Bacon and Roasted Poblano Grilled Cheese Bites with Tomato Soup

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cover a baking sheet with aluminium foil, then place a wire rack on the baking sheet. Place bacon slices on the wire rack - this allows the bacon to get extra crispy. Roast the bacon in the oven for at least 10 minutes or until desired crispiness, checking on it every 4-5 minutes. When the bacon is done, pat dry with a paper towel and place aside.
3. While the bacon is baking, cover another baking sheet with aluminium foil. Wash and dry the poblano pepper. Place the poblano on the baking sheet. Use 1 teaspoon of olive oil and rub the poblano with it. Put the poblano in the oven and roast for 5-8 minutes. Once the time is up, use tongs to flip the poblano and roast it for another 5-8 minutes. When the poblano is blackened on all sides, place it in a bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 10 minutes, which will allow you to easily peel the skin off the pepper. Once the skin has been peeled off, remove the seeds and cut into thin slices.
4. Heat up the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and tablespoon of butter in a large, flat-bottomed pan on medium heat. Slice the onions thinly, and once your pan is hot, throw them in. Let sit for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If your onions begin to burn, add a bit more oil to your pan. Once the onions are dark and caramelized, you can add 1 teaspoon of of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan and get all the flavour out of the onions.
5. Now it’s time to assemble the masterpiece! Cut 12 thick slices of Armstrong Marble Cheddar Cheese. Start by placing enough cheese to completely cover the base of your grilled cheese. Make sure your slices aren’t too thin or you’ll be left with no cheese in the sandwich. Next, add the bacon, followed by the poblano strips, and end with a generous serving of caramelized onions. If desired, add another layer of cheese to the top of your sandwich.
6. Grill sandwich in a panini press or butter both sides and grill in a pan. For a lighter version, you can put the assembled sandwich on a baking sheet and put it in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
7. Serve piping hot alongside your favourite bowl of tomato soup!

A recipe developed by our foodie influencer @msanadouglas