Originally a British farm worker’s packed lunch - crumbly, cloth-bound cheddar, pickles and tough bread, the ploughman’s lunch has evolved to become a favourite pub lunch.
Pack it full of dad’s favourite flavours, and you have the perfect Father’s Day picnic lunch!
Ploughman’s Lunch
Serves 4
A selection of cheeses (see notes):
A chunk of good strong vintage cheddar or club cheddar
A slice of blue cheese
A wedge of smoked cheddar or gouda
4 malt vinegar pickled onions
A selection of fresh bread or rolls, one per person
4 thick slices rare roast beef or leg ham
A bowl of garden salad - lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, drizzle with dressing of your choice
A Bowl of Josh&Sue Old Fashioned Tomato Chutney
Slice or two of Pork Terrine with Spiced Apple Chutney – see recipe below
* Selecting your cheese – Buy the best quality cheese possible. If you can only afford one type of cheese, then go with a good vintage cheddar. A ploughman’s lunch isn’t super fancy, but it is good quality flavours.
200g of cheese is plenty for four people to share as part of a ploughman’s lunch
Pork Terrine with Spiced Apple Chutney
12 rashers bacon or pancetta, thinly sliced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp Josh&Sue Spiced Apple Chutney
200g pork mince
500g pork shoulder, chopped into small pieces
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves
2 tbsp pistachio kernels, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper, to season
30-35 cornichons, (Gherkin) sliced in half lengthways
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 9cm x 17cm terrine or loaf pan with bacon rashers, leaving enough overhanging the sides to enclose the top or the terrine.
Heat oil in a frypan over medium-high heat, then cook onion, stirring, for 5 minutes until onion has softened and is translucent. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Add the apple chutney, chopped pork, mince, nutmeg, herbs and nuts.
Season well and mix with your hands.
Pack bacon lined loaf pan with a third of the pork mixture. Layer cornichons across the top of the mixture and cover with remaining pork mixture, press down well. Cover with overhanging bacon.
Cover loaf pan with foil and place in a deep roasting pan. Prepare a water bath by filling the roasting pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the loaf tin.
Bake for 1 hour, then remove foil and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until the bacon on top is crispy.
Remove loaf pan from roasting pan and allow terrine to cool.
Drain any excess juice from terrine (leave in loaf pan). Cover with foil and weigh down by placing cans or weights on top of the terrine. Chill overnight.
To Serve – Remove from loaf pan and slice thickly. Allow to come to room temperature and serve with extra Josh&Sue Spiced Apple Chutney, as part of a Ploughman’s lunch or cheese platter.