Celebrating National Grilled Cheese Month: Shrimp Scampi Grilled Cheese #grownupgrilledcheese #gourmetgrilledcheese

April is National Grilled Cheese Month, and I'm excited to share a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich that seafood lovers are guaranteed to go crazy for! I used nutty Comté and smooth-melting Gruyere cheeses to create my Shrimp Scampi Grilled Cheese. My inspiration was two of my favorite dishes: cheesy garlic bread and buttery shrimp scampi. French cheese, artisan bakery bread...and the addition of shrimp scampi and a garlic compound butter...takes this sandwich right over the top. Wait until you see how easy this flavorful grilled cheese is to whip up...one bite, and I guarantee you'll be hooked! 

Shrimp Scampi Grilled Cheese

a Weekend Gourmet original

Ingredients (makes two sandwiches):

• Four 1/2-inch slices from a French boule (or other bread round)
• 4 ounces Comté cheese, cut into thick slices
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, cut into thick slices
• 3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• Salt & pepper to taste

For the compound butter:

• 1 stick salted butter, salted
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1 tsp. chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions:

Step 1: Make the compound butter by adding the softened butter to a small bowl. Add the olive oil, granulated garlic, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Stir until all ingredients are completely combined.

Step 2: Add half of the compound butter to a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Add the shrimp, chopped garlic, and lemon zest. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked. Remove the shrimp from the pan into a bowl so you can clean the skillet.

Step 3: Assemble the sandwiches. Spread 1/4 of the remaining compound butter on two of the bread slices. Arrange half of the Comté and half of the Raclette on the other two bread slices. Top the cheese of both sandwiches with half of the shrimp scampi. Top with the second slice of bread, buttered side up.

Step 4: Heat a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add one sandwich buttered side down, and toast for 2-3 minutes. While the sandwich toasts, spread 1/4 of the compound butter on the top side of the sandwich. Flip and toast another 2-3 minutes, until the cheese begins to melt. Repeat with the second sandwich. To serve, halve the grilled cheese sandwiches with a serrated knife...and enjoy the melt!

If you love cheesy garlic bread...and garlicky shrimp...you're going to go crazy for this dressed-up grilled cheese. Add some artisan veggie chips and a glass of white wine, and you've got a perfect at-home date night. I loved how perfectly the Comté and Gruyere cheeses melted...total perfection! I hope you'll celebrate National Grilled Cheese Month this month by giving my Shrimp Scampi Grilled Cheese a try!