Midnight Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Midnight Snacking. Who can resist the temptation? As a child and as an adult, my will power against midnight snacking, is zilch. Well, to be honest, once I discovered that even the great Nigella Lawson is lured by the riches of the fridge at night, I stopped feeling guilty about it. It also earned me the nickname ‘Jughead’ in the Sivaramakrishnan household. 

Growing up, it was always lights out at 10 pm and while my sister and I shared nothing else at that adolescent age, we did share a love for reading at night. Once we were sure that our parents were fast asleep (have you ever been relieved that people around you snore?) the lights would come back on and we’d read into the night. While not even an earthquake could make my sister lift her head up (true story,) I was always looking for something to eat while Nancy continued to not surprise me with her detective skills. My quest would always start at the fridge. The blank staring of its contents, wondering whether to go sweet or savoury, but eventually would end up in the kitchen, quiet as a mouse, making myself a jam sandwich with one hand, while the other turned the pages. 

In college, I suffered a heavy bout of insomnia and if my childhood had taught me anything, it was that I would not survive the nights without snacks to go with it. With the freedom of living in a hostel, came the disadvantages- no access to a fridge. Such things are never a problem for Jughead though, all I had to do was plan ahead. And I did. Walking back from college, I’d visit the local Iyengar bakery behind the hostel to pick up 2 aloo buns and 1 cream bun. At one point, I didn’t even have to tell the baker my order, he’d just have it ready. Boy, did I pay in weight for those buns. 

When I came to grad school, things got worse. I learnt how to bake. Essentially everything I had dreamed of eating, all those nights, I could learn to make. It didn’t help that I also had my own set of guinea pigs who were willing to taste everything I wanted to try. Every night, my friends and I would study together in Ni’s house and somewhere around midnight, after the second round of coffee had been inhaled, the hunger wave would hit. I would more than happily volunteer to keep my books aside and cook something up. Sometimes we’d talk about all the things we missed from back home and I’d surprise them by attempting to recreate it for them. That is how I learnt how to make egg puffs. Apartment 16 D is also where Passive Aggressive Kitchen began. 

This is also how I fell in love with midnight baking. After graduating, the four of us moved to a farmhouse in the neighbouring town and right before we signed the lease, I gave them an apology about all the noise that might come from the kitchen in the night. Right after dinner (ours were usually at 10 pm,) was when the mood would strike. Ni would graciously offer to stay up with me, but would pass out on the couch with the foster dog of the month. Vamshi would roll in at wee hours in the night either from a night of partying or team meetings for a project. While I made frosting, he’d sit with an orange and recount his day to me before heading to bed. After him, the Gilmore girls kept me company until I finished my project for the night. If it was too tempting to wait till morning to taste it, I’d wake Ni up from his slumber and drag him to the kitchen, proudly showing off what I’d made. 

Even after all the macrons and biscottis however, my favourite midnight snack is the humble sandwich. To be accurate, a crisp, browned grilled cheese sandwich. I consider it an elevation from my childhood slapping together two slices of bread under the faint light. I love putting together sandwiches with many many layers (just like my comic namesake,) but when it comes to midnight snacks, it is mostly my sweet tooth which answers the knock of hunger. A simple chocolate spread with nuts. I keep switching the cheese, always in search of the next weird combination, but my winner so far has been the smoked cheese, this time being smoked cheddar. 

Here is my secret to a perfect grilled cheese. Cast iron and a heavy weight on the sandwiches. Start heating the pan on low when you start assembling the sandwich. Raise this to medium-high when ready and melt some butter on the pan, making sure you spread it all around. Place the sandwich on the pan and move it around on the butter before placing it in the middle. Lower the heat again and place a heavy weight on the sandwich. I normally use my wooden cutting board. After a couple of mins, lift the weight and carefully check the bottom.

If golden, carefully remove the sandwich off the pan. Repeat the whole process from the butter for the other side. Serve hot with some fresh berries or with a sprinkle of icing sugar. 

What’s your favourite midnight snack?

AuthorPriyanka SivaramakrishnanDifficultyBeginner