Recipes and notes from Charlie Hibbert, Chef Director at Thyme: a pastoral idyll which offers a place to pause for thought in harmony with the seasons.
A bucolic retreat of rooms, luxury and rest, Thyme provides a range of workshops, treatments, events, and some of the most delicious, locally sourced food in the county at the Ox Barn.
Charlie’s Cheese & 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 armoury. I particularly love chard, not only for its spectacular colours and wonderfully earthy taste, but also because it’s available for much of the year; from June to August and October to April. If you can’t get hold of it, you can use spinach or other leafy greens instead. Because this month we’re focusing on our refurbished village pub The Swan, I can confirm that the cheese and chard toastie will make an appearance at some point in the coming months.
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 Tabasco
- 6 leaves of chard
- 8 slices of sourdough
Method:
- Gently pull the leaves from the chard stalks and wash them. Slice the stalks thinly and place them in a pan with 30ml water.
- Cook over a 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 four of the slices of toast and cover with the chard.
- Top with the remaining slices of bread. Butter the outside sides of the sandwich.
- Fry each side for three minutes or until golden brown, then cut in half and serve.
Thyme’s Happenings by Milly Hibbert
This month, it’s all about our newly re-opened village pub – The Swan. I’ve used a mix of uniform stripes and unruly Bertioli prints in hazy blues and garden greens and sourced an eclectic collection of artwork and ceramics to create a completely new look. There’s something for everyone: a bar serving local brews and light pub bites; dining room with pub classics; snug hosting up to 10 or 12 for a cosy meal; the carousal for lounging – complete with bar, large tables and TVs; even benches out front and onto the village green plus a walled garden and pop-up alfresco bar for when the weather permits.
We are open from Wednesday to Sunday for lunch, and Wednesday to Saturday for dinner. All menus have been created by Charlie and are beyond tempting – catering to all tastes. Come and see us.
Bookings: thyme.co.uk/eat/the-swan or 01367 850 205