Showing posts with label brie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brie. Show all posts

Friday, 25 December 2015

Top 10 ways to use up cheese leftovers

Christmas is to eating what Black Friday is to spending: one big binge. At least it is in my case. Somehow, after a three course mega-meal I still managed to find room for copious chunks of Comté and Monte Veronese (the latter is truly the dairy version of Pringles. Try it, you’ll see).

Now, the food coma has just about subsided and the fridge is chock full. 

Are you stuck with half a wheel of Brie? Perhaps there was the Stilton that didn't quite get away, or a half-eaten slab of Manchego. Whatever you have left, never fear, there’s a dish out there crying out for it. In fact, I've kindly put together a list to help all of those poor leftover cheeses that would otherwise be languishing on the shelf. Take pity, and try some of these.

Have a cheesy new year!

1. Brie, apple & onion tart – great for using up extra cranberry sauce, too. Serve hot or cold. 

2. Brussels sprout, bacon & Stilton pizzettas – add other toppings as you desire: sprouts, ham, turkey. The pizzetta is your oyster 

3. Cheeseboard soufflé & seasonal salad – not only does this use up all of your cheese, it looks super impressive 

4. Boxing day quesadillas – forget the turkey sandwich, take your tastebuds to Mexico 

5. Christmas quiche – this will take care of any Cheddar and Stilton rejects 

6. Green veggie fritters – best with soft cheeses, and, with all the added greens, sorta healthy 

7. Oozy cheesy pasta with crispy pangritata – it’s oozy, it’s cheesy, what’s not to love? 

8. Watercress and Wensleydale soup - Wallace would be proud 

9. Potato croquettes with bacon and cheese – instead of making a new batch, you could mash up your leftover spuds too 

10. Quick croque madame – au revoir, Gruyere! Plus, a quick way to use up all of that delicious leftover ham 

Tuesday, 3 November 2015

The last straw

A friend pluckily brought this one back from a recent holiday to France, and I can safely say it is one of the strongest cheeses I’ve ever encountered, if not the funkiest. Don’t worry, I didn’t microwave this one.



First impressions were: straw mat, nice touch (“sur paille” means on straw). Sweet little birds, flowers and a fancy font.

Don’t let the cutesy packaging mislead you; Coulommiers means stinky business!

Named after a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department from France, it has a similar consistency to Brie, punctuated with little holes and a gloopy consistency. Unsurprising, then, that it is indeed a member of the Brie family, just smaller, denser and much stronger. It’s also made from unpasteurised milk as per the “au lait cru” written on the front.

I recommend diffusing the funky taste with a sweet accompaniment such as strawberry jam or redcurrant jelly. Not for the faint of heart, but certainly worth a nibble or two if you’re up to it.

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

10 of the best cheese jokes

Let’s say you’re at a dinner party or down the pub. I guarantee that on one of these occasions, after a few drinks, someone will get the (mozzarella) ball rolling. Before you know it, you’re all groaning at the cheese jokes you’ve heard 100 times before, while desperately trying to outdo your friends with equally awful puns.

This is how it went at my friend’s wedding this weekend. We were taking a break from the dancefloor, the alcohol was flowing — it was inevitable that someone started the cheese banter. I even made one up and there were lols! Twas a proud moment.

And so I was inspired to pen this post: a dedication to the cheese joke. I declare these 10 the crème de la crème of fromage-related wit. Read them, remember them and reel them off at a future social gathering. You won’t fail to impress.

1) What did the cheese say when it looked in the mirror?

Halloumi

2) What do you call a cheese factory in the Middle East?

Cheeses of Nazareth

3) Which cheese would you use to coax a bear from the woods?

Camembert!

4) What do you call cheese that’s not yours?

Nacho cheese

5) What music does cheese like?

R’n’Brie

6) What do you call a curly-haired cheese?

Permesan

7) What do you call a crazy cheese?

Emmental*

8) Would a smoked cheese grow on a tree?

No, but an Applewood

9) Why did the cheese lose a fight with a stone?

Because the Roquefort back

10) Which is the most feminist cheese?

Germaine Gruyère

Disagree? Tell me your faves.


*Copyright Laura Caun 2015

Tuesday, 4 November 2014

Mmm, buttery

Have you ever tried cheese that is just like butter but better? I hadn’t. That is, I hadn’t until the day I tried Chaource AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée). After that, everything changed. Namely, I had discovered a magnificent creation: cheese that tastes as creamy and soft and gorgeous as butter. Although I don’t usually eat butter on its own, if I did, I’d want it to taste like Chaource. My only criticism is that its name doesn’t have an “I”—how fun if a cheese’s name contained all five vowels!

Chaource AOP
If you had to choose any cheese to be your bodyguard, it’d be this. At 6 cm tall, it towers above other cheeses, and with its 10 cm diameter it wouldn’t stand for any nonsense. Although one must admit the consistency is so ridiculously squishy that any assassins would have a pretty good chance. Plus, if they had any sense they'd just eat it!

Anyhoo, I had vowed to recreate my wonderful Brooklyn sandwich experience once I returned to England. Although the authentic version used Brie and Garam Masala mustard, neither of those were handy, so I substituted the Brie for Chaource and Garam Masala for English mustard. Albeit eye-watering, it wasn’t too bad. Not a patch on Hungry Ghost’s version but a valiant attempt. Plus, it was a good excuse to melt my new favourite. Mmm, just like butter.

Melted Chaource with ham, English mustard and mango chutney

Sunday, 3 August 2014

To Brie or not to Brie

That is the question. It was inspired by two influences: 1) Linnea requested a post about Brie 2) I just learnt that Benedict Cumberbatch will star in a new production of Hamlet next year. And now I’ve been thinking about it, there are definitely some parallels between Shakespeare’s great tragedy and this popular cheese. 

“Soft you now!” Hamlet cries near the end of his famous speech, which perhaps overtly refers to Ophelia. However, I like to think he was referring to the squidgy texture of Brie. And “O! that this too too solid flesh would melt” to me, clearly expresses his desire for a more mature and therefore runny cheese—perfectly understandable. “Fie on’t! ah fie!” sounds suspiciously like it should be “Brie on’t! ah Brie!”

Like Hamlet, I am fond of this rich and creamy cheese. Who isn’t? Its pliable nature goes divinely with a sweet accomplice, namely cranberry jam or redcurrant jelly. I tried Le Rustique’s Brie de caractère, which indeed did have character. Mild with a slightly sour note, not unlike the Kidderton Ash I tried last month, there is something rather comforting about it.




I tried Brie de caractère melted on an oat pancake with redcurrant jelly.

Although this looks like a horrible injury, it tasted yummy.

I also tested one of James Martin’s recipes: figs with Brie and parma ham. Easy to assemble and absolutely delicious. James suggests a modest portion for one: two figs paired with two slices of parma ham, some Brie and redcurrant jelly. I duly scoffed five.

Incidentally, figs were a common Shakespearean theme, often indicating an insult or an unimportant or worthless matter. I find this strange as I have nothing but praise for figs and this understandably prevalent cheese. The answer to my question? Of course it’s to Brie.