Once upon a time, I lived in England. One of my favorite food memories from that experience is the ploughman's lunch, which is classic pub fare consisting of generous slabs of cheese served on a platter with bread, fruit, chutney and pickles. It's rustic and hearty, and, in my opinion, a perfect combination: sharp aged cheese, a smear of spiced fruity chutney, perhaps a dab of strong mustard, and wedges of crisp apple heaped on a platter with thick slices of country-style bread. The best part is that it's DIY -- ready to assemble and devour to your taste.

I used the ploughman's lunch as inspiration for this grilled cheese sandwich, essentially layering all the traditional ingredients into a double-fisted melty sandwich, oozing with cheese and balanced with fresh greens, fruit and a homemade chutney, similar to piccalilli, which is the English version of Indian spiced pickles. While you can purchase prepared chutney, it's very simple to make and is a nice condiment to have on hand for cheese, charcuterie or grilled meat.

Ploughman's Toasted Cheese Sandwich

Active time: 10 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Yield: makes 1 hefty sandwich

2 slices sourdough or ciabatta bread, cut 1/2-inch thick

Salted butter, softened

2 ounces coarsely grated aged hard cheese, such as sharp cheddar or Gruyere

Red onion slices

Thinly sliced apple, such as Granny Smith or Fuji

Baby kale leaves or arugula

2 tablespoons Apple Chili Chutney (see recipe below) or piccalilli

Butter one side of each bread slice. Heat a skillet over medium.

Add 1 bread slice to the skillet, butter-side down. Mound the cheese evenly over the bread. Cover the pan and cook until the cheese is mostly melted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Place a layer of onions over the cheese, then top with apple slices and kale leaves. Spread 1 to 2 spoonfuls of chutney over the kale, but not entirely to the edges. Place the second bread slice over the chutney, butter-side up. Using a spatula, carefully flip the sandwich and gently press down. Cover the skillet and cook until the cheese is thoroughly melted and the bread is golden brown, 2 to 3 more minutes.

Transfer to a plate and cut in half. Eat immediately.

Apple Chili Chutney

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Yield: makes about 2 cups

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 to 3 red chili peppers, stemmed and seeded, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons fresh grated peeled ginger, with juices

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the chutney thickens, about 20 minutes. Cool completely, then transfer to a jar and refrigerate. The chutney will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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If you're like me and can't resist buying hothouse grape tomatoes in the middle of the winter -- even when we know better -- this recipe will address any buyer's remorse. It's not the fault of the tomatoes, of course. They do look irresistible, but looks can be deceiving with these plump and oh-so-red tomatoes, which often disappoint in the flavor department when they are out of season.

Not to worry -- this recipe allows for a little off-season tomato indulgence with no regrets. Thanks to slow roasting, they will deflate from their impossible pertness to a more relaxed version of themselves, and any hibernating juices and natural sugars will be released. Along with a little simple seasoning to give them some oomph, you will also have a sunny and versatile condiment to beat the winter blues.

Add roasted tomatoes to sauces and salads, use as a topping on pizza and crostini, or toss with pasta. In this recipe, I take advantage of the sludgy sheen of olive oil and tomato juice left behind in the pan after roasting. To sop up the flavorful oil, I sprinkle a layer of breadcrumbs over the pan to absorb the juices and toast the crumbs in the oven until golden. They are a delicious extra touch to this light and fresh pasta dish.

Gemelli With Roasted Tomatoes, Arugula and Olive Oil Breadcrumbs

Active time: 45 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 pound grape tomatoes

3 garlic whole cloves, unpeeled

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

4 thyme sprigs

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 pound gemelli or fusilli

2 large handfuls arugula, about 3 cups

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Scatter the tomatoes and garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet. Add the oil, salt and black pepper and stir to coat. Scatter the thyme sprigs over the tomatoes and transfer to the oven. Roast until the tomatoes are softened and begin to release their juices, about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove from the oven and discard the thyme sprigs. When cool enough to handle, peel the skin away from the garlic and finely chop the cloves. Transfer the tomatoes and garlic to a large serving bowl.

Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the same baking sheet and stir in the residual olive oil to coat. Return the baking sheet to the oven and cook until the breadcrumbs are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. (They will brown quickly, so watch them carefully.) Remove and immediately transfer the breadcrumbs to a small bowl to stop them from cooking. Cool for 5 minutes and then stir in the 2 tablespoons cheese.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Scoop out 1/2 cup cooking water and then drain the pasta.

Add the pasta, arugula, half the breadcrumbs, and the 1/3 cup cheese to the tomatoes and toss to combine. If the pasta is a little dry, add some of the reserved water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until moistened to your preference. Divide the pasta between serving plates. Garnish with the remaining breadcrumbs and freshly ground black pepper; serve immediately.

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Are you a fan of pho? If you've never had it, pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup. It consists of a mountain of slurp-worthy rice noodles mingling in an umami-rich soup with meat, such as chicken or beef, or tofu and vegetables. The bonus is the garnishes -- a garden basket of leafy herbs, chiles and sprouts to scatter over the top, with squirts of lime, hot sauce and hoisin for good measure.

Pho is intoxicatingly aromatic, and a perfect remedy to fight a cold or simply satisfy a craving for Asian spice and heat. Once you taste it, you'll be hooked.

The key to an authentic pho lies in its broth, an involved affair best left to the weekend, when you have time to fill your home with the slow-cooking aromas of simmering chicken or beef, while the stock reduces to a flavorful, soul-satisfying intensity.

The challenge, though (as cravings go), is that sometimes you just want pho NOW, when it's not the weekend, when you've just arrived home, when it's an hour before dinner, only leftovers are in the fridge and the nearest Vietnamese takeout is in the next county.

Here is a solution: It's an inauthentic version I call fast pho -- or, better yet, faux pho. Instead of making the stock from scratch, I use a good-quality store-bought stock, embellish it with aromatics, and add leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken from the market. It's done in an hour and is a perfect quick fix for a crave-satiating weeknight dinner.

Easy Pho -- Vietnamese Chicken Rice Noodle Soup

Note: This recipe is especially easy to make when you have leftover chicken in the fridge; otherwise, you can pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store or quickly poach a couple of chicken breasts.

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 (2-inch) knob of fresh ginger, coarsely chopped

6 cloves

2 star anise

1 (2-inch) stick cinnamon

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

6 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

8 ounces vermicelli rice noodles

1 pound cooked chicken meat, shredded

4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Garnishes:

Sliced red or green jalapeno chiles

Mung bean sprouts

Fresh mint or Thai basil sprigs

Lime wedges

Sriracha or Hoisin sauce

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium. Add the onions and ginger; saute until fragrant and the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds and peppercorns; saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock, fish sauce, sugar and salt, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, cook and drain the noodles according to the package directions.

Strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot. Add the chicken to the soup and simmer over medium-low until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more fish sauce, sugar or salt if needed.

Divide the noodles between large serving bowls. Sprinkle an even amount of scallions and cilantro over the noodles. Ladle the soup into the bowls. Serve with the garnishes.

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