smashed peach & poblano grilled cheese

This is a summery, grown-up version of that all-time favorite. It may appeal to the grown-ups but don’t be fooled …the kids will love this, too. Dust a ripe peach half with ancho chile powder (or not) and give it a good mash before layering it up with sharp cheddar, roasted poblano pepper and crisp bacon slices. Do I have your attention?

Start off by roasting the poblano pepper. You may want to roast more than one if you think you’d like more of that goodness on your sandwich.

To make clean-up easy, wrap your baking sheet in foil first. I like to add a layer of parchment paper …just a personal choice to avoid too much hot food contact with the foil. When the peppers are fully roasted and tender, you’ll simply pull up the foil and parchment to seal the peppers within. The resulting steam will loosen the skin, making the peeling process a breeze.

Your peaches shouldn’t be too large. Use your best judgment based on the bread you’ll be using. As a matter of fact, feel free to adjust any of the ingredients listed. You may want to use more cheese. Or less roasted poblano. You may prefer Jarlsberg to cheddar. This recipe is merely a suggestion. It’s really all about the phenomenal addition of ripe warm peaches to your grilled cheese sandwich.

Let’s talk about the bread. I used thickly sliced sourdough bread from the bakery. It’s important to use a hearty bread for this one. The filling is substantial.

Make sure the heat under your skillet isn’t turned too high. The ingredients need a chance to warm up and meld together before the bread gets fully toasted. I find it helpful to top off the skillet with a lid to speed up the warming process.

These guys are at their best when served immediately, while the filling is warm and the cheese is all gooey.

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smashed peach & poblano grilled cheese

Adapted from BHG

Layers of smashed peach, sharp cheddar, roasted poblano and crispy bacon are all you need for this grown-up grilled cheese sandwich.

Servings 2 large sandwiches

Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

• 1 large fresh poblano pepper
• 2 ripe medium-size peaches, halved & pitted
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper (optional)
• 4 thick slices sourdough bread
• 3 ounces sliced sharp white cheddar cheese
• 4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened

Instructions

1. Roast the Poblano Pepper - Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut poblano pepper in half lengthwise; remove stems and seeds. Place cut sides down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Wrap in foil. When cool enough to handle, peel and discard skin. Cut roasted pepper into strips.

2. If desired, sprinkle cut sides of peach halves with the ground ancho chile pepper. Using a potato masher or the flat side of a meat mallet, gently smash peach halves to 1/2-inch thickness.

3. Top two bread slices with cheese slices. Add two peach halves, poblano strips, and bacon to each. Top with remaining bread slices. Butter both sides of each sandwich.

4. Cook sandwiches in a hot skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until toasted. Turn; repeat on other side until cheese melts. Serve immediately.