Twin Eagles Partner Chef Jamie Gwen's Grilled Cheese in Cast Iron

Get your hands on a large wheel of Mexican Panela cheese; a light, creamy, tangy firm cheese, and you’ll be in appetizer heaven! The cheese softens and melts around the edges in a cast iron skillet on your Twin Eagles Grill as you prep the remaining ingredients of your grilled feast. If you plan ahead, allow the cheese to marinate in the refrigerator overnight for the best flavor, or just go for it and skip the marinating time. This one pan wonder is guaranteed to wow your crowd!

Ingredients

One 3-pound wheel Panela cheese
1/2 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoons Spanish smoked paprika
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chile flakes, to taste
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, picked from the stems
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Tortilla chips and/or rustic bread, for dipping

Instructions

Drain the cheese from the package and set it on paper towels to drain any excess moisture.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, shallots, garlic, paprika, chile flakes, parsley, thyme and oregano. Stir to combine well.

Place the cheese in a 10-inch cast ion skillet and poke the cheese all over the top using a skewer or a toothpick, inserting the skewer about 1/4-inch deep (this will help the seasoning absorb better). Pour the olive oil mixture over the top of the cheese, allowing the excess to fill the bottom of the skillet. Cover the top of the skillet with plastic wrap and allow the cheese to marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour and up to overnight.

To serve, place the skillet on the grates of your Twin Eagles Grill and fire up the BBQ to medium-high heat. The cheese will slowly warm as the grill comes up to temperature. When the grill is hot, continue to cook the cheese for about 10 minutes more or until the edges begin to melt, the wheel of cheese is soft throughout and the oil is sizzling. Carefully baste the cheese with the seasoned oil during the grilling process.

Serve the cheese with tortilla chips or bread. Reheat as needed, as the cheese cools.

Serves 10 to 12