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This ultimate Boxing Day sandwich comes from Max Halley, of Max’s Sandwich Shop in London. For more inspiration, check out our collection of turkey leftover recipes.

What Max has to say about his Boxing Day sandwich...

“I think every great sandwich must have six elements: hot, cold, sweet, sour, crunchy and soft. If they’re all there, you’re on to a winner. So to tart up your left-over Christmas turkey and ham I’ve created a Paxo croquette that binds all the traditional flavours of stuffing in a creamy, hot, breadcrumb-coated, giant-sized croquette. I’ve also made some quick, sweet, pickled veggies and, for the ultimate crunch, scratchings made from the turkey skin. I think focaccia makes the best sandwich bread – it’s soft, doesn’t disintegrate when you bite into it and it’s a great carrier for mayo and sauces.”

Ingredients

  • 1 large focaccia, cut into 4 equal pieces
  • 8 thick slices ham
  • 8 thick slices roast turkey

SWEET AND SOUR VEG

  • 250ml white wine vinegar
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 1 ridge cucumber, halved lengthways, seeded and cut into half moons
  • 2 stalks celery, finely sliced on diagonal

PAXO CROQUETTES

  • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • 40g butter
  • 50g plain flour
  • 375ml whole milk
  • a pinch ground nutmeg
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 45g Paxo sage & onion stuffing mix
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 50g breadcrumbs
  • for frying sunflower or vegetable oil

TURKEY SCRATCHINGS

  • left-over roast turkey skin, cut into bite-sized pieces

PICKLED WALNUT MAYO

  • 4 pickled walnuts, drained and finely chopped
  • 8 tbsp mayonnaise

CHICORY PARSLEY SALAD

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 heads red chicory, shredded
  • a handful of leaves flat-leaf parsley

Method

  • STEP 1

    To make the sweet and sour veg, put the vinegar, sugar and 125ml water into a pan. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then cool. Pour the liquid over the veg and leave for at least 2 hours (or preferably overnight).

  • STEP 2

    To make the croquettes, fry the onion in the butter until very soft. Stir in the flour and cook for 3-4 minutes to make a roux, then gradually add the milk. When all the milk is incorporated, add the nutmeg, bay leaf and Paxo mix. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Tip in the croquette mixture and spread out into a layer approximately 1cm thick. Leave to cool then chill for at least 2 hours (or preferably overnight) until completely set.

  • STEP 3

    To make the turkey scratchings, put the skin on a non-stick baking tray. Bake at 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 until you have really crisp, crunchy skin.

  • STEP 4

    To make the mayo, combine the walnuts and mayo, and season.

  • STEP 5

    Tip the croquette mixture out onto a board and cut into 4 pieces, each roughly the same size as your slices of bread. Dip each in a bowl of beaten egg, followed by a bowl of breadcrumbs, then shallow-fry in the oil until crisp and golden. Keep warm in a low oven.

  • STEP 6

    To make the salad, whisk the lemon juice and olive oil, and use to dress the chicory and parsley.

  • STEP 7

    To assemble the sandwich, cut each piece of focaccia in half horizontally, and spread the mayo over the bottom half of each slice. Top with the chicory salad, some turkey, the croquette, some ham, a few drained pickles then the turkey scratchings. Put on the focaccia top and tuck in!

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