Ploughmans Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large, heavy pan. Gently saute the onion until golden. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, then gradually whisk in the stock and ale. Return to the heat and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce.
• Reserve 1/4 cup of the cheese. Stir in the remaining cheese, a bit at a time (keeping the heat low), until the cheese is all melted. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish each bowl with the reserved cheese and the onions.

Steps:

• Decoratively arrange the fig or lemon leaves on a serving platter or cutting board. Carefully place the remaining ingredients on top of the leaves and serve.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the ham in a heavy roasting pan.
• Mince the garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the chutney, mustard, brown sugar, orange zest, and orange juice and process until smooth. Pour the glaze over the ham and bake for 1 hour, until the ham is fully heated and the glaze is well browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.
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• Place the eggs a large saucepan and cover them with cool tap water. Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Remove the eggs from the saucepan and immediately place them in a bowl of cold water until they are completely cool.
• Remove the shells, slice each egg in half lengthwise, sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Steps:

• Slice the baguette in half lengthways. Mix the mayo with the mustard and cut the apple into thin slices. Spread the mayo mixture over the baguette base, then lay on the ham, cheese, apple and the pickle or chutney. Finish with the rocket and the baguette top, then cut in half.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and dust a baking tray with a little flour. Tip the flour into a large bowl with the baking powder and a good pinch of salt. Add the butter and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles damp breadcrumbs. Add the cheese and thyme leaves, mix in, then pour in the milk. Use a cutlery knife to bring the mixture together as a soft dough - don't overwork it or the scones will be heavy.
• Tip onto your work surface, mopping up any dry crumbs with the dough. Pat into a disc about 1.5cm thick. Using a 5cm fluted cookie cutter, stamp out 12 scones (you may have to squash the scraps back together to get all 12). Place on the baking tray. Mix the remaining 1 tbsp milk with the egg yolk and brush over the top of the scones. Bake for 10-12 mins until well-risen and golden brown, then leave to cool a little on a wire rack.
• Just before serving, put the lemon juice in a bowl, cut the apple in half, remove the core, then very thinly slice into half moons. Toss the apple through the lemon juice as you go. Split the scones in half and fill each one with a couple of slices of apple, 1 tsp of chutney and a few sprigs of cress.

Steps:

• Arrange the buttered bread on a large platter or plate; you can also leave the bread unbuttered, and place a pat of butter on the side instead.
• Cut 4 ozs of cheese per person, it is nice to have a choice of two cheese, such as 2 ozs Cheddar and 2 ozs Stilton - arrange these on the same platter/plate.
• Put the pickled onions and chutney or pickles on the side of the plate, along with a fresh tomato left whole and the spring onions.
• Make sure there is salt and pepper available, as well as some good real ale or cider!
• Enjoy!