Black Garlic Grilled Cheese with Apricot Jam and Taleggio

• ▸4 slices sourdough or country-style white bread, cut about 3/4 inch thick
• ▸6 cloves black garlic, peeled
• ▸3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ▸150 grams Taleggio, rind trimmed, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
• ▸3 tablespoons good apricot jam, preferably one with some texture
• ▸1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• ▸1 pinch flaky sea salt

1. 1

   Mash the black garlic cloves on a cutting board with the flat of your knife until they form a sticky, dark paste. They should smell sweet and a little winey, not sharp like raw garlic. Scrape the paste into the softened butter and work them together with a fork until fully combined. Taste it. It should be rich and almost caramel-savory.

2. 2

   Lay your four bread slices out and spread the black garlic butter generously on one side of each. Don't be shy here, that butter is what gives you the crust.

3. 3

   Flip two of the slices butter-side down. Spread the apricot jam on the exposed tops, about a tablespoon and a half per sandwich. Scatter the thyme leaves over the jam.

4. 4

   Lay the Taleggio slices over the jam, covering it as evenly as you can. The cheese will be soft and a little sticky, which is fine. Add a pinch of flaky salt directly on the cheese.

5. 5

   Place the remaining two bread slices butter-side up on top to close the sandwiches.

6. 6

   Set a heavy skillet or grill pan over medium-low heat. You want patience here, not speed. Put the sandwiches in the pan and press down lightly with a spatula.

7. 7

   Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the underside is deep golden brown and the bread smells toasty. Lift a corner to check before flipping. If it's pale, give it another minute.

8. 8

   Flip carefully and cook the second side for another 4 to 5 minutes. The Taleggio should be fully melted and possibly oozing at the edges. That's exactly what you want.

9. 9

   Pull them off the heat and let them sit for a full minute before cutting. The jam inside stays molten for a while, so don't burn your mouth rushing it. Cut on the diagonal and serve immediately.

Variations

• ◆Prosciutto version: lay two thin slices of prosciutto crudo over the jam before adding the Taleggio. The salt of the ham sharpens the fruit flavor and gives you something to chew through the melt.
• ◆Fig jam swap: replace the apricot jam with thick fig preserves. The result is darker and more wine-adjacent, and it pairs especially well if you add a few thin slices of pear on top of the cheese.
• ◆Fontina substitute: if Taleggio is hard to find or its smell is too much for your household, young Fontina works well. It melts cleaner and is milder, though you lose some of that washed-rind funk that makes the original interesting.