Summer has truly snuffed itself out, and most evenings you’ll find me snuggling under a blanket being controlled by Paul Hollywood’s piercing eyes on The Great British Bake Off or watching Series 2 of Breaking Bad (I know, I’m very behind, but I went into labour watching the first series*, so, uh, it’s been a while…) Easy-to-make TV dinner options are essential for this time of year, and this bombastic-o cheese on toast takes five minutes tops. This was my English grandmother’s recipe. She was a formidable lady, and so is this. It’s perfect to eat on a Sunday night when you’re a bit full of lunchtime roast dinner, but still want some comfort food to make the end of the weekend not completely miserable. You can pop a plate of this on your lap and shovel it in your mouth without spilling anything down your front or missing a beat of the action on t’telly. The cheese puffs up under the grill in a wonderful souffle-like way, and the mustard gives everything real oomph. All you need on the side is a bit of salad and some chilli sauce.

Serves 2

4 pieces toast, lightly pre-toasted
Big hunk of extra mature cheddar, grated – as much cheese as you can handle
2 eggs
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
Few shakes of Lea & Perrin’s sauce (optional)

Lightly pre-toast the bread. If you have access to rustic, craggy bread, all the better. Place the slices on a sheet of foil for grilling. Grate the cheese into a bowl, and add all the other ingredients. Whisk around a bit with a fork. Spread to all the edges of the bread.

Grill for a few minutes – don’t walk away, it doesn’t take long. It’s ready when the cheese has puffed up and has a few browned bits on top. Sink your teeth in and enjoy!

* To be precise, I got my first labour twinges while curled up on the floor watching Series 1, episode 2 ‘The Cat’s in the Bag’. Walter and Jesse use a plastic bathtub in which to destroy a body using acid, and the bathtub falls through the floor. Urrrrrgh.