Last Updated April 21st, 2020 at 03:36 pm by Lisa
A French cafe grilled cheese sandwich on parmesan bread, Dijon mustard, creamy melted brie, crunchy cornichons, pickled onions, topped with salad.
Bon Jour! A kiss from France in every bite…
Have you ever been to a restaurant and ordered the same thing again and again? And can’t think of ordering anything else on the menu. Of course, you have! And, so have I.
A French cafe near our home has a version of this sandwich, and I love it so, so much.
And here you have it, my version of a grilled cheese you might find in a real French cafe. This one even includes pickled red onions (that are actually hot pink) and a parmesan lemon vinaigrette on the salad greens piled on the grilled cheese. I mean why not?
French Cafe Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients
for grilled cheese sandwiches:
- french bread 2 slices
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan grated
- 4 slices brie
- 5 cornichons
- pickled red onion 3-4 slices
- heirloom tomato 2-3 thick slices
- 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
- 1 cup baby spring lettuce
for French parmesan vinaigrette:
- ready in minutes you will need a small mason jar.
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons regular Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1/2 sea salt
- 1/2 small shallot peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
For Pickled Red Onions:
- ready in 30 minutes you will need a 1-quart jar.
- 2 cups red onions thinly sliced 1/4” strips
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and cut in half
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1 small chile
- 2 teaspoons peppercorns
- 2 cups white wine vinegar
Instructions
for pickled onions:
- Place sliced onions, peeled/halved garlic cloves, and chile in a quart jar.
- Make the brine; in a small pan add sea salt, sugar, peppercorns, and vinegar.
- Bring the pickling liquid up to a rapid boil, pour boiling liquid over onions & garlic, chile, in a jar.
- Make sure the onions are under the liquid and cool to room temperature.
- Once the onions cool, close the lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 weeks.
- Serve it warm.
for the Parmesan vinaigrette:
- add all ingredients to a mason jar with a fitted lid and shake. Toss 1 tablespoon of vinaigrette with the cup of lettuce. Set aside.
for grill cheese assembly:
- heat a hot griddle, or heavy cast iron pan. Butter French bread with soft butter, sprinkle parmesan cheese on the pan and lay the buttered bread side down on top of the cheese in the pan. Slightly move the bread to get all the cheese on the bread. Grill the bread until it is golden brown and crispy.
- Next, spread a layer of whole grain Dijon mustard on one bread side, then top with sliced Brie and allow to melt.
- Remove bread slices from pan, and on a plate add heirloom tomato, cornichons, pickled red onions, and pile the salad tossed in vinaigrette, and close the grilled cheese. Enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Take a trip to a French cafe in every bite, enjoy!
All The Best Dishes,
Lisa
XO
Here is the recipe post for the Quick Pickled Red Onions (ready in 30 minutes)…these are great on tacos, hamburgers, and even salads!
Here is the recipe for Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette, make and shake right in a jar!
I have to admit that I totally cheated on this one and used the quick pickled onions recipe you provided in the link. Thank you for that because these grown up grilled cheeses looked so amazing I could not wait to try them. My sister and I devoured them. This opens up a whole new world of grilled cheese sandwiches, the possibilities are endless! Loved the dressing too. I prefer to make my own and this one was perfect with this sandwich.