Durham Blue Ploughman's Salad

Jul 3 2009 by The Journal

DESPITE our love of cooking, and even growing things from the beginning, there are some condiments that, without which, we in Britain would be so much the poorer.

Heinz tomato ketchup and HP Sauce are two that jump to mind. Branston Pickle is another and there's absolutely no shame in using such a high quality and established relish.

And from a pickle that's been around for ever to a cheese that's roared recently on to the scene, Durham Blue by the Durham Cow Cheese Company is something we've championed since we discovered it around a year ago. But now we're not its only fans as it's just been pronounced winner in the blue cheese category of the 2009 Tesco Cheese Challenge; a fabulous achievement for Julia Cammiss who only started making cheese so recently.

And, after a couple of false starts, maybe summer's really here. So if the idea of sitting outside with a light lunch and a glass of something refreshing appeals to you, this salad, using Durham Blue cheese as part of a twist on the traditional ploughman's lunch, could be just the thing.