Cheese and Chard Toastie

Charlie Hibbert, Head Chef at Thyme's Ox Barn restaurant, shares a delicious recipe that everyone will love - a grilled cheese toastie, the perfect autumn weekend lunch!

Cheese and Chard Toastie

I can’t deny it – like most people on the planet, I’m pretty much addicted to melted cheese. There’s just something about it. I use this recipe probably more often than I ought – on account of it being (a) delicious and (b) super easy. You can also whip it up when you think you’ve got nothing for supper or weekend lunch… just so long as you have Cheddar and some leafy greens in your armory. I use chard, but you could use spinach or other leafy greens you may have.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the rarebit

350g best Cheddar cheese

1 heaped tsp English mustard powder

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 egg yolk

3 dashes of Tobasco

6 leaves of chard

8 slices of sourdough

Method

Gently pull the leaves from the stalks and wash them. Slice the stalks thinly and place them in a pan with 30ml water. Cook them over high heat with the lid on whilst roughly chopping the leaves, before adding them to the same pan. Continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated, then set to one side and allow to cool.

Place all the ingredients for the rarebit into a food processor and blend until smooth. Spread the cheese mix onto 4 of slices of toast and cover with the chard. Top with the remaining slices of bread. Butter the outside of each side of the sandwich. Fry on each side for 3 minutes or until golden brown, then cut in half and serve.

About Thyme

Thyme includes 32 bedrooms situated in the Georgian rectory, The Lodge, The Farmhouse and the cottages around the courtyard; the Ox Barn restaurant (62 seater); Baa bar; meadow spa, orchid house, pool, botanical bothy & Bertioli beauty products; balcony room & piggery boutiques selling Bertioli silk wear, tableware & bespoke homeware; cookery school; farm, kitchen gardens, orchards & water meadows; Old Walls self-catered cottage; Tithe Barn for private events

Thyme’s room rates currently start at £335 (midweek) / £395 (Fri, Sat) per night. These room rates include breakfast.

Thyme, Southrop Manor Estate, Southrop, Gloucestershire, GL7 3PW