Add A Layer Of Pickle Relish To Balance The Richness Of Grilled Cheese

An ultimate grilled cheese recipe is the ultimate in flavor and texture for a reason. It is perfect, but as Winston Churchill said, "..to be perfect is to change often." This is why the next time you make this hot meal with velvety, smooth melted cheese and crispy, buttery toasted bread, you should add a layer of chopped dill pickles or pickle relish to balance the sandwich's richness. Think of this combo like the relationship between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, the acidic, salty, and tangy relish cuts through and contrasts with the creamy cheese while highlighting the savory, sweet, nutty, and even muted qualities of your chosen dairy. 

Despite being a Great Depression go-to for families, the grilled cheese sandwich has evolved and is often described as the ultimate comfort food because of the sumptuous and hearty ingredients used to create it. It is a sandwich where the sum is better than its parts. When you add pickle relish to it, those vinegar, garlicky, sweet, and pepper elements that it might contain not only complement that combination of bread, butter, and cheese, but it takes the whole sandwich to the next level.

You might know that you can elevate grilled cheese with mostarda but in the same way, pickled ingredients also have a rightful place between those two slices of bread. If sour isn't the experience you want with your grilled cheese, a sweet relish will also pair well and enhance your favorite cheddar, allowing you to taste the strong, pungent, and sharp notes even more so. If you prefer a nutty Gruyere or a buttery Havarti cheese, a pickle relish will also allow the flavor profiles of those cheeses to shine through.  

Pickle relish also changes the texture, adding a little crunch to your munch. You don't have to stick with pickles, though. You could dice up a hot or mild giardiniera and allow the taste and consistency of the pickled carrots, cauliflower, bell peppers, tomatoes, and olives to work their vinegary magic with your grilled cheese. Use a little sharp cheddar, mozzarella, or use a blend that includes the sharp, fruity, and savory flavor of parmesan. It is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.