FRIED CHEESE & ALE SANDWICHES

This chunky, full-on, heavyweight fried cheese sandwich might have been the kind of meal served alongside a beer in the Shelby-owned Garrison pub.

Makes 2

A knob of butter

40g (1½oz) plain flour 100ml (3½fl oz) ale, at room temperature 100ml (3½fl oz) full-fat milk

1tsp English mustard 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce

100g (3½oz) mature Cheddar, grated

¼tsp ground black pepper

¼ of a bunch of chives, chopped

4 slices of crusty white bloomer

A handful of spinach leaves

2 eggs, beaten Vegetable oil, for frying

Gherkins, to serve

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Keep stirring and slowly add the ale. Once the ale is fully incorporated, add the milk, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine to a smooth, thick sauce. Add the Cheddar, black pepper and chives, stirring to melt the cheese into the sauce.

Once the cheese has melted, remove the pan from the heat and leave the sauce to cool. It will be quite thick, but that’s what you’re after.

Generously spread two slices of the bread with the cheese sauce, add a layer of spinach leaves to one slice and place the second slice, cheese sauce down, on top, gently pressing the sandwich together.

Heat a large, nonstick frying pan over a medium heat, and pour the beaten egg into a wide, shallow bowl.

Dip the sandwich into the egg, wait a few minutes, then turn it over and leave the other side to soak briefly in the egg, too.

Add a little vegetable oil to the frying pan and fry the sandwich for about 6-7 minutes, until golden on the underside. Carefully flip it over using a spatula and cook on the other side for a further 4-5 minutes, until that side is golden, too. Don’t worry if some of the cheese sauce oozes out.

Remove the toasted sandwich from the pan, slice it in half and serve it straight away with a few gherkins on the side – and, of course, a glass of ale. Repeat with the remaining slices of bread and filling. Cheers!