Deep-fried brie and turkey baguette

This sweet and oozy cheese sandwich is an excellent way to use up leftovers from the Christmas turkey, especially as Christmas is the one time of year you’re likely to actually have cranberry sauce in the house.

Deep-fried brie and turkey baguette Credit: Smith Street Books / Chris Middleton

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

But, to be honest, it’s all about the deep-fried brie here. Make sure you pop the cheese in the fridge to firm up before deep-frying so it doesn’t collapse in the hot oil, leaving you with nothing but deep-fried crumbs and a very sad sandwich.

Ingredients

• plain (all-purpose) flour,for dusting
• 1 egg, beaten
• 160 g (5½ oz/2 cups) fresh breadcrumbs
• 200 g (7 oz) firm brie, cut into 8 chunks
• 80 g (2¾ oz) cranberry sauce
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• handful spinach or other green leaves
• 2 small baguettes, sliced in half lengthways
• 4 slices turkey

Instructions

1. Place the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls.

2. Working with one piece at a time, coat the brie in the flour, then dip in the egg and coat in the breadcrumbs. Set aside in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.

3. Place the cranberry sauce and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the sauce is a runny consistency.

4. Heat enough oil for deep-frying to 170°C (340°F), or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil turns brown in 15 seconds. Fry the cheese, in batches if necessary, for 1–2 minutes, until golden brown.

5. Divide the green leaves between the baguettes, then pile in the turkey and deep-fried cheese. Spoon the cranberry sauce over the top and season with lots of freshly cracked black pepper.

This recipe is from In Bread (Smith Street Books).

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

But, to be honest, it’s all about the deep-fried brie here. Make sure you pop the cheese in the fridge to firm up before deep-frying so it doesn’t collapse in the hot oil, leaving you with nothing but deep-fried crumbs and a very sad sandwich.