(Pictured above)
Think of this as a cheesy omelette toasted sandwich, where the egg, cheese and Worcestershire combine into a creamy, molten filling. If you can’t get your hands on double gloucester in Australia, you could try substituting with your favourite cheddar; and please, don’t skimp on the butter. The results are so good, says Kerridge: “I’ve even been known to eat one, then make another!”
From the bread (white, robust and un-holey) to the cheese (two varieties are better than one) to the cooking method (fried in a cast-iron pan), Cloake has the formula for a perfect grilled cheese sandwich. It’s important not to disregard the two-cheese science: a good melting cheese like gouda, comte, gruyere or mozzarella means the cheese effectively “fries” in the pan, while a hard cheese like cheddar or red leicester – grated, not sliced, we’re not heathens – becomes gooey. For added decadence, you could even shower extra grated cheese on the bread as it fries.
There’s are several levels of ingenuity to these toasties. For starters, it’s likely you already have the ingredients in your kitchen – frozen peas and corn; turmeric, cumin and garam masala; perhaps a few potatoes. The vegetables are sizzled with spice and become the sandwich stuffing; the potato skins, meanwhile, become crisps to eat on the side.
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Another cheese-free invention. I am sceptical about warm avocado – and rocket at any temperature – but I am a fan of hummus, pumpkin and any recipe that is preceded with the word “winning”. Plus, butternut pumpkin is cheap at the moment.
Ottolenghi’s recipe calls for Christmas roast leftovers, but it is July in Australia – so if Christmas in July is on the cards (or you find happen to find yourself with surplus ham), those slices of cured and roasted pork are destined for this sandwich. This recipe calls for mayonnaise – not butter – to be slathered on the outside (and inside) of the bread, the secret sauce many chefs swear by because mayonnaise supposedly crisps more evenly, without burning, compared to butter. My tip? Make sure your coriander is washed extremely well, or else your secret ingredient will be soil.
Do you want a sandwich? Do you want dessert? You really can have it all. While this sounds simple on paper, there are some guardrails to guide you to sweet sandwich success. Slice the Snickers into half-centimetre slices for easy meltability, and don’t overdo the Nutella unless you like a soggy sandwich. I highly recommend using a jaffle maker for this to properly seal the edges but remember, melted sugar is extremely hot, so when it’s time to eat, proceed with caution.
