Cheese and mushrooms, another tried and trusted combination for any snack, but a particular favourite when put together in a hot grilled sandwich. But what elevates this sandwich to another level is the introduction of a second cheese in the form of a soft cheese spread mixed with the mushrooms to form a rich creamy mushroom filling.
Mushroom Double Cheese Grilled Sandwich
This is a particular favourite of mine. Although it simply consists of two ingredients, the variety of cheeses you can choose and the different type of mushrooms available, can make this sandwich as simple or as complicated as you like.
In this instance I have gone for as simple as possible, with whatever I have in my cupboard at the time. A small tin of mushrooms mixed with a cheese spread makes a creamy filling to add to your main cheese of choice. Here I have opted for some sliced Emmental which has a milder, almost nutty flavour and so does not overpower the mushrooms.
You could of course opt for some lovely fresh mushrooms fried in butter and/or a stronger cheese to add a deeper, richer flavour, but this basic version is so quick, it can literally be prepared while the sandwich maker is heating up.
What you will need for the perfect Mushroom Double Cheese Grilled Sandwich
Thick sliced bread is a must for any toastie or grilled sandwich. My preference is for white sliced, but a 50/50 white/wholemeal combination would work just as well, but always the thicker the better. In fact, the bread you use is one of the most important factors in any good grilled sandwich and in this particular case I have chosen to use the crusts from an "extra thick" sliced loaf to give an even crispier finish to my grilled sandwich.
Emmental cheese is perfect to accompany mushrooms as it has a mild, almost nutty flavour and will not overpower the more subtle tasting varieties. You could of course choose any of your favourite cheese for this sandwich, but if you wanted to stay with a cheddar, for example, I would suggest the medium flavoured option. To make things simple, I buy my Emmental ready sliced, and always have a part opened pack in my fridge. As a tip, once opened, keep the remainder in a ziplock bag with surplus air expelled. It lasts for ages!
The choice of mushrooms is really up to you, but for the purposes of this super simple sandwich I have chosen to simply open a small tin of mushrooms with the surplus water drained off. Tinned mushrooms are a handy stock item to have in your cupboard as they are always there when you need them, unlike fresh mushrooms which "brown"very quickly in a few days if not used. Tinned mushrooms can sometimes be a little bland when compared to fresh, but for ease of use, particularly in this quick and easy sandwich, they are indispensible. TIP: Ensure mushrooms are well drained and even dried slightly as they contain a lot of water and when mixed with the soft cheese this needs to be quite a thick (not runny) mix.
The "double" cheese part of this sandwich is actually a soft cheese or cheese spread (of the kind that usually comes in a foil-topped tub). This is perfect when mixed with the mushrooms as it creates a creamy mushroom filling between the emmenthal and bread.
Making the perfect grilled sandwich
Turn on the snack maker with the grill / panini plates fitted. The simplicity of using the grill plates is that the sandwich can be pre-assembled and the whole thing lifted into place on the bottom plate with care. When using these plates, it is still possible to create the "sealed sandwich effect" particularly with a good thick sliced bread as the crusts, when compressed, can form a barrier to the sandwich filling escaping.
While the appliance is heating up gather all the ingredients to hand and mix the mushrooms and soft cheese together in a bowl and set to one side for the filling.
Butter the crust side of each of the 2 slices of bread. This will achieve the beautiful golden grill lines on the outer surfaces of the bread during the cooking process. (You could lightly spray or spread on a good quality oil if you prefer).
To start assembling your sandwich, turn one slice over (buttered side down) and cover the dry side with one slice of the Emmental cheese. Then take the bowl of mushroom and soft cheese and spoon the mix over the emmenthal taking care to keep in from the edges to avoid too much of the filling squeezing out.
Sprinkle a pinch of ground black pepper seasoning over the mushrooms before covering with the remaining slice of the Emmental cheese, then placing the remaing slice of crust on top with the buttered side uppermost.
With your sandwich now assembled, once the appliance is up to temperature, carefully place the completed sandwich onto the bottom grill plate (taking great care as this is very hot and will sizzle noticeably upon contact). It is important to close the top plate slowly ensuring the sandwich has not moved before locking into place.
Cook for approximately 6 minutes or until golden.
Once your grilled sandwich is ready, switch off the appliance at the socket. NEVER lift your finished sandwich out with your fingers as the plates will still be extremely hot! Always use wood or plastic tools to loosen and lift away your sandwich, which usually comes away from the non-stick surface easily.
The Recipe
The Mushroom Double Cheese Grilled Sandwich
EQUIPMENT
- 3-in-1 snack maker with grill / panini plates
PREPARATION TIME : 5 minutes
COOKING TIME : 6 minutes (approx.)
SERVINGS : 1
INGREDIENTS
- 2 slices extra thick white bread crusts
- 8g butter or similar
- 1/2 tin of mushrooms (80g approx.)
- 2 slices of Emmental cheese (70g approx.)
- tbsp soft cheese (35g approx.)
- pinch of ground black pepper
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- Turn on the snack maker
- While the appliance is heating up gather all the ingredients to hand
- Mix the mushrooms and soft cheese together in a bowl and set to one side
- Butter the crust side of each of the 2 slices of bread
- Turn one slice over (buttered side down) and cover with one slice of Emmental cheese
- Cover the Emmental with the mushroom and soft cheese mix (taking care to keep in from the edges)
- Sprinkle a pinch of ground black pepper over the mushrooms
- Cover with the remaining slice of the Emmental cheese
- Place the remaing slice of crust on top with the buttered side uppermost
- Carefully place the completed sandwich onto the grill plates
- Close the top plate and click the handles to lock in place
- Cook for approximately 6 minutes or until golden
Or you could try...
The idea of using tinned mushrooms is simply one of convenience. However, I admit that these are not always necessarily as full of flavour as fresh muihrooms.
If you really wanted to take this grilled sandwich to another level, then you could relace the tinned variety with some pre-prepared freshly fried mushrooms, slowly browned in butter.
For a more subtle taste variation, try a level teaspoon of mild mustard spread over the inner surface of the top slice of bread to add another complimentary rich layer of flavour to this delicious combination.
Perfect with...
The Mushroom Double Cheese Grilled Sandwich is perfect on it's own as a snack at any time of the day, whenever the fancy takes you.
Or simply add some fresh baby salad leaves with a light dressing, to create a quick tasty lunch for two.
How does your sandwich maker compare?
For most of the recipes shared here I use my trusty Tower Deep Fill 3-in-1 Sandwich Maker, so obviously you may need to adjust your ingredients slightly if you are using a different appliance. Having said that, most sandwich makers are very similar in design and size, and the amount of each filling is a guide only and you can increase or decrease, add or subtract, according to your personal taste.
Never be afraid to experiment, and remember you won't always get the perfect result first time, so if at first you don't succeed try, try and try again. It's great fun!
If you want to check out some of the alternative 3-in-1 machines available check out our guide...
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