Creamed-corn, cheddar and spring-onion toasties recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes

SERVES

Four

INGREDIENTS

• 3 ears of corn

• 25g butter, plus more for spreading

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 1 red and 1 green chilli, halved, deseeded and finely sliced

• 1 garlic clove, grated to a purée

• 150ml double cream

• 2 spring onions, trimmed and chopped

• Squeeze of lemon

• 8 slices of bread (boule or sourdough, whatever you want, but good bread)

• 125g mature cheddar cheese, finely sliced or coarsely grated

METHOD

1. Remove the kernels from the ears by standing each one in a bowl and slicing them off with a sharp knife in strips, from top to bottom, working your way round each one.

2. Put the kernels in a pot of boiling water and cook for about 20 minutes, or until soft. Drain.

3. Melt 25g of the butter in  a saucepan and sauté the onion until it is soft but  not coloured.

4. Add the chilli and cook for another few minutes, then add the garlic, double cream and the drained corn.

5. Bring the cream to a simmer and cook for a few minutes, just until the mixture is thick and the cream has reduced. Put into a food processor and, using the pulse button, whizz a few times until you have a rough puree (some kernels should still be whole).

6. Stir in the spring onions, add a squeeze of lemon and season.

7. Generously butter each piece of bread on one side. Spoon the corn puree on to four of the slices (unbuttered side up) and lay the cheese on top. Top with the rest of the slices, buttered side up. Toast in a sandwich maker if you have one.

8. If you don’t, heat a large frying pan or griddle pan and cook, pressing the sandwiches down with a heavy saucepan, on both sides, until nice and golden. The cheese should be oozing out the sides.

9. Serve with pickled chillis or dill pickled cucumbers.