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Food

Grilled Cheese 101

Posted: 3/31/2011

A grilled cheese sandwich can be dressed up or tried and true but is always easy to enjoy.

(NAPSI) - A few simple tricks can help a popular comfort food—the grilled cheese sandwich—come out great every time.

For example, brush the tops of your bread with ultrasoft or melted, unsalted butter for even cooking. Using quality bread is important. You should shred or grate cheese when it’s cold (easier to handle) but cooking cheese at room temperature is best for quick melting. A couple of super meltable cheeses that are available presliced are Jarlsberg and Jarlsberg Lite. After the first “flip,” press with a tool, like a spatula, heatproof plate or cake pan to get that crispy, golden-brown crust. Always cook on medium-low heat and use a nonstick skillet. Want to use less butter? Toastabags are a neat new alternative.

Visit www.jarlsbergusa.com for more information.

Meanwhile, here are some gooey-delicious combinations to consider:

• Jarlsberg, ham, pickles and mustard on whole wheat or rye.

• Fresh Chevrai (a soft, unripened goat cheese) and thin-sliced beets (roasted in balsamic vinegar and honey) on multi-grain bread.

• Jarlsberg BLT on country white bread.

• Brie (such as Woolwich Dairy, a triple crème goat brie) with cooked crumbled prosciutto and fig jam, on soft sourdough.

• Jarlsberg, pastrami and sauerkraut (or coleslaw) on rye.

Whether you try these innovative versions or stick to the classics, this delicious dish is one way to get almost anyone to smile and say “cheese.”

Food

Grill Masters Share Secrets To Great Grilling

Posted: 6/10/2010

A secret to great-looking seafood and steak is perfect grill marks.

(NAPSA) - The next time you’re looking to advance your grilling skills or bring new flavors to neighborhood cookouts, you may care to consider some secrets to grilling success.

They come from eight culinarians who outgrilled over 3,600 others in the first annual Red Lobster Certified Grill Master Competition. The contest revolved around the newest addition to every kitchen in the restaurant chain: a wood-fire grill that sears in the juices and brings out the natural flavor of seafood. For a winning grilling experience of your own, follow these tips:

1. Start off clean. Competition winner Alex Lopez, Tampa, Fla., creates a clean grill surface by using a grill grate brush. Season the grill with a light coat of vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
   
   
2. Season safely. A.J. Subramaniam, a winner from Ontario, Canada, suggests marinating sea - food for up to two hours before cooking to infuse it with flavor. Set aside an extra dish of marinade just for basting while cooking to avoid spreading any bacteria. Use different utensils for handling cooked pieces on the grill.
   
   
3. Notice temperature zones. Matt Cavanaugh and Nathan Schwartz, Certified Grill Masters from the Roanoke, Va., and Detroit, Mich., areas, check the grill for hot and moderate temperature zones. For even cooking, place thicker foods at the center of the grill, smaller pieces toward the edges and leave one inch of space between each piece.
4. Use proper tools. Place fish fillets such as salmon, mahimahi or tilapia directly on the grill with grilling tongs. Winner Robert Hart, Denver, Colo., pre - fers metal or water-soaked wood - en skewers for cooking shrimp and scallops.
   
   
5. Look for cooking clues. Robert Felia, from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., uses visual cues to determine if seafood or steak is cooked to perfection. Steak juice turns clear as it cooks, shrimp turns from clear to white and salmon be - comes more opaque with time.
   
   
6. Go for the grill marks. A secret to great-looking seafood and steak is perfect grill marks. Winners Jesus Ramirez and Brandon Williams from Temecula, Calif., and College Station, Texas, cook fish or steak for two to three minutes without turning. Then, rotate a quarter turn on the grill and cook for two to three minutes longer on the same side. Flip to the other side and finish.

Learn More
For additional grilling tips and seafood recipes, visit www.redlobster.com.

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