Panettone Grilled Cheese & Turkey Ragu Lead Boxing Day Leftovers Revolution
LONDON – Forget the turkey curry. This Boxing Day, cooks are turning to inventive recipes to breathe new life into Christmas leftovers, with a panettone grilled cheese sandwich and a rich turkey ragu leading the charge. Cookery writer Skye McAlpine champions the unexpected pairing of sweet panettone with melted cheese, while resourceful cooks are maximizing every scrap of Christmas dinner.
The annual post-Christmas culinary challenge has spurred creativity,moving beyond traditional recipes. McAlpine, author of The Christmas Companion (£28, Bloomsbury Publishing), suggests a surprisingly prosperous combination. “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,” she says. she advocates for Dijon mustard and mayonnaise to elevate the dish. “Trust me on the addition of mustard: you need a slick of something sharp and peppery to cut through the glorious greasy, buttery richness… Trust me also on the mayonnaise: I know it seems egregious… but you won’t taste it.”
Beyond sweet-savoury experiments, classic Italian techniques are proving popular. Transforming leftover turkey into a hearty ragu offers a comforting and flavourful option to standard Boxing Day fare.
Skye McAlpine’s Panettone Grilled cheese (Makes 1, Time: 10 minutes)
Ingredients:
* 80-90g panettone
* 10g salted butter
* 2 heaped tsp mayonnaise
* 1 tsp Dijon mustard
* 2 heaped tbsp grated mild Cheddar
Method:
- Slice the panettone into 2 evenly sized pieces, ideally diagonally for a rounded triangular sandwich.
- Melt the butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Spread mayonnaise on one side of each panettone slice.
- Turn one slice mayonnaise-side down, spread with mustard, and top with grated cheese. Sandwich with the second slice, mayonnaise-side up.
- Fry for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
