Thanks to the longstanding tradition of cash-strapped hippies slinging $1 sandwiches on Shakedown Street in the parking lot outside of Grateful Dead, Phish and other jam-band concerts in order to keep themselves flush with just enough dough to keep traveling with the tour, grilled cheese and cannabis already have developed quite a rapport.

Tracey Medeiros, the author of The Art of Cooking with Cannabis: CBD and THC-Infused Recipes from Across America, took that relationship a step further in her book with a recipe for Goddess Grilled Cheese, a hearty sandwich that’s made with CBD Herbes de Provence Butter.

“Grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food. It is super simple to make and well worth the minimal effort needed for preparation,” Medeiros says. “The Goddess is a delicious departure from the traditional grilled cheese sandwich. The bread has a nice crispy crust, while the sweet pesto aioli pairs perfectly with the herbs from the butter. The creamy, rich filling pairs beautifully with the subtle earthy undertones from the cannabis.”

Medeiros, who says her overall philosophy for incorporating cannabis into simple classics like grilled cheese is to “start low and go slow,” got the recipe for The Goddess from the co-owners of The Green Goddess Café in Stowe, Vermont. As it turns out, sourcing cannabis-infused recipes from others was a big part of her new cookbook.

“When Vermont was in the process of legalizing cannabis, I found myself continually reading about the plant’s potential for medicinal benefits,” Medeiros says. “This piqued my interest, motivating me to reach out to folks across our country who use cannabis as a culinary ingredient. I was amazed to discover how this plant was transforming the culinary and cannabis landscape. Seeing the value that cannabis was adding to our culinary repertoire, I wanted to learn more. The reason I wrote The Art of Cooking with Cannabis was driven by my desire to showcase the folks behind the scenes and their mission to let people know about the wellness properties of cannabis.”

Now that you know, go slow, bro.

Goddess Grilled Cheese

Ingredients for the CBD Herbes de Provence Butter

• 2 tablespoons clarified butter, homemade or store-bought
• 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
• 20 milligrams CBD oil, preferably Sunsoil

Ingredients for the Pesto Aioli

• 1 tablespoon pesto, homemade or store-bought
• 1 tablespoon organic mayonnaise
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for the Grilled Cheese

• 2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence butter, divided
• 2 slices 1/2-inch-thick Pullman or other white bread
• 4 thin slices of fresh, local mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
• 2 slices tomato, such as Roma or heirloom
• 1/2 cup fresh local baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons pesto aioli

Instructions for the Clarified Butter

1. Melt 1 stick of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer, do not stir, until all of the whey proteins have risen to the surface and whitened into a foam.
2. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.
3. Using a spoon, gently skim off the top layer of foam (known as the whey proteins) and carefully strain through a fine sieve lined with a cheesecloth and into a heatproof jar.
4. Use at once or cover and refrigerate for several months.
5. While making the clarified butter, be careful not to overcook or it will become bitter-tasting. The extra butter can be used for cooking eggs or whisked into a hollandaise sauce. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Instructions for the Grilled Cheese

1. To make the CBD Herbes de Provence butter, whisk together the clarified butter, Herbes de Provence and CBD oil until well combined in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. For the pesto aioli, whisk together the pesto and mayonnaise until smooth in a small bowl. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
3. For the sandwich, preheat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the CBD Herbes de Provence butter to the preheated skillet. Spread the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over the top side of each bread slice.
4. When the butter melts, place 1 slice of bread, butter-side down, in the skillet. Layer with 2 slices of cheese, avocado, tomato, spinach and finally the remaining 2 slices of cheese. Spread the inside of the second slice of bread with pesto aioli and place on top, butter-side up.
5. When the cheese has melted and the underside is golden brown (about 4 minutes), use a spatula to carefully flip the sandwich over. Continue to cook, gently pressing down on the sandwich occasionally, until the second side is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Cut the sandwich in half and serve at once.

Recipe excerpted from “The Art of Cooking with Cannabis: CBD and THC-Infused Recipes from Across America“ by Tracey Medeiros (Skyhorse Publishing, May 2021).

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