Skye McAlpine’s panettone grilled cheese sandwich recipe
There’s always panettone left over at Christmas.
“There is so much that is seemingly wrong about this combination of melted, rich cheese with golden toasted sweet bread, yet – by some kind of alchemy – the two work exceptionally well together,” says cookery writer Skye McAlpine.
“Trust me on the addition of mustard: you need a slick of something sharp and peppery to cut through the glorious greasy, buttery richness of the whole affair (indeed, by the same principle, this would be good with a few cornichons or pickled onions on the side).
“Trust me also on the mayonnaise: I know it seems egregious to slather mayo over something as delicately flavoured as a slice of panettone, but you won’t taste it. I promise. The mayonnaise seemingly evaporates into nothingness, but the combination of its constituent parts – eggs and olive oil – paves the way for a perfectly golden exterior on the sandwich.
“This makes for a gloriously rich and indulgent breakfast, especially for those who like to start the day with something savoury, but I am also quite partial to a grilled cheese sandwich for supper, with nothing more than a little crisp green salad on the side.”
Ingredients
(Prep: 10 minutes, makes one)
80–90g panettone
10g salted butter
2 heaped tsps mayonnaise
1tsp Dijon mustard
2 heaped tbsp grated mild Cheddar
Method
1. Slice the panettone into 2 evenly (and roughly equal) sized pieces. If it’s a round, crossways section, I like to cut it on the diagonal, so that when sandwiched together you have a rounded triangular sandwich.
2. Set a non-stick pan over a medium heat and melt the butter. Spread the mayonnaise over 1 side of each of the pieces of panettone. Now turn a slice over so its mayonnaise-coated side is facing downwards and spread with a thin layer of mustard, then top with the grated cheese. Sandwich together with the second slice of panettone, mayonnaise-coated side facing upwards this time, then set in the pan.
3. Fry gently over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until the bread turns golden, then carefully flip the sandwich on to the other side and fry for a further 2–3 minutes, until golden on both sides and the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.
