go together like shrimp and grits, cornbread and beans, and biscuits and gravy.

And if you’re not in the mood for heavy Christmas feast leftovers, a crunchy grilled cheese and a warm soup hit the spot.

Let’s start with the grilled cheese.

Many people use butter or margarine to brown their bread but use mayonnaise instead because it gives better color and crunch. It won’t burn as quickly as butter because mayo has a higher smoke point (450 degrees F vs. 302-350 degrees F).  

Most like to pair tomato soup with the notable sandwich, but a bisque adds elegance. Tomato soup contains only stock, while bisque adds cream and a thickening agent. The cream gives a rich, silky texture that’s far better for dunking if you’re into that sort of thing. 

The recipes below take grilled cheese and tomato bisque to another level. Mixing a little Parmesan cheese with the mayo gives the sandwich a slightly salty, eggy taste that complements the gooey, melted cheese. 

American cheese melts well and tastes great, but you can use whatever cheese you like. Some prefer cheddar, gouda, or a combination of cheeses. American keeps it simple. 

You can fill your grilled cheese sandwich with bacon, tomato (e.g., a fried green tomato), meats, and more. This recipe calls for optional bacon and tomato. 

The bisque adds a salty flavor with pancetta blended with a mirepoix, a combination of carrots, celery, and onion. Those using pancetta may not need to add as much salt to the dish.

Granted, there are a number of very good store-bought tomato soups and bisques, but something from the local grocery doesn’t give you the satisfaction of making a dish yourself. 

Hungry? Here we go.

Grilled cheese

Ingredients

2 slices bacon (optional)

1 slice tomato (optional)

2 teaspoons mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon of grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon butter

2 slices of thick-sliced (3/4 to 1-inch each) white bread (e.g., sourdough, a country loaf or French) that you slice yourself

2 slices of American cheese

1. If using bacon and tomato, cook the bacon and slice the tomato. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and grated Parmesan.
3. Slice two pieces of bread. 
4. Take half the mixture and coat one side of one piece of bread. Take the other half of the mixture and coat one side of the second piece.
5. Place the butter in a pan over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add in the bread, coated side down. Immediately shake the pan and make sure the bread isn’t sticking. 
6. Place one slice of American cheese on each slice of bread. Add the bacon on one side of the bread and then add the tomato over the bacon.
7. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the bread is a deep, golden brown. Flip the slice of bread with just cheese over onto the side with cheese, bacon and tomato (if you’re using that).

Notes: This recipe calls for just enough Parmesan to help make the bread crispy and give it a hint of cheese. If you like a stronger Parmesan flavor, add another 1/2 teaspoon.

Tomato bisque

You’ll need:

• A large pot 
• An immersion blender
  • You can use a blender, but it’s far more time-consuming and can get sloppy.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium carrot, diced

1 rib celery, diced

1/2 cup onion, diced

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 ounces of pancetta (optional)

4 cups (one 32-ounce container) of chicken (preferred) or vegetable stock

1 28-ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes (San Marzano is the best. Crushed tomatoes will do in a pinch)

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Dice the vegetables in the mirepoix (carrot, celery, and onion). Set aside.
2. Place the butter in a large pot (at least 8 quarts) over medium heat. As soon as the butter starts to sizzle, add the mirepoix and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to wilt about 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the pancetta, if using, and stir until it starts to turn brown, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Stir in the cornstarch and whisk until incorporated. 
5. Immediately add the stock and stir until the mixture begins to thicken.
6. Add the tomatoes and let simmer for about 30 minutes to bring all the flavors together. Stir occasionally. 
7. Turn off the heat and let the soup cool. Once cool, use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth.
   • If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender and work in small batches until all the soup has been blended. The soup must be completely cool for this step; otherwise, it could splash and burn you.
8. Once blended and smooth, add the cream and stir until incorporated. Add the sugar, salt, and pepper and adjust to taste. Simmer the bisque again until warm and serve.
   • If you want a thicker bisque, add another tablespoon of cornstarch and whisk in. If you want a thinner bisque, add a little more stock. 

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