Black and Orange Recipe: Pumpernickel Grilled Cheddar with Apple and Thyme

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated April 06, 2021

Every Wednesday this month, our fabulous intern Kerry will share an original black and orange recipe that's simple, festive, and elegant. Nothing scary about it, except the colors!

Halloween is a kids' holiday that adults just can't bring themselves to stop celebrating. So this recipe does double duty. Leave out the Dijon and thyme for the kids, or leave them in for an adult version of the ultimate kids' food: grilled cheese. The black of the pumpernickel bread and the orange of the sharpest cheddar melt together in a savory Halloween bite, tempered by the sweet slices of apple. The colors are a little trick of the eye; the sandwich is a little treat for yourself.

Recipe Details

Black and Orange Recipe: Pumpernickel Grilled Cheddar with Apple and Thyme

Prep 5 mins
Cook 10 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 4 sandwiches
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 8 slices excellent, hearty pumpernickel bread

  • 3/4 pound excellent, very sharp orange cheddar cheese

  • 1 Granny Smith apple, sliced very thinly

  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (optional)

  • Butter

Directions

  1. Preheat a griddle or skillet on medium heat.

  2. Thinly slice the cheddar cheese, and arrange it on four slices of the bread. Cover with a thin layer of apple slices (you will not need the whole apple).

  3. Top the apple-and-cheese slices with the mustard-and-seasoning slices, to create the sandwiches. Melt a dab of butter on the griddle, and grill the cheese sandwiches, about 4 minutes per side, until the cheese is melted and the bread toasted and crisp.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
352Calories
22gFat
25gCarbs
14gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories352
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g28%
Saturated Fat 12g60%
Cholesterol 57mg19%
Sodium 849mg37%
Total Carbohydrate 25g9%
Dietary Fiber 4g14%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 340mg26%
Iron 1mg8%
Potassium 168mg4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

More Serious Eats Recipes