Melt some Swiss cheese to make a hearty sandwich
Sometimes a sandwich just isn’t a sandwich without a slice or two of cheese in it, especially a sandwich served hot. Although cheddar and American cheeses often come to mind first, don’t forget about Swiss cheese. Swiss cheese melts well and adds flavor to almost any hot and hearty sandwich. Just remember to melt Swiss cheese over low or medium heat as high heat can cause the cheese to become rubbery.
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Reuben Sandwiches
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
8 slices rye bread
8 slices deli corned beef
4 slices Swiss cheese
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing, regular or reduced fat
Spread butter lightly on one side of each bread slice. Spread dressing on non-buttered sides. On 4 bread slices, layer 1 slice cheese, 1/4 cup sauerkraut and 2 slices corned beef. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered sides out. Grill sandwiches in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until both sides are golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes per side. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.
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If you don’t have horseradish mustard, substitute your favorite deli-style mustard.
Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish mustard
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
4 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices deli cooked ham
4 sandwich buns
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter, mustard, onions, poppy seeds and dill. Spread mixture on insides of buns. Place a slice of cheese and a slice of ham inside each bun. Wrap buns in aluminum foil and place on baking sheet. Bake until cheese melts, about 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Swiss cheese is an excellent choice for grilled cheese sandwiches. Add sliced ham, thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced onion or cooked bacon before grilling to make the sandwich more filling.
If stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator, blocks of Swiss cheese will keep up to two months and sliced Swiss cheese up to one month. Freezing Swiss cheese may cause it to become crumbly, but it will keep frozen up to six months.
Gruyére, Emmentaler and American Swiss cheese may be substituted for Swiss cheese in most recipes. American Swiss cheese is not aged as long as other varieties and has a more mild flavor.
The Practical Pantry ©2004 Tammy P. Olson
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