For The Meltiest Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Make Them Swiss-Style

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Many of us have seen the viral videos of perfectly gooey, melty cheese being scraped off a large cheese wheel, landing directly on a piece of fancy-looking bread. The type of cheese in those mouthwatering videos is called raclette — and yes, you can whip up a grilled cheese with it at home. Raclette cheese dates back to medieval times in Switzerland, and we can see why one generation after another has enjoyed the stuff. Raclette offers a slightly funky, pungent taste that's a little nutty, with creamy, buttery notes. Typically, raclette is heated until melted and bubbly before it's scraped onto bread, creating quite a show alongside a fantastic taste that can seriously elevate your grilled cheese. You don't have to go through the theatrics of using an open flame at home to enjoy the goodness of raclette (if you want to, though, more power to you).

You'll want to take some extra care to make sure you're maximizing raclette's melty goodness. You can butter and toast the bread first, then pour melted raclette over your toasted bread after it's on the plate. You can melt the cheese under the broiler (or over tealight candles, if you're feeling fancy) in a raclette pan. You can also simply place the cheese on pre-toasted bread and put the sandwich, open-faced, under the broiler until the cheese begins to melt (pro tip: place it on a pan to avoid an oily mess in your oven). Let's take a look at a few more things you'll want to keep in mind when making a raclette grilled cheese for the first time.

First, of course, you'll need to find some of the good stuff. Raclette isn't super common in the dairy section of grocery stores. This means you may need to go the extra mile (literally) to get your hands on this deliciously pungent, melty cheese. You might be able to pick up this rare winter cheese at Trader Joe's, or you can order raclette on Amazon through Whole Foods Market (if you absolutely can't find raclette cheese, you can try substituting Gruyère instead). 

When it comes to choosing your bread, you'll want something sturdy that can support the meltiness of raclette. Pain au levain — a French sourdough — is a good fit (a flavor-packed homemade sourdough can also be a great choice). While you can certainly enjoy a raclette grilled cheese without any additions, the taste of the cheese creates a nice canvas for other flavors. Prosciutto and caramelized onions are both solid savory picks, and sliced cornichons add a crunch and acidity that can cut through the richness of the cheese. Once you get a taste of how delicious a Swiss-style grilled cheese can be, you'll want to keep this funky cheese in your fridge so you don't have to go back to your standard recipe.