There are three key ingredients to a good dinner party: a good menu, good music and good conversation. In each episode Paul’s guest talks through their fantasy dinner party. They discuss their guests (alive, dead, fictional or real), describe each of the three courses, the drinks, and of course, the accompanying tunes.

This week dancer, choreographer and TV presenter Janette Manrara joins Paul for a Cuban-themed fantasy feast.

The Strictly star recalls a childhood filled with croquetas and Cuba Libre, explains why she’s an ‘Audrey’ rather than ‘Marilyn’ girl and inspires Paul so much with her food choices, that he creates a grilled cheese sandwich called ‘The Manrara’ in her honour.

Knives, Forks & Tunes playlist – https://lnk.to/KFT_playlist

Produced for Dig! Studios by Warner Music Entertainment 

‘THE MANARA’- Sandwich Recipe

Cheese Mix:

100g of Grated Fontina Cheese

75g of grated Red Leicester

76g of grated Davidstow Vintage cheddar

Combine all together in a bowl and set aside.

Mustard Butter:

30g soft unsalted butter

10g English mustard

1 tspn lemon juice

Combine all together and set aside.

Mustard mayonnaise:

60g plain mayonnaise

10g English mustard

1 pinch of smoked paprika

1 tspn lemon juice

Combine all together and set aside.

Remaining ingredients:

1 loaf of Rye Bread

200g of strained sauerkraut

8 slices beef pastrami

To cook and assemble your grilled cheese sandwich:

30g Parmesan microplaned

30g Red Leicester microplaned

4 pickled gherkins

Tomato and Onion Seed relish

Method

Cut 2 slices of your rye loaf, with the slices no thicker than 1 cm deep.

On the inside of each slice spread your mustard butter.

Take your 3 cheese mixture and sprinkle liberally on top of each buttered side.

On top of each cheese pile, scatter your sauerkraut.

On one side of the bread, place 2 slices of beef pastrami.

Then place your hands underneath each slice of bread and bring the two slices together to form your sandwich.

Over a medium to high heat add your sandwich to a dry, non-stick pan and toast until you get a light golden colour (this will take about 2 and a half minutes).   During the cooking process, if you have a meat weight, press your sandwich down - this really helps compact your sandwich.

Once you’ve achieved a golden brown colour, flip your sandwich over and repeat the process.

When your bread is coloured on both sides, on the first side you cooked that’s now facing up spread some mustard mayonnaise with a small palate knife. 

Flip it back over for a second colour and repeat with the other side. Cook until a nice, dark caramelised colour. 

Once it’s a nice dark and golden on both sides, remove your sandwich from the pan onto a plate. 

Turn the heat down in the pan to just above medium heat and sprinkle a nice layer of the Parmesan and Red Leicester mixture in the pan.

Place your sandwich onto the cheese on the first side you caramelised and cook until the cheese stops bubbling (this tells you the moisture is leaving the cheese and the cheese is starting to crisp), being careful not to burn the cheese.

Then place a long palate knife or spatula underneath the sandwich and lift it up to allow the cheese to hang down and cool in the air.

Then turn the sandwich over on a plate and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before you carve. The cheese should be crispy and resemble a cheese ‘crown’.

Slice sandwich in half, and serve with the gherkins and a good dollop of the tomato and onion...

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