RECIPE: Fork, Knife and Spoon Grilled Cheese from Mythos Restaurant at Islands of Adventure

When you think of the best thing to eat on a hot day in Florida, an ooey and gooey grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup might not be at the top of your list. But once you try the Fork, Knife and Spoon Grilled Cheese from Mythos Restaurant in Universal Islands of Adventure, your mind will be changed forever (trust me). So, without further ado —  whether you’ve never had this delicious meal before or you’re a self-proclaimed grilled cheese connoisseur — here is everything you need to delight in this melty-cheesy-goodness that will leave you wanting more.

I’ll start off with how to make the sandwich itself for those who want a quick meal. BUT if you’re someone who wants to go on a culinary journey and create the full dish as it would be served in the restaurant, stick around to the end for a step-by-step guide on doing just that.

You’re welcome in advance, btw.

Fork, Knife and Spoon Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 slices of brioche bread (or your favorite sliced bread)
• 1.5 tbsp of shredded jack cheddar cheese
• 1 slice of fontina cheese
• 2 tsp of grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
• ¾ cup of Tuscan tomato soup (recipe below — or your favorite canned tomato soup)
• 1 tsp of basil oil
• ¼ cup of fingerling chips (recipe below — or bagged kettle chips)
• 1 slice of pork belly (recipe below — or thick-sliced bacon)
• 2 leaves of thinly sliced chiffonade basil
• Chopped chives to garnish

Directions

1. Lay your bread on a cutting board and place down the sliced fontina cheese. Top it with some shredded jack cheddar cheese and half of the grated parmesan.
2. Close up your sandwich and melt some butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Place the sandwich in the pan and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Lift the sandwich carefully with a spatula to check for that beautiful golden brown color. If more time is needed, place it back down for another minute and flip to cook the other side until equally golden brown.
4. When both sides of the sandwich are golden brown and crispy, admire the beauty of it (not necessary, but definitely recommend), remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Place grilled cheese in the middle of a large bowl and ladle the hot tomato soup around the sandwich.
6. Garnish the sandwich with the remaining half of the grated parmesan cheese, cooked pork belly (or bacon) pieces, chiffonade basil, and chives.
7. Using a spoon and a nice circular flick of the wrist, drizzle basil oil on top of everything. 
8. Admire your creation and give a little *chef’s kiss* (I heard this makes it taste better).

Now, as promised, here are the instructions for each part and side of the Fork, Knife and Spoon Grilled Cheese:

Tuscan Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 cup of rough chopped onions
• 5 cups of diced tomatoes (canned tomatoes can be used as an alternate option)
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 1.5 cups of heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup of basil pesto
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a medium-large sauce pot. Add the onions and cook over moderately low heat until they’re completely translucent.
2. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken stock.
3. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add the whipping cream and the pesto.
5. Blend to a smooth consistency in a food processor or blender while hot.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside for later use.

PRO TIP: You can serve the tomato soup on the side, so your sandwich stays nice and toasty.

Fingerling Chips

Ingredients

• 5 fingerling potatoes
• 2 cups of canola oil
• Kosher salt to taste

Directions

1. Add the oil to a large frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat (you’ll know the oil is hot when you start to see little ripples on the bottom). If you have a countertop fryer, fill it with oil and set the temperature to 350°F .
2. While the oil is heating, wash your potatoes and slice them very thinly (if you have a mandolin, this will work best. Be sure to use a safety guard when slicing with it).
3. Once the oil is hot, gently drop the sliced potatoes in. Allow it to fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
4. Remove potatoes from oil, place onto a lined plate to allow excess oil to absorb.
5. Place freshly fried chips into a bowl and toss with salt.

Pork Belly

Ingredients

• 1 slice of pork belly (or thick-sliced bacon)

Directions

1. Place a frying pan on medium heat, lay down pork belly directly on the pan.
2. Allow it to cook for 4 minutes then flip pork belly using a pair of tongs to cook the other side for 3 minutes.
3. Remove from the pan and allow it to rest before cutting it into small strips.

Basil Oil

Ingredients

• 1 cup of canola oil
• 2 bunches of fresh basil (cleaned)

Directions

1. Place the oil and the basil into a small sauce pot on low-medium heat.
2. Steep basil in oil for 5 minutes.
3. Turn off heat and allow oil to cool. 
4. Place ingredients in a blender to incorporate flavor.
5. Strain through a mesh strainer and set aside for later use.

Now that you’ve learned how to recreate this cheesy masterpiece, try it out and let us know what you think by tagging us on Twitter and Instagram.

And of course, stop by Mythos Restaurant next time you’re in Universal Islands of Adventure… I’m sure you’ll find a new favorite meal (or several) that will have your mouth watering in no time. As for me, I’ll be dipping into the Spanakopita Dip next time and I highly recommend you also try this appetizer if you haven’t yet.