Argentine Grilled Provolone Food

PROVOLETA (GRILLED PROVOLONE CHEESE)

Steps:

• Make the chimichurri: In a small bowl, stir together the parsley, oregano, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, crushed red pepper, vinegar and water. Thin with a little more water, if necessary, to make a pourable sauce. Set aside to let flavors meld. Sauce may be prepared up to 1 hour in advance.
• Set a small cast-iron pan over medium-high heat (or over hot coals). When pan is hot, put in the cheese. Sprinkle with half the oregano and crushed red pepper.
• Cook for about 2 minutes, until the bottom begins to brown. Carefully flip the cheese with a spatula and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the second side is browned and the cheese is beginning to ooze. Transfer cheese to a plate and sprinkle with remaining oregano and crushed red pepper. Serve immediately, accompanied with bread and chimichurri. (Alternatively, finish the cheese by putting it under the broiler or in a hot oven.)

GRILLED PROVOLETA

Steps:

• Heat grill to 400 degrees F.
• Drizzle cheese with a touch of olive oil. Place cheese on the grill for 45 seconds. Flip the cheese and grill for another 45 seconds. Transfer cheese to a small round baking dish. Sprinkle with oregano and crushed red pepper. Serve immediately, using small knives to spread the cheese mixture onto bread slices. Drizzle Chimichurri sauce over.
• Place garlic, aji molido, parsley, chili flakes, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and puree until well ground. With the machine running, add vinegar and slowly pour in oil; process until emulsified. Transfer to a deep jar. The sauce can be kept, covered, for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.

PROVOLETA

Steps:

• Slice the cheese in 1/2 inch thick rounds.
• Mix together the oil, oregano, and aji to form a paste.
• Spread the paste over the cheese slices.
• There is a certain amount of technique to successfully grilling cheese. An essential is that the grill must be very hot. To cook directly on the grill, first set the prepared cheese slices out at room temperature for a couple of hours. As the surface dries out, a hard film starts to form. This is what will keep you from ending up with a gooey puddle in the bottom of your grill. If you don't quite feel up to cooking the cheese directly on the grill, you can use a pie plate or aluminum foil.
• Cook about three minutes on each side.
• Serve hot.

PROVOLETA (ARGENTINA)

Steps:

• Heat a cast-iron skillet over very high heat (I used non-stick and it worked just fine) and put the cheese in it.
• Sprinkle with half the oregano and red pepper flakes and cook until the cheese begins to melt and you can see some brown around the bottom edges.
• Carefully flip the cheese, making sure you get all the crispy brown bits. Sprinkle with the remaining oregano and red pepper and continue to grill until you see those brown edges again.
• Remove from the pan and serve immediately with a crusty bread.

GRILLED PROVOLONE OR PROVOLETA CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Brush cheese with olive oil and fry for 45 seconds to 1 minute or until a brown crust has formed on the bottom and the cheese has begun to melt all over.
• Let pan sit off heat for 2 minutes or until cheese has cooled enough to remove from pan in 1 piece.
• Slide cheese out of pan and flip over so that browned crust is on top.
• Sprinkle with oregano and pepper.
• Serve with Serrano ham.