The Sayliwich
We name this sandwich after our friend Sayli. When hanging out once watching a game together it came to the moment of ordering take-out pizza. Our friend made it clear that it was imperative that the pizza had pineapple and extra jalapenos. Jalapenos are a must is what we were told! Sentiments are running high these days with pizza-police declaring that if you put pineapple on it its a flatbread, however don’t think the name matters to our friend. And for that we love her. And so we craft instead a bagel sandwich with pineapple and jalapeno and believe it apt to be named the Sayliwich. As we congratulate her many years on as our friends step into the joys of parenthood, lets hope that this sandwich can come to rescue as a quick snack. For a quick version keep some sliced pineapples and jalapenos on hand along with some bagels and creamcheese/mozzarella. For the mozzarella version, slice the bagel, place both sides on pan and top with mozzarella, add pineapple slice to one, add chopped jalapenos to other and bake in 400 F pre heated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Take out thin sliced red onions or chopped salad greens or microgreens and maybe a drizzle of chipotle mayo sauce and make sandwich. For creamcheese version add bagel slices, pineapple and jalapenos to greased pan and bake. Take out and smear cream cheese and assemble with other additions of choice. For the luxury version, follow on reading.
Preparing pineapples
Using pineapple slices is great justice for this recipe as the O ring perfectly adheres to the bagel shape as if almost made for this recipe.
Take a pineapple and wash it thoroughly and cut thick slices. We then used appropriate sized cookie cutters to make cut discs. Then use the smaller cookie cutter to take out the core. The left over rings can be added to pitcher of water and ice to get pineapple scented water.
We use one slice per bagel.
The sandwich is sweet from the pineapple and believe us, hot from the jalapenos. We use fresh jalapeños, and use one whole jalapeno per pineapple slice. Sometimes jalapenos can be crazy hot so adjust accordingly and to your taste. We do slice them thin on a mandolin slicer though.
Roasting the pineapple
We love to do this in a pan as this can provide stunning caramelization that is hard to do with the oven. It concentrates the flavors but leaves the pineapple juicy. We dry the slices with a paper towel trying to make the surface dry as much as we can. We season it with generous salt on both sides.We use a non stick pan and some butter and on medium heat when butter is hot we add the pineapple dipping it and then removing it as it gets coated with butter and we check the sizzle. If it sizzles its good temperature and place the slice in. In couple of minutes it would get the first sear and we shake the pan to make it come lose and reduce temperature. We then cook it on this lower heat basting by spooning hot butter on the top side with butter foaming on the sides and also with hot butter poured over the core at the centre. We lift it every now and then continuing to check and when evenly golden we flip it to other side and continue to baste.
We also throw the jalapeños at the end as we roast the other side while basting the top, now with jalapenos scented butter.
When the other side is done we remove the pineapple and jalapeños onto a paper towel.
The Sayaliwich Assembly
At the heart the sandwich is sweet from the pineapple and hot from the jalapeños, so it pairs nicely with creamy but acidic cream cheese, however we also like to bring in some green dressed with a simple lime vinaigrette for some more acidity.We first slice and toast the bagel. Then We dress the micro-greens with some sea salt, olive oil and some fresh lime juice.
Slather on the cream-cheese generously, lay on the micro-greens and arrange the jalapeños all around the bagel ring.
Then add the roasted pineapple ring.
It actually works great to serve this as a open-faced sandwich. Especially if the bagels are not light and soft, with a sandwich theres always danger of slippage.
However we are lucky to source some phenomenal light and soft nyc style bagels from Gotham Bagels in madison so we get away with a sandwich. If you get the bagels fresh from any bakery, you can too.
A tip on bagels if they are not fresh is to microwave them in bursts of 30 seconds so that the refrigerated, hardened and dry bagels go soft as the gluten gelatanizes. Then toast them and use immediately. The more they rest after toasting the harder they get.
Pineapple and Jalapeno Bagel Sandwich
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 Bagels, sliced and toasted (2 for open faced Sandwiches)
- 4 Tbsp Whipped cream cheese (sub regular cream cheese or a sharp cheese of your choice)
- 4 Jalapenos, cut on the bias in thin slices (we use a japanese mandolin slicer)
- 4 round slices of pineapple with centre cored out
- 1 tsp butter for roasting per slice
- 8 tsp microgreens
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp lime juice
Instructions
- Melt butter in pan on medium heat
- Roast pineapple slices in butter on medium high heat for first two minutes then on low heat for 6 to 8 more minutes checking every one or two minutes till roasted evenly golden brown and caramelized. Flip and do the same for other side. Add Jalapenos to pan and sautee them alongside.
- Collect the pineapples and jalapenos on a paper towel and soak up the butter
- Toast the bagels
- While bagels are toasting dress the microgreens with olive oil, salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice
- smear the bagels with creamcheese, top with microgreens and lay the jalapenos across the O of the bagel. Top with roasted pineapple ring and serve as an open bagel toast or top with other half also slathered with cream cheese.
- Additionally can add sriracha mayo or chipotle mayo if you would like. For the open toast a grating of amul cheese will work but do t cover the whole pineapple as it makes the plating better.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
