Ploughman's Lunch

Name: Ploughman's Lunch
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: Serves to serve 4
Ingredients: 4 thick slices Cheddar cheese; 4 thick slices firm pâté; Branston Pickle; 8 small pickled onions; a few salad leaves; 2 - 4 tomatoes; 8 thick slices crusty whole-wheat bread; 4 knobs butter; 4 small clusters grapes

Ready in 10 mins

Recipe by Graham

A Ploughman's Lunch (often just called a ploughman's) is a cold snack or meal originating in the United Kingdom, served in pubs, composed of cheese (usually a thick piece of Cheddar, Stilton or other local cheese); pâté or slices of cooked ham, various pickles (relish), pickled onions, salad leaves, rustic bread (usually a chunk from a loaf or a cob); and butter. Other common additions are grapes, celery, or apple.

The Ploughman's Lunch is a common menu item in English pubs, where it is served with a pint of beer. In fact, it is now considered a cultural icon of England. Quick and easy to put together, it makes for a satisfying mid-day meal or king-sized 'snack'.

Preparation Time

10 Minutes

Ingredients for Ploughman's Lunch

If you are not familiar with any ingredients, please check our International Cooking Terms page.

Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements

To serve 4:

4 thick slices Cheddar cheese
4 thick slices firm pâté
Branston Pickle
8 small pickled onions
a few salad leaves
2 - 4 tomatoes
8 thick slices crusty whole-wheat bread
4 knobs butter
4 small clusters grapes

How to Cook Ploughman's Lunch

On 4 large plates, arrange the ingredients in an eye-catching and appetising manner. You can vary what you serve but I strongly recommend as a minimum a good, firm cheese plus a thick slice of pâté or ham along with pickles (relish), crusty bread and butter. You can substitute spring onions (a.k.a. scallions or salad onions) instead of pickled onions if you prefer, but the basis is to mix the sweetness of cheese with the slightly acidic pickles or relishes.

GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
For the pâté, why not make your own with our easy Pâté de Canard ~ Duck Pâté recipe?

GRAHAM'S WINE RECOMMENDATION:
A Nebbiolo grape like Barolo and Barbaresco. wines from Northern Italy. A young Barbaresco goes perfectly with a cold meat platter such as this one, while Barolo wines are at their best with richer dishes like braised beef.