The Cheese Society Recipes
Fresh asparagus with a baked Camembert
Serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients:
1 small Camembert
Splash white wine
1 clove of garlic peeled and cut into slivers
Sprig of fresh thyme
Freshly milled black pepper
1 large bunch Asparagus, peeled, trimmed, blanched refreshed under cold water and drained.
Parma Ham
Method:
Heat the oven to 190C
Take the Camembert out of its paper and put back in its box.
Slash the top of the Camembert and stud with slivers of garlic and a splash of white wine. Replace the lid on the box and wrap in foil
Put in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes until very hot and bubbling
Briefly pan fry the cooked asparagus to reheat and serve them warm to dip into the baked Camembert
An excellent starter or with drinks before dinner. You can add fingers of crusty bread if needed.
To add contrast, you can wrap small slices of Parma Ham around the tips of the cooked asparagus and place under a grill to reheat and crisp
Good alternative cheeses to use would be Somerset Camembert or Gevrik Goat cheese
Kate O'Meara
Fresh dipping asparagus with a fondue of blue Roquefort
Serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients:
225g Roquefort crumbled
100 ml white wine
100 ml crème fraiche
1 dessertspoon cornflour, slaked with a little cold water to make a smooth paste
A good grating of nutmeg
Freshly milled black pepper
1 large bunch Asparagus, peeled, trimmed, blanched refreshed under cold water and drained.
Method:
Heat the white wine in a saucepan and add the crème fraiche, cream, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Add enough cornflour mixture to thicken the fondue
Briefly pan fry the cooked asparagus and serve them warm to dip into the fondue mix.
Put the hot fondue mixture into individual warmed ramekins and serve as a starter or with drinks before dinner.
To add contrast, you can wrap small slices of Parma Ham around the tips of the cooked asparagus and place under a grill to reheat and crisp.
Other good cheeses to use are Cashel Blue, Crozier Blue and Beenleigh Blue
Kate O'Meara
Roasted Ragstone Goats Cheese with Sesame Seeds
Serves 6 as a starter
Ingredients:
1 x 250g Ragstone Goats Cheese
85g Sesame seeds, lightly toasted
6 slices toasted sourdough bread
Selection of baby leaves
Dressing
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp chopped chives
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200ºC (Gas 6, 400ºF)
Roll the whole cheese in sesame seeds until fully coated and then slice into 6 rounds
Place the toasts on a baking sheet. Put the goats’ cheese rounds on top and drizzle with a little olive oil.
Bake 5-10 minutes until the cheese is soft and at the point of melting.
Combine all ingredients for the dressing and mix well. Dress the leaves with the dressing. Arrange on 6 plates with the hot toast and cheese on each leaf.
Serve immediately
Golden Cross, Rosary Goats, St Maure de Touraine and Gevrik are good alternative cheeses for this dish
Kate O'Meara
Roquefort & Pickled Walnut Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs walnut oil
Pickled walnuts
Watercress
Seasoning
2 ripe pears, peeled
150g Roquefort
50g croutons
Method:
Mix the vinegar and oil together and season. Quarter and core the pears and slice thinly lengthways
Place the pears on a plate and top with thinly sliced pickled walnuts. Crumble the cheese on top.
Toss the watercress in the dressing and pile on top. Scatter with croutons
A fresh lively alternative to a cheese board after a meal. This would be excellent accompanied with a selection of interesting breads.
Kate O'Meara
Mature Wensleydale and Avocado Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 ripe Avocado
6oz Wensleydale
2oz Pine Kernels (toasted)
2 baby Gem Lettuce
1 tsp Lemon Juice
3 tsp Olive Oil
Seasoning
1 tsp best quality Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
50g Croutons
Method:
Arrange the lettuce leaves on the plate and season. Cube the peeled and stoned avocado and brush with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. Crumble or cube the cheese into a bowl and mix with the avocado pine kernels and croutons
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, sugar and vinegar and pour over the avocado mixture. Mix well and serve straight away on top of the salad leaves.
A lovely fresh summer salad. You could replace the Wensleydale with any fresh cumbly cheese such as Lancashire or Feta
Kate O'Meara
Double Baked Gruyere Cheese Souffle
Makes 10 (approximately) depending on the size of the ramekins – but they freeze really well
Ingredients:
8 fl oz full fat milk
8 fl oz double cream
4 oz cornflour
3 oz butter
4 eggs whole
4 eggs – separated/whites whipped
500g Gruyere cheese - grated
2 heaped tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter to grease ramekins
For Sauce per soufflé
2 fl oz double cream
Dessertspoon grated Parmesan cheese
Method:
•Butter the ramekins and sprinkle the insides with grated Parmesan. Put a baking dish filled with hot water in the oven at 180oC ready to cook the soufflés in a hot water bath (bain marie)
•Gently melt butter in large non- stick pan and stir in flour to make a roux. Gradually add the milk & cream mixture until you have a thick sauce.
