Peppered goats' cheese with Cumberland sauce and pickled walnuts

Ingredients

200g/7oz cracked black peppercorns
4 x 75g/3oz round slices goats' cheese
4 slices granary or walnut bread, cut into circles larger than the goats' cheese rounds, toasted
For the Cumberland sauce
knob of butter
2 shallots, finely sliced
thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, grated
75ml/3fl oz port
150ml/5fl oz chicken stock
250g/9oz redcurrant jelly
1 tsp green peppercorns in brine, rinsed and drained
pickled walnuts from a jar, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the grill to its highest setting.
2. Pour the cracked black peppercorns onto a plate. Press one side of each of the goats' cheese rounds into the peppercorns.
3. Place the goats' cheese rounds onto the bread rounds, peppered-side up and place under the grill for four minutes, or until the cheese is soft and melted.
4. For the Cumberland sauce, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and the ginger and fry for 2-3 minutes, until soft.
5. Add the port and boil until the liquid reduces to a very thick syrup, then add the stock.
6. Bring the stock to the boil, then add the redcurrant jelly and the green peppercorns and reduce the heat to simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the jelly has completely dissolved.
7. To serve, place the cheese on toast onto a warmed plate. Drizzle the sauce over the cheese and sprinkle with pickled walnuts.