Grilled Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese

Just look at that. Mouthwatering, right? The flavors in the sandwich sing together in perfect harmony. At least that's what my taste buds tell me; I hope yours will sing the same tune.

This lovely little recipe came together in my head about a month ago. I wanted sun-dried tomato pesto paired with goat cheese on crispy, chewy bread. I searched for a sun-dried tomato pesto recipe, and the first one that caught my eye is from 101 Cookbooks Red Pesto Ravioli recipe. I have yet to try this recipe in its entirety, but I fully intend to, hopefully by making whole wheat ravioli some day. For now, I borrowed the sun-dried tomato pesto part.

Let me tell you, it's delicious. And really easy, too. I blended the pesto in a food processor, but I imagine it would come together well in a blender too. Her recipe calls for walnuts or pine nuts. I used walnuts with great success, which I was glad for, since pine nuts are crazy expensive. She also uses sun-dried tomatoes not packed in olive oil; I've only ever used oil packed, so that's what I went with.

I served this grilled cheese sandwich with a wonderful complement: sauteed greens. Follow the link for my previous recipe, but omit the brown rice. It's sweet and savory with soft onions and chewy sun-dried tomatoes. Use young collards for the best texture.

Grilled Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Sandwich
Makes 4 sandwiches

12 plump sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (about 2 ounces)
2 cloves garlic
a few shakes of crushed red pepper
1/3 cup olive oil (use the oil your tomatoes were packed in for great flavor)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
Blend together in food processor or blender, pulsing, so that the mixture is slightly chunky.

1/2 cup soft goat cheese
8 slices chewy spelt bread (or other whole grain bread)
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
Heat pan on low heat. Add olive oil. Divide pesto and cheese evenly among sandwiches and grill on pan, working in batches if necessary. Cover with lid to melt cheese. After about 2 minutes, or until golden, flip over to grill other side. Grill 1-2 minutes longer. Serve with Sauteed Greens.

Other posts you may enjoy:

Sauteed Greens

Goat Cheese and Basil Omelet

Classic Grilled Cheese