Recipes
Uk

Ploughman's Lunch

A traditional British cold lunch platter with cheese, pickles, and fresh vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1-2 handfuls lettuce leaves
  • 1-2 tomatoes, sliced
  • ½ cucumber, sliced
  • 1 apple, sliced
  • 100g cheddar or preferred cheese
  • Chutney or pickle
  • Crusty bread or crackers

Method

  1. 1

    Wash and slice lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and apples

  2. 2

    Create a platter with cheese, bread, chutney, and vegetables

  3. 3

    Add protein if desired (eggs, ham, nuts)

  4. 4

    Sprinkle with herbs or cracked black pepper

Swaps & variations

  • Add boiled eggs
  • Add sliced ham or roasted chickpeas
  • Add radishes, celery, or beetroot
  • Add fresh herbs like parsley or chives

Storing & freezing

Assemble fresh. Vegetables keep 2-3 days refrigerated separately.

Grow it yourself

  • Lettuce: Sow regularly spring-autumn. Grow in partial shade in summer
  • Tomatoes: Grow in greenhouses or sunny patios. Feed weekly once fruit sets
  • Cucumber: Grow in greenhouse or warm corner. Provide vertical support
  • Apples: Plant bare-root trees in winter. Prune annually
  • Basil near tomatoes: improves flavour and repels pests
  • Chives deter aphids on cucumbers
  • Companion flowers attract pollinators
  • Bird nets protect ripening apples
  • Lettuce: Pick outer leaves first in cool morning
  • Tomatoes: Pick when fully coloured
  • Cucumbers: Harvest when skins are glossy
  • Apples: Lift gently—if it comes away easily, it's ready

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