I’ve been hitting the old cheese on toast pretty hard in the past week or so whilst being all feak and weeble. I fancy myself as being a bit handy in this department so thought I’d pass on my “expertise”! Warning – I have said some of this before.
Obviously good bread and good cheese are essential.
But that’s not all; the humble cheese on toast can be made in a variety of not at all humble ways such as…
Simply spread something delicious on top of the toast and under the cheese.
Add Mayonnaise to Cheese on Toast
Mixing mayonnaise with grated cheese (Cheddar is good but so are other hard cheeses) about 50:50 gives a lovely flavour and a creamy texture. Ring the changes with garlic, chilli, fresh herbs, finely chopped red onion or other additions. Spread thickly on toast and put in the oven till bubbling and turning golden in places.
Cheddar & Leek Rarebit
This is a slight variation on traditional rarebit. For two slices of toast …
~ Cook half a small leek, thinly sliced, in 20g of butter very gently till completely and utterly tender.
~ Stir in a teaspoon of flour and a generous pinch of English mustard powder to make a roux.
~ Stir over a low heat for a minute or two and then whisk in 40ml of milk and 1 tablespoon of ale or dry cider. This last is not absolutely compulsory but is customary and very good.
~ Cook, stirring, till a thick sauce has formed then simmer for a minute or two to cook out the raw flour flavour.
~ Add 90g of grated cheese, Caerphilly or Wenslydale are great but Cheddar is too, and stir together till melted, season to taste.
~ Put the toast in a shallow baking dish and pour over the sauce.
~ Sprinkle with a handful of fresh breadcrumbs, which helps to hold the sauce in place and adds extra crunch, and bake in the hot oven till golden and bubbly.
Locket’s Savoury
Brie, Bacon and Cranberry Sauce
Traditional Gruyère Croutons atop French Onion Soup
Tartines/Crostini
~ Slice baguette thinly, about ¼” thick, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with crunchy sea salt and bake in a hot oven till crisp and golden, about 10 minutes; they are delicious just like this but try not to eat them all!
~ Attractively arrange a delicious cheesy topping on each crostini; suggested combinations include thinly sliced red apple and Cheddar, herbed cream cheese and smoked salmon, Gruyère and sautéed mushrooms, goat cheese and Parma ham, creamy blue cheese and sugared walnuts – the list is endless.
~ Heat through in the oven for just a few minutes and serve, as is traditional, with a simple green salad dressed with vinaigrette.
Goat Cheese Croûtes
Bruschetta
Pesto & Mozzarella Toasts with Roasted Tomatoes
~ Halve cherry tomatoes, or keep whole if tiny, and toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
~ Spread on a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes till soft and collapsing.
~ Toast bread, spread with a little pesto, add slices of mozzarella and bake for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
~ Top with the hot roasted tomatoes and eat carefully – the tomatoes may burst all sweet and juicy in your mouth and make you dribble!
Honeyed Stilton on Toast
Pizza Toast
Four Cheesy Asides …
2. Lots more ideas for things to do with cheese in my book Creative Ways to Use Up Leftovers.
3. Here is a close up of wonderful Davidstow Cornish Crackler which I have mentioned before, over and over again, but just because it is so very yummy. See the little crunchy crystals that makes it crackly!