Ham and Gruyére Grilled Cheese with Sweet Pea Spread | a Guest Post from The Modern Proper

Ingredients

Sweet Pea Spread:
• 2 cups frozen sweet peas
• 20 fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
Sandwiches:
• 12-16 slices of black forest ham
• 8 oz gruyere cheese, thinly sliced or grated
• 8 slices rustic italian bread sliced
• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise

Instructions

1. In a small food processor pulse the peas, mint, olive oil, salt and pepper just until all the ingredients come together and form a nice paste.
2. Divide the pea compote between the insides of 4 slices of bread. Top the compote with 3-4 slices of ham and follow with 2 oz of cheese. Place the 4 leftover bread slices on top of the cheese.
3. In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise and the softened butter until well incorporated.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon of the butter mixture on the top of each sandwich. Flip each sandwich butter side down into a pan set over medium/low heat.
Place a lid over the sandwiches to hold in the heat so that the cheese melts and the sandwich heats up. Keep heat at medium/low. (A good grilled cheese takes decent amount of time for the cheese to melt and the bread to crisp.)
5. When the underside is nice and golden brown, remove the lid and spread the remaining 4 tablespoon of the butter mixture on the tops of the sandwiches. Flip each sandwich over. When the bottoms of the sandwiches are golden brown and the cheese is completely melted, remove from pan and serve.