Rainy days and fancy grilled cheese

I'm looking out the window from the fourth floor of the Times building and if I didn't know it was May 22 in Florida, I might think it's going to snow. And with the a/c running in here, it's actually chilly. Right now, I'm thinking about comfort food for dinner. Anyone for grilled cheese sandwiches? Our buddies at Gourmet magazine don't use Kraft singles so here's a recipe from them that elevates the humble melted cheese sandwich.

Here's what I'll do: I have the fig jam (and you can buy it too at a big supermarket), and I'm going to substitute fontina for the taleggio and baby spinach leaves for the escarole. If I can't find a big sourdough round, I'll buy anything I can find in that shape ... except rye. I don't think that'll go.

If you're serving grilled cheese, you've got to have tomato soup, don't you? I'll buy Wolfgang Puck's in the carton and then give it a boost with a sprinkling of fresh basil and a dollop of sour cream (or fancier still, creme fraiche).

Let it rain. I'm ready.

Grilled Cheese with Onion Jam, Taleggio, and Escarole

4 (1/2-inch-thick) center slices sourdough bread (from a 9- to 10-inch round)
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons onion or fig jam
12 to 14 oz chilled Taleggio or Italian Fontina, sliced
1/4 lb escarole, center ribs discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

Brush 1 side of bread slices with oil and arrange, oil sides down, on a work surface. Spread jam on 2 slices of bread and divide cheese between remaining 2 slices. Mound escarole on top of cheese and season with salt and pepper, then assemble sandwiches.

Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat until hot. Cook sandwiches, turning once and pressing with a spatula to compact, until bread is golden-brown and cheese is melted, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

Source: Gourmet, February 2008.

Times file photo