Easy onion jam jazzes up grilled cheese

Salty and a bit sweet, rich and a bit tangy, this grilled cheese with onion jam, adapted from The Epicurious Cookbook, is everything we want for dinner (there are even greens!), between two slices of rustic bread.

Grilled Cheese With Onion Jam

4 slices rustic Italian bread Olive oil

Onion jam, bought or homemade (recipe follows)

4 to 6 ounces sliced taleggio

or fontina cheese

2 cups escarole, cut into

ribbons

Salt and ground black pepper

Brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil; arrange slices with the oiled side down on a work surface. Spread 2 slices with onion jam; top with slices of taleggio cheese. Divide and mound the escarole on top; season with salt and pepper. Close sandwiches with the other 2 slices of bread. Cook the sandwiches in a skillet, turning once and pressing with a spatula to compact, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese melts, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Makes 2 servings.

Onion Jam

¼ cup olive oil 3 large onions, cut into ¼

inch dice

2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf

parsley

2 bay leaves

1 sprig rosemary

1 cup sugar

¾ cup white balsamic

vinegar

Salt

In a large pot, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Tie the parsley, bay leaves and rosemary together with kitchen twine. Add the herb bundle to the diced onions and cook over low heat, stirring a few times, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the sugar over the onions and cook, without stirring, until the sugar melts, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high and cook, without stirring, until an amberbrown caramel forms, about 6 minutes. Stir in the white balsamic vinegar and simmer over low heat, stirring a few times, until the jam is thick, about 5 minutes. Discard the herb bundle. Season the jam with salt and let cool to warm.

The caramelized onion jam can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes about 2 cups. Jam recipe adapted from Food & Wine

Chicago Tribune/TNS/ALEX GARCIA Grilled Cheese With Onion Jam