Grilled cheese recipes grow tastier with age

½ pound Emmenthaler or Jarlsberg

½ pound Havarti

½ pound Taleggio

1 loaf Country White bread, preferably from Prairie Thunder Co.

1 stick butter

Flaky salt such as fleur de sel or black salt

Caramelized onions and peppers

1 sweet onion, sliced

2 to 4 sliced serrano peppers, optional

½ teaspoons sugar

Pinch of salt

½ tablespoon butter

1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes or 6 to 8 fresh well-ripened tomatoes, peeled and chopped, juices reserved

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 small carrot, grated

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed

4 chiles de arbol or dried cayenne peppers, stemmed

1 cup chicken broth or stock

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons butter

¼ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with ¼ cup of the olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add chiles if using, and cook until chiles begin to darken, about 1 minute. Lower heat to medium low and add celery, carrot, onion and garlic. Simmer mixture until onions have softened, about 10 minutes. Add roasted tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter.

Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Caramelize the onions: Melt butter at medium low heat in a small pot and add onions and peppers, if using, for 10 minutes. Add sugar and salt and cook at low heat until ready to use.

Make the sandwiches: Slice bread into 1-inch slices, top with equal parts of the three cheeses and two heaping spoonfuls of the caramelized onions and peppers, if using.

Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium heat and add two tablespoons of butter. Melt butter and spread around the skillet. Add three two or three sandwiches to the skillet, depending on how many it can hold without crowding. Flip after about 30 seconds to make sure both sides of the sandwich are coated in butter. Cover the skillet loosely and fry at medium heat about six minutes, flip and repeat until golden brown on both sides.

Cover a platter with flaky salt and set aside.

Finish the soup: Using an immersion blender, puree ingredients until smooth. You may also transfer ingredients into a blender to puree then return them to the pan. Stir in cream, and keep at low heat until ready to serve.

Press both sides of the finished sandwiches into the salted platter, serve with hot soup and a bottle of Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc.