Harvest Melt

After eating (devouring more like it) the Grilled Cheese Truck's Harvest melt earlier this year, I was beyond determined to find a recipe to replicate the melt at home. It took me a while, but I finally found one and tested it out earlier this week!

I will say that my version of the harvest melt was not as amazing as the truck's but I think I can fairly blame that on the cook and not the recipe/ingredients. With a couple more practices, I think I should be able to come decently close to the real thing.

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, seeded and sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 stick plus 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 leeks (whites only), sliced ¼ inch thick
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, finely chopped
8 slices multigrain bread
3 tablespoons agave syrup
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
16 slices Gruyère or Swiss cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Toss the squash slices with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until the squash is soft and its edges begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

2.Meanwhile, melt 1½ tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet over moderately high heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the thyme, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Assemble the sandwich: Butter one side of a bread slice with 1 tablespoon butter and place it on a platter, buttered side down. Add 2 slices of cheese, 6 slices roasted squash, 2 tablespoons sautéed leeks, and a drizzle of both agave syrup and balsamic vinegar. Top with 2 more slices of cheese and another slice of buttered bread (buttered side up). Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more sandwiches.

4. Heat a large skillet over moderately high heat. Add the sandwiches and cook until golden-brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes (lower the heat if the bread browns too quickly). Flip the sandwich and continue cooking until the cheese has melted.

Recipe Courtesy of Tasting Table