Summer Squash Grilled Cheese Toasties with Fresh Tomato Dipping Sauce

This recipe is brought to you in partnership with my friends at Tillamook. I’ve signed up as a Tillamook Ambassador this year and am thrilled to be presenting some great recipes featuring their cheese!

Summer Squash Grilled Cheese Toasties with Fresh Tomato Dipping Sauce

Chances are you’ll be grilling outdoors this Summer, so while you’re planning I’d love to introduce you to this spin on the iconic South African grilled cheese called a “braaibroodtjie.” Say that three times really fast!

Summer squash and zucchini are in peak season and I love finding ways to use them, especially raw in salads or in this case, on a grilled cheese! These vegetables have an amazing nutty flavor and when sliced thinly enough here, the Tillamook Farmstyle Thick Cut Cheddar Slices just melt into them to create a layered dream. In this application I went with two kinds of Tillamook Cheddar, medium and medium white, which are both aged for 60 days and provide just the right amount of sharpness to take this sandwich to the next level. Find out where to buy it in your area here.

We find any excuse to start a wood fire where I’m from, using native wood like rooikrans to grill our favorite proteins and then these sandwiches as the fire starts to die out. The smoke gives these summer squash grilled cheese toasties an amazing flavor that you’ll keep coming back to. I’ve found that apple wood works quite well now that I’m living in the states, but lump charcoal is a great option as well.

A few tips:

You can absolutely cook these indoors using a griddle pan.

I recommend sourdough because it’s sturdy and can hold up while handling/flipping it over a fire. Buying a whole loaf and slicing it yourself just adds to the appeal :)

Are you team ketchup with a grilled cheese, or no? If so, the fresh tomato dipping sauce is a great alternative to store-bought ketchup and uses up the very best of what Summer has to offer. I prefer to leave them unpeeled and chunky, but an immersion blender will smooth it out if you prefer yours thinner. If you’re not a fan of dipping in tomato sauce, try some fresh basil pesto.

Summer Squash Grilled Cheese Toasties with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Serves: 4-8

Ingredients:

8 slices sourdough bread
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 small Summer squash, sliced into thin discs
1 small zucchini, sliced into thin discs
1/2 teaspoon smoked sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
4 slices Tillamook Farmstyle Thick Cut Medium White Cheddar Sliced Cheese
4 slices Tillamook Farmstyle Thick Cut Medium Cheddar Sliced Cheese
Optional: fresh basil leaves

For Fresh Tomato Dipping Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
2 lbs ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Guidelines:

Prepare sauce:

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onion and garlic then sauté for 5 minutes until onions are translucent. Add brown sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes more. The brown sugar helps caramelize the onions faster. Reduce heat to medium-low, add remaining ingredients, stir and simmer uncovered or 20 minutes until tomatoes have broken down and sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare sandwiches:

Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter on each slice of sourdough bread. Place 4 slices, buttered side down, on a clean work surface or directly on to a grill basket. Top with a layer of sliced squash and zucchini, then season with smoked sea salt and pepper. Add one slice of cheddar, followed by another layer of squash and zucchini and the final slice of cheddar. Layer with fresh basil leaves if desired. Place remaining bread slices on top, butter side up.

Grill for 1-2 minutes per side over a medium heat source until the bread is toasted and the cheese melted. Remove from grill and serve with warm dipping sauce. You could serve a whole sandwich as a meal, or 1/2 sandwich to each person as a side with your grilled feast.

South African Braaibroodtjies with Sun Dried Tomato Butter

It does not matter where we as South Africans find ourselves around the globe. If there is an opportunity to Braai (Grill outside over a wood fire), there's a very high chance that Braaibroodtjies are accompanying our meal of farmers sausage, lamb chops, chicken and salads. The Afrikaans word broodjie translates to sandwich in English, therefore Braaibroodtjie means grilled sandwich. They are usually prepared after everything else is done cooking and the embers start to fade - the ideal temperature to toast bread and impart a wonderful smoked flavor. 

The Braaibroodtjie of my childhood was unapologetically unsophisticated. Layers of tomato, onions, cheddar and white bread spread with butter - Ingredients that were mostly always availabe, save for the cheese that sometimes got left off during more difficult times. Do you sometimes remember things unintentionally and feel super nostalgic?
When I make Braaibroodtjies now, I want my guests here in America to have the best possible experience eating them. I step up my Summer grilling game by using sourdough bread, sun dried tomato butter (regular butter is perfectly fine), heirloom tomatoes, red onion and my favorite cheddar. I always put a little extra cheese now, and buy the best possible while stilll being economical at the same time. When I'm making Braaibroodtjies I look for an aged cheddar that will stand up to the onion and char brought on by the fire, but one that will also melt easily.  I find it's better to buy a good loaf of real cheese and shred, cube, or slice it myself to use in a variety of dishes - My Home Economics teacher would be so proud. 

A few notes:
- You can definitely use a griddle pan inside instead, but you will lose the smoke and it will not be authentic. 
- I prefer extra sharp cheddar, but any cheese will do. Gouda is amazing, Raclette as well.
- The chutney we prefer in South Africa is called Mrs Balls Peach Chutney and you can buy it on Amazon and recently it has become available at most grocery stores with an International section. If you are unable to find this version, any sweet and sour chutney can stand in. Sometimes, a bit of smooth apricot jam mixed with white wine vinegar is a good alternative as well.
- This isn't one of those recipes where everything is measured precisely. It's about the joy of eating a toasty melted cheese sandwich fireside. Customize it to your liking and have fun!

Ingredients:
8 slices sourdough bread
sun dried tomato butter (recipe follows) OR your favorite butter (garlic butter is amazing here)
12 slices extra sharp cheddar, gouda or cheese of your choice
2 large heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Optional: 1/4 cup peach chutney, or any sweet and sour chutney

For Sun Dried Tomato Butter, combine:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. sun dried tomato paste
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika

Special Equipment: Folding grilling basket - Here is one on Amazon, but you might be able to find it at the camping section of most stores.

Method:
1. Spread each slice of bread with sun dried tomato butter. Place 4 slices, buttered side down, on a work surface or directly on to a grill basket (see example below). Top with a thin layer of chutney and then cheese, onion and tomato slices. Place remaining bread slices on top, butter side up. 

2. Grill for 3-4 minutes over a medium heat source until the bread is slightly charred around the edges and the cheese is melted.  I sometimes like to place them on my covered smoker for longer as well, 8 minutes at 275F. Remove from the grill and slice, serving 1/2 sandwich to each guest as a side.

Serves 8.

Braaibroodtjies in a rooster (South African wire grill basket used to contain food while being flipped over the fire.)