One perfect brunch – Grilled Veggie Cheese Sandwich

How often do you wake up late on a Saturday morning wondering how awesome it would be,to have a perfect brunch in a jiffy? Many times right? My thoughts exactly!

Usually Saturday mornings denote that aptly perfect time where the whole weekend lies ahead of you and the hectic week seems to be a thing from the past. Lying in my warm, cozy bed without being in a hurry to rush out seems heavenly. So to match it up and satiate my by-now-growling tummy, I usually cook up these grilled veggie cheese sandwiches adapted from One Hot Stove. I absolutely adore this recipe for the variations that can be done with it. It’s delicious and a total breeze to make. Bread usually doubles up as a blank canvas that can be crafted as per one’s wish. The kind of bread also plays around with the overall taste and can be made with any kind of bread that’s available.

It also brings back memories of Sundays back home when Sunday morning breakfast used to be about coffee and bread dipped in Amul butter (Yes! Amul butter..yumm).Sundays were very very special since that would be the only day we were allowed to have coffee (instant coffee) as kids and who doesn’t like to indulge! Watching Disney Hour along with our favorite breakfast made it so special. I can still actually relive the excitement of those days as my brother and I would wait for the Disney hour. Ah! the simpler times.Those happy memories come rushing back to me when I munch on these delectably, cheesy, crisp veggie cheese sandwiches and yes, along with coffee..err..instant coffee of course..its absolute bliss. Well before I digress any further, here’s the recipe for these sandwiches.

Grilled Veggie Cheese Sandwich

(Adapted from One Hot Stove)

Ingredients:

· 1 teaspoon of oil

· 2 cloves Garlic

· ½ Onion

· ¼ Red/Yellow/ Green Bell pepper

· 1/4^th piece of Cabbage

· 5-6 Baby Carrots

· 5-6 Beans

· ½ Jalapeno Chilli

· 3 Medium sized Boiled Potatoes

· Dash of Lemon juice

· 1 tablespoon chopped Cilantro

· Salt and pepper for taste

· 2 Tablespoons of Swiss cheese (I personally prefer Swiss since its very creamy)

· 4 slices of bread.

· Amul butter (optional)

Method:

1. Place the potatoes to boil in the microwave while you chop up the vegetables.

2. Chop the onions, bell pepper, carrots, beans, chilies, cabbage and garlic very finely.

3. In a pan, heat some oil. Add garlic and sauté till fragrant.

Tip: Always add the garlic as you start heating up the oil, this ensures that it perfumes the oil. If added when the oil is hot, the garlic turns brown immediately and imparts a bitter taste.

4. Then add the onions. Soften it while stirring for approx. 2 mins.

5. Add all the veggies and sauté till slightly soft yet making sure that they do not lose their original crispiness.

6. Add the mashed potatoes, salt to taste and mix well.

7. Drizzle in 2-3 drops of lemon juice and mix in well with some chopped cilantro.

8. Apply the mixture to the bread pieces and sprinkle cheese on top.

9. Place the sandwiches on the grill pan with the cheese side up till crisp. Cover it to let the cheese melt only for a few minutes though.

Tip: After the sandwiches are crisped on the grill pan, they can be set under a broiler for 10 secs to get a charred, smoky feel to the cheese. Keep checking in between to see how much char you prefer.

There are several variations for these open-faced sandwiches. I usually substitute chicken for the veggies when I am in the mood for some protein. Add in dried basil leaves, oregano or even fresh parsley to the mix and see how it changes the taste. It actually feels very free to be able to tweak the recipe every time and being pleasantly surprised with the pop in your mouth. Now go ahead and work on your canvas and take in the beauty of a Saturday morning, while I prepare mine.

Happy weekend y'all!

J

P.S: I am submitting this recipe to -

 "Warm foods to beat the rain" hosted by The Pumpkin farm and Srivalli.
 - "30 minute meals" hosted by Srivalli
- "Breakfast Club" hosted by Farmersgirll Kitchen & Fuss free flavours
- Breakfast Recipes hosted by Nandoo's Kitchen and Priya's.
- " Kid friendly dishes" hosted by Vardhini of Cook's joy.