CHEESE TOASTIE WITH PICKLED BLACKBERRY CHILLI CHUTNEY
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 25 minutes | Serves: 4
This toastie — or “grilled cheese” if you prefer — is comfort food at its finest. The richness of melted cheese meets the tangy sweetness of pickled blackberry and chilli chutney. With just the right balance of spice, acidity, and depth, it’s the kind of toastie you’ll want to make again and again.
 
INGREDIENTS:
For the chutney:
150g blackberries (fresh or frozen)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
100ml white wine vinegar
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
200g jar of chilli jam
For the toastie:
300g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
100g mozzarella, grated
2 large free-range egg yolks
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
8 slices of sourdough bread
80g salted butter
 
HERE’S HOW:
To make the chutney:
Place the chopped red onion, blackberries, and white wine vinegar into a shallow frying pan.
Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 3–4 minutes, until the onions begin to soften and the vinegar slightly reduces.
Stir in the brown sugar and the jar of chilli jam, and continue to cook for 5–7 minutes, until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy.
Use a stick blender to pulse the chutney until slightly smooth but still with a little texture.
Transfer to a clean jam jar and allow to cool.
This chutney will keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks — perfect for toasties, burgers, or a cheeseboard.
 
To make the toastie:
In a mixing bowl, combine the grated Cheddar and mozzarella.
Add the egg yolks and Dijon mustard, and mix until smooth and fully combined.
Butter the slices of bread, then turn them butter-side down.
Divide the cheese mixture between 4 slices, spreading right to the edges.
Spoon over a generous layer of the blackberry and chilli chutney, then top with the remaining buttered slices of bread (butter side out).
Preheat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.
Cook each sandwich until golden and crisp on both sides, letting the cheese melt beautifully inside.
You may need to cook in batches depending on the size of your pan.
If you’ve got a little cheese mixture left, spread it across the tops and finish the toasties in the oven for a few minutes until bubbling and golden.
Serve hot and enjoy — rich, cheesy, and perfectly balanced with that sweet-spicy chutney.
 
Recipe by Peter Sidwell