•Add grated cheese to mixture and stir over gentle heat until the sauce is smooth. Put to one side and cool slightly.
•Stir in beaten whole eggs and extra egg yolks. It may look like it has separated at this stage but keep going!
•Whisk up egg whites and gradually fold into the mixture.
•Season to taste.
•Finally add chopped parsley and stir through gently.
•Gently fill ramekins to the top with the soufflé mixture and bake for 20 minutes at 180oC until brown and well risen.
•Allow to cool and then turn out onto a tray. The soufflés can be frozen at this stage or kept in a fridge for 2 days.
To Double bake:
•Turn the soufflé out into an ear dish, the brown top on the base of the dish.
•Pour enough double cream over the soufflé to come to about ½” up the soufflé.
•Sprinkle the whole dish thickly with grated Parmesan cheese and bake at 180oC for about 10-15mins or until the cream thickens and the soufflé is nicely glazed.
•The soufflés can be cooked from frozen, but allow an additional 15-20 minutes in the oven to ensure that the soufflé is completely hot.
•Serve with a green salad and crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Kate O'Meara
Ham & Roquefort Tart
Serves 6
Ingredients:
500g cubed ham
Puff pastry
Short pastry
500g spinach
250g mushrooms
150g Roquefort
30cl double cream
40g butter
3 eggs
2 shallots
Pinch nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Method:
Pre heat oven to 180C
Line quiche dish with short pastry
Wash and chop mushrooms and fry in butter over hot heat for 5 mins
Cook spinach briefly and drain well
Cook diced shallots in butter, but do not allow to brown
Beat cream and Roquefort together. Then beat in spinach, mushrooms, shallots and eggs. Mix in cooked ham (could be cooked and cubed bacon, gammon, lardoons etc). (Mixture doesn’t want to be too wet)
Season with nutmeg.
Fill tart
Cover with puff pastry. Brush with beaten egg and cook for 35 mins
We were told to serve hot and it is delicious with some roast potatoes or boiled new potatoes. However we also like it cold. I have also experimented with other things that I need to use up from the veg box…diced and gently cooked in butter celery works a treat as does well chopped spring greens instead of the spinach
Cheese Society customer
Warm Puy Lentil & Halloumi Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients:
250g Puy Lentils
400g Halloumi
Finely chopped onion
Finely chopped red chilli
2 cloves garlic
Fresh thyme leaves
Olive oil
Vegetable Stock Cube
2 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
Rocket leaves
Handful flat leaved parsley
Seasoning
Method:
Fry 1 onion and 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 finely chopped red chilli in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft.
Add 250g Puy lentils, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (no stalks) and 400ml vegetable stock. Simmer for 25 minutes or until lentils are cooked.
Make dressing using 1 crushed garlic clove, mixed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt (adjust amount of garlic according to taste), 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil. Drizzle over the warm lentils.
Add 3or 4 slices griddled fried Halloumi cheese cut into thickish slices
Top or bottom with rocket leaves and finish with finely chopped red chilli and plenty of chopped flat leaved parsley. Enjoy with crusty bread
Adam O'Meara
Risotto Cakes with Roasted Vegetables and a Red Pepper Coulis
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Risotto
The risotto can be prepared a few hours ahead of eating)
200g Arborio Rice
80ml Dry white wine
800ml hot vegetable or chicken stock
20g butter
Sprig of fresh thyme
1 Finely chopped onion
1 clove of finely chopped garlic
50g grated parmesan cheese
Roasted Vegetables – Chopped into small even chunks
1 Red Pepper
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Onion
2 Courgettes
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil to coat
Red Pepper Coulis
2 Red Peppers
1 Onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon vegetable oil to coat
To Serve
100g Rocket leaves
50g Parmesan Shavings
Method:
Method:
Melt the butter in a saucepan and over a low heat fry the onion and garlic until softened.
Pour in half the wine and allow to evaporate, then add the rest of the wine stirring until absorbed into the rice. Add the thyme and about 100ml of the hot stock and keep stirring until almost absorbed.
Continue adding the stock, keep stirring, until the rice is al dente and creamy – not overcooked. (you may need more or less stock than the recipe states)
Tip into a baking tray, level and allow to cool. Refrigerate as soon as possible when cold. The rice mixture should be about 1 cm deep.
Shape into 8 round patty-shaped portions and keep in refrigerator until required.
Heat a little vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the risotto cakes in batches – keep warm in a low oven until ready to assemble and serve
Roasted Vegetables
Preheat oven to 220C
Coat the vegetables and tip into a roasting tray and cook for about 30-45 minutes. They should have a little “bite” Keep warm.
Red Pepper Coulis
Coat the red pepper and onion in oil and put in a roasting tin to cook at the same time as the roasted vegetables. Tip them into a food processor or liquidizer and blend until smooth. Sieve and put in a small saucepan and keep on a low heat
To Serve
Put one risotto cake on a plate, top with a small handful of rocket leaves, then pile the roasted vegetables on top of the rocket. Arrange the second risotto cake at an angle and finish with Parmesan shavings.
