Cheese and Onion: A Classic British Sandwich

I've eaten enough meals in the UK now that I feel I can state with certainty that the old adage regarding the horror of British cooking is right on the money.

A British expatriate friend of mine insists that the reason for this is that whenever a particularly lovely dish was invented, it quickly became illegal. At my blank look, he pointed out that historically, the phrase "poached salmon" had an entirely different connotation than it does today.

So it was with visions of Robin Hood and the King's deer running through my head that I stopped into Tesco's the last time I was cooling my heels waiting for a train connection in London. I hurriedly grabbed what I thought was an egg salad sandwich only to discover that it was in fact cheese and onions, a combination I'd never heard of. It turned out to be quite nice and I've been making them for myself and MountainHorseGrrl ever since.

Here they are (sans Brixton Pickle):

Cheese and Onion Sandwich

1 bunch green onions
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Pinch of mustard seed
Mayonnaise (to taste)
White bread
Several baby dill pickles

Chop the onions, including the green tops. Grate cheese coarsely into a mixing bowl. Add onions and mustard seed. (That's mustard SEED, not powdered mustard. It adds a little zing.) Add enough mayonnaise to make into a sandwich spread, stirring with a fork. As you stir, break the grated cheese strips up with the tines of the fork but don't turn it totally into mush. Leave some chunkiness to it. Feel free to play with the proportions of the ingredients until you get a consistency and flavor balance that you like. I typically do it by the "looks good, tastes good" method.

Spread on white bread. I use either potato or buttermilk bread because I just can't stomach the spongy horror that serves for a true British sandwich. If you want to be really authentic though, look for WonderBread or SaraLee or the equivalent. Finally, slice a couple of baby dill pickles and lay them on top of the cheese and onion spread before closing up your sandwich.

For the full experience, slice in half and and pile them on a plate. Serve with a cup of milky Earl Grey tea while enjoying old reruns of Good Neighbors or To The Manor Born.

The flavor is enough different by American standards to make for a nice little adventure but the texture is similar to chicken salad or egg salad and the contrast between the cheese and the onions is interesting.