Grilled Cheese with Corn and Calabrian Chile

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels

  • 3 ounces English-style cheddar cheese (such as Keen’s), shredded (about 3/4 cup)

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 ounce caciocavallo cheese or provolone cheese, shredded (about 1/4 cup)

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions

  • 1 medium-size jarred Calabrian chile, stemmed and finely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3 ounces), softened

  • 12 (1/3-inch-thick) sourdough bread slices

Directions

  1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until smoking. Add corn kernels, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and charred in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer corn to a large bowl, and let cool 10 minutes. Wipe out skillet, and set aside.

  2. Add cheddar, mayonnaise, caciocavallo, shallot, scallions, chile, salt, and garlic to corn; stir to combine. Spread butter on one side of each bread slice. Place 6 bread slices, buttered sides down, on a piece of parchment paper, and top evenly with cheese mixture (about 1/3 cup each); spread cheese mixture in an even layer. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered sides up.

  3. Heat cast-iron skillet over medium. Working in batches, cook sandwiches until golden brown and toasted, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve immediately.