Who can resist a grilled cheese sandwich? Today’s recipe is from World Vegan.

Melted Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Roasted Pear, Rocket Pesto and Pickles

MAKES 2 SANDWICHES
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES
RESTING TIME: 24 HOURS

FOR THE PICKLES
50 g red onion, cut into fine slices
50 g pink radishes
50 ml cider vinegar
20 g coconut or cane sugar
10 g salt
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp black peppercorns

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE
15 g cornflour
180 ml coconut milk
10 g nutritional yeast
1 tbsp caper brine
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 pinch salt

FOR THE PESTO
1 garlic clove
25 g walnuts
30 g rocket
15 g fresh basil
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

FOR THE SANDWICH
1 pear
4 slices bread (sandwich or farmhouse)
Vegan margarine
1 handful walnuts

Peel the onion and slice thinly. Wash the radishes and slice thinly. Mix the remaining ingredients in a saucepan with 100 ml of water and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Place the onion and radish slices in an airtight jar, pour the brine and herbs into the jar and leave to cool at room temperature. Close the jar and set aside in the fridge for 24 hours before using.

Mix the cornflour with the coconut milk in a small saucepan. Add the yeast, brine, garlic and onion powders and salt and mix. Bring to the
boil and simmer for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. When the sauce has thickened, remove the saucepan from the hob and leave to cool.

Cut the pear into slices. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the pear slices for 2 minutes on each side until tender and slightly golden.

Peel and chop the garlic, then whiz, pulsing all the ingredients for the pesto until smooth but still slightly grainy. Spread one side of the bread slices with margarine before placing them on a plate, buttered side down. Spread 2 slices of bread with pesto, add the roasted pear, cheese sauce, pickles and chopped walnuts. Close with the remaining 2 slices of bread, buttered side up.

Brown the sandwiches in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes on each side.