Blue Madeira Toast with Ilchester Gratin

2002, Chef Andrew

INGREDIENTS:

• mini cheddars
• new potatoes
• iced lemon Madeira cake
• pitta bread
• 2oz blue Ilchester cheese
• bottle of Martini Spirito

METHOD:

Put the potatoes in a pan and bring to the boil. Cut the pitta bread into halves, and the Madeira cake into slices. Toast the pitta in the toaster. Arrange slices of blue cheese on the Madeira cake slices and toast under the grill until all that is left on top are the blue bits. Arrange alternate slices of cheesy Madeira toast and pitta bread into a loaf on the plate. Drain the potatoes and arrange on the side of the plate. Grate or slice the remaining cheese on top of the loaf and potatoes and put the whole thing under the grill for it to melt. This time, don't let the cheese all soak through the cake. Garnish with coarsely-crushed mini-cheddars. Serve with a glass of Martini Spirito.

Bruce: "I have recurring memories of the blue bits left on the Madeira toast after the rest of the cheese had melted through it"

Kath: "Children: do not try this at home"