Tomato consommé with Lancashire cheese on toast

Ingredients

• 3 kg plum tomatoes ripe quartered
• 175 ml wine 
• 750 ml sacremento tomato juice 
• 3  garlic clove sliced
• 2 large shallots diced finely
• 2 tsp salt 
• 1.5 tsp sugar 
• 1 leaves thyme sprigs fresh such as chervil, baby basil, baby sorrel, snipped chives and small salad leaves, to serve
• 18  plum tomatoes peeled
• 1 tablespoon juice of lemon 
• 0.3 tsp powdered sugar 
• 2 tsp olive oil for drizzling
• 25 g butter 
• 25 g flour plain
• 100 ml milk 
• 175 g lancashire cheese such as leagram's organic, grated
• 1 medium egg yolk 
• 100 ml pale ale beer such as bowland brewery sky dancer
• 0.5 tsp dijon mustard english
• 2 tsp worcestershire sauce 
• 6 slices bread white halved sliced

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• oven
• sieve
• baking pan
• grill
• aluminum foil
• cheesecloth

Directions

1. Put the tomatoes for the consomm into a very large saucepan.
2. Add the remaining consomm ingredients, except the herbs and leaves, then simmer on a low heat for 2 hrs.
3. Line a large sieve with cheesecloth. Set it over a very large bowl, then carefully pour the liquid through. Leave to slowly drain but, to ensure the consomm stays clear, do not press tomatoes. Set aside. (The tomatoes can be pured to make a sauce for pasta, then frozen for later use.)
4. Put tomatoes for marinating into a small bowl. Squeeze over a little lemon juice, dust with the icing sugar and 2 pinches of salt, then pour over the 2 tsp oil. Marinate briefly while you prepare the cheese on toast.
5. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas
6. Melt the 25g butter in a medium pan, add the flour, then stir for 2-3 mins over a low heat to cook the flour.
7. Remove from heat, then gradually stir in milk. Return to the heat and stir briefly until thickened to a thick paste. Stir in the cheese, beating well until it has melted to a smooth paste. Take off the heat, beat in the egg yolk, then set aside. In a small pan, bring the ale, mustard and Worcestershire sauce to a boil, then bubble over a high heat for 8-10 mins until reduced to a thick consistency (you should have about 1 tbsp thick liquid). Stir this into the cheese mixture, cover and cool. Melt the 15g butter.
8. Brush one side of each bread slice with the butter, lay them on a baking sheet, butter-side up, then season with salt.
9. Bake for 10-12 mins until golden and crisp. (Both sauce and toasted bread can be prepared a day ahead. Chill sauce until required, keep toast wrapped in foil.)
10. To serve, heat the grill.
11. Spread the cheese mix thickly and evenly over each slice of toast (you will have some left over for another time), then lay them on a baking tray. Grill until golden. Meanwhile, gently heat the consomm.
12. Place 3 marinated tomatoes in the bottom of each serving bowl. Scatter a few herbs on top of the tomatoes, then drizzle around a little olive oil.
13. Pour in enough consomm to just cover the tomatoes, then scatter over a few more herbs and leaves.
14. Serve with the hot cheese on toast on the side.