Minnesota State Fair-New Food Tips
by Kimberley Thompson, Tastemaker in Residence
Grilled Sota Sandwich - MN State Fair photo
The Great Minnesota Fair once again had several winners in the new foods catagory!
Brim's Grilled 'Sota sandwich was one of the winners that my brother and I tried to replicate at home.
We discovered that the recipe can be rather fluid...and very easy to change up and experiment with flavors and ingredients.
(My brother made a homemade blueberry and lemon marmelade jam; prefering the more tart jam over the very sweet commercial jams from the grocery shelves. I prefer using the less sweet European jams; as I practiced the more spontaneous approach!)
Best bit of advice: use a good cast iron pan for the best crusty exterior...and the most religious melty interior!
Ingredients
Serves one. Easy to double or triple!
2 tsp coconut oil
2 slices good wheat or multi-grain bread
3 Tbsp peanut butter or nut butter
1 Tbsp honey
A pinch of cinnamon, truly!
2 Tbsp blueberry jelly OR 20 fresh blueberries
Instructions
(Note: make sandwiches while griddle is heating. But do not put coconut oil in hot pan until just before grilling!)
Over medium temperature, heat up cast iron skillet. Just before grilling, add the coconut oil; swirling to cover bottom of pan. (May need a bit more added when you flip sandwich to brown the other side.)
In a small dish, mix together until creamy, the peanut (or any nut butter you prefer) butter, honey and cinnamon. Spread either peanut butter or nut butter on both slices of bread. Spread the jelly over the peanut butter on one of the slices. (If using the fresh berries, place the washed and drained berries directly on to the peanut buttered side of bread.)
Place the slice with the jelly or berries on the griddle. Top with other slice, so that peanut butter and jelly (fresh blueberries) are in the middle. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown, crunchy, and heated through.
Cook’s Note
WARNING: the peanut butter and jelly interior stays HOT a long time.