The Ploughman’s lunch, is a British cold meal, typically served in pubs, consisting of bread, cheese, and assorted accompaniments. It supposedly resembles what a ploughman might have eaten on a midday break in the fields. Although the phrase first appeared in print in the early 19th century, the meal was probably created in the 1950s, and its popularity grew in the 60s, when the Milk Marketing Board featured it in advertising campaigns to boost national cheese sales. At its most basic, the lunch consists of a hunk of cheese, such as cheddar or Stilton, crusty bread, butter, and a pickle or relish, often Branston pickle, a jarred pickled-vegetable relish. Popular additions include chutney, fruit, pickled onions, sliced ham, pork pie, a boiled egg, and pâté.
Move over ploughmen, we think of this as a ploughwoman's lunch, due to the fact it has a little bunch of wild sage flowers! That and we made our own bread, pickled onions, and Ploughwomans Pickle! If you haven't joined the Shelf Control course yet, you are going to want to, just for this bounteous goodness.
This is less of a recipe actually, and more of a collection of wonderful recipes that go together really well for lunch (or dinner). I believe the Ploughwoman's Lunch was the original grazing platter...which we are very familiar with!
So enjoy the selection...add some of your own and here's to the Ploughwomen of the world!
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Need
- 1 Lazy Sourdough loaf or other rustic bread of choice Recipe
- mature cheddar cheese as required (30g per serving is usual)
- blue cheese, 30g per serving (optional)
- creamy rind cheese of choice, 30g per serving
- shaved roasted beef, 3 slices per serving
- 1/4 English pork pie per serving
- 1/2 Scotch egg per serving or use hard boiled eggs
- 1 Batch Chicken Liver Pate Mousse Recipe
- Ploughwoman's Pickle to taste Recipe
- cucumber, cornichons, pickled onions, sliced red onion, tomatoes, or other salad items as required
Do
- 1
Pre-make all the components you love the most...we really love our own sourdough, so that is essential and so is the Ploughwoman's Pickle!
- 2
Assemble all ingredients on a wooden platter or board and have at it. Normally served with apple cider and or beer! Look at you, ready to head back to the plough!
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