Gourmet Cheese on Toast

Here's a deluxe version of cheese on toast, easily adaptable to your own tastes. You might try adding some mushrooms or some roasted sweet peppers.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 150  g green beans
•  salt and pepper
• 100  g  soft creamy cheese (goat cheese is good)
• 6  black olives, pitted and sliced
• 1⁄4 cup mint leaves or 1⁄4 cup basil leaves, shredded
• 1⁄2 lemon
• 1  small red onion, finely chopped
• 1  tablespoon  balsamic vinegar
• 8  cherry tomatoes
• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  slices  thick bread
• 1  clove garlic, minced
• 2  slices  good quality ham

Directions

1. Trim the beans, cut them in half and then boil in a small pan of water for two minutes.
2. Drain and cool with some cold water.
3. Place the cheese in a bowl with the olives, mint or basil, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper.
4. Mix together.
5. Mix the onion and balsamic vinegar together in a bowl.
6. Halve the cherry tomatoes and pile over top of the onion mixture.
7. Season with a bit of salt and pepper, add two tablespoons of the olive oil and garlic and mix together.
8. Toast the bread, then rub one side with the remaining olive oil and spread thickly with the cheese mixture.
9. Cover with each piece of bread with a ham slice, place the toast on plates and pile with the onion mixture.
10. Garnish with the beans and serve.