Toasties

It is a time of year for big meals, with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year meaning the recipe books have been dusted off and cooks up and down the country are preparing their menus. So many welcome an easier meal for mid-week and so we wanted to share with you the great pleasure of the gourmet toastie.

The Reuben Sandwich is one of the world’s most famous. The story goes that Reuben Kulakofsky, a Lithuanian grocer living in Omaha, Nebraska, asked for a sandwich made of salt beef and sauerkraut at his weekly poker game held in the Blackstone Hotel. The sandwich was thought to be so good – they put it on the hotel menu, and its popularity took off from there. There is a fantastic recipe for it from the Hairy Bikers.

Here is one from the kitchen of The Great British Chefs - A Patty Melt. It is like a cheeseburger and toastie combined; instead of serving the burger patty on a bun, it’s sandwiched between two slices of bread and toasted with the cheese until it all melts together. You don’t need a special toastie maker to make this sandwich - just use a frying pan, flipping the sandwich halfway through to ensure even toasting.
 
It may be messy, but it is also delicious. This Manchego and Chorizo Toastie combines manchego and chorizo toasties slathered with a smoky paprika and garlic bechamel sauce before being topped with an oozy fried egg to make what Delicious Magazine call a Croque Señorita.