Pour the red pepper coulis around the bottom risotto cake and serve.
Kate O'Meara
The Cheese Society Welsh Rarebit
4-6
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
4 Fl oz Milk
2oz Plain Flour
400g grated Farmhouse Cheddar
6oz fresh white breadcrumbs
120ml Ale, Guinness or Cider
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 heaped teaspoon dry English mustard powder
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Method:
1 Heat the milk, add the flour and bring to the boil and allow to slightly thicken.
2 Over a low heat add grated cheese. Stir until melted, then add breadcrumbs, mustard powder, Worcestershire Sauce and beer. Cook until the mixture starts to leave the side of the saucepan.
Note: The rarebit mixture should retain its shape and not run too much
3 Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool
4 Put in food processor and add the eggs with the motor running – for about 1 minute. Add pepper to taste
5 Allow the mixture to cool and store in refrigerator for up to five days
6 Slice and put on toasted foccacia and place under hot grill until browned and golden
Serve with a dressed mixed salad
The mixture will be thick enough to slice.
This is delicious on pan fried field mushrooms topped with toasted walnuts
The Cheese Society
Grilled Goats Cheese & Sesame Toasts
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 x 250g Goats Cheeses Golden Cross or Ragstone are both good
85g Sesame seeds, lightly toasted
6 slices wholemeal toast, cut into circles just larger than the cheese
Selection of baby leaves
Dressing
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp chopped chives
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC (Gas 6, 400ºF)
2 Cut the cheese into 6 equal rounds and roll them in sesame seeds until fully coated.
3 Place the toasts on a baking sheet. Put the goats cheese rounds on top and drizzle with a little olive oil.
4 Bake 5-10 minutes until the cheese is soft and at the point of melting.
5 Combine all ingredients for the dressing and mix well. Dress the leaves with the dressing. Arrange on 6 plates with the hot toast and cheese on each leaf.
6 Serve immediately
The Cheese Society
Lincolnshire Dry-cured Back Bacon & Cote Hill Blue Melt
4
Ingredients:
Serves: 4
Oven Temperature: 200C
Ingredients:
1 French Stick – cut into thick diagonals
Olive Oil for drizzling
Cut garlic Clove
8 Rashers of short back Lincolnshire Bacon grilled until cooked
200g Cote Hill Blue Cheese
½ Jar Mango Chutney
Method:
Allow 2 slices per person
Drizzle olive oil over bread and rub with the cut side of garlic. Bake in the oven until crispy.
Spread with mango chutney, top with bacon and finish with slices of Cote Hill Blue cheese
Either put in the oven or under hot grill until melted
Serve with a dressed green salad
Great lunchtime dish or scale down and use as a starter
Method:
Method:
Allow 2 slices per person
Drizzle olive oil over bread and rub with the cut side of garlic. Bake in the oven until crispy.
Spread with mango chutney, top with bacon and finish with slices of Cote Hill Blue cheese
Either put in the oven to melt or put under hot grill until melted
Serve with a dressed green salad
Great lunchtime dish or scale down and use as a starter
The Cheese Society
Lemon & Ricotta Cheesecake
10-12
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
Sponge circle for base
Filling:
100g sultanas
100g toasted pine kernels
500g ricotta cheese – full fat
Zest & Juice of large unwaxed lemon
1 pint double cream
4 large eggs
200g caster sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
150g self-raising flour
50ml sweet sherry or marsala
Method:
Method:
Preheat oven to 375F
Heat sherry and pour over sultanas to infuse for 15 minutes
Put the ricotta, cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and almond extract in a bowl and beat for about 4 minutes until very smooth and combined. Taste and add extra lemon juice if preferred.
Add the sultanas and the rest of the sherry and the pine kernals, stir to incorporate.
Taste the mixture at this stage and adjust the sweetness if required
Spoon the mixture into the prepared sponge lined cake tin and bake for about 1 -1 ½ hours
The top will turn a deep golden brown and puff up.
Cool the cake on a rack for about 30 minutes. Then run a palette knife around the edge of the cake and remove from the spring form pan.
This is best served slightly warm and not refrigerated
Kate O'Meara The Cheese Society
Cheese Fondue
6
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
1 Clove garlic cut
¼ pint dry white wine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 oz Gruyere, Comte or Beaufort aged cheese grated
6 oz Emmenthal grated
1-teaspoon corn flour
2 tablespoons Kirsch or Vodka
Black pepper – fresh ground
Grated nutmeg to taste
French bread cubes to serve
Method:
Method:
Rub the inside of the fondue with cut garlic clove. Pour in wine and lemon juice and heat gently until bubbling. Add grated cheeses stirring constantly until the cheese melts and begins to cook. Blend the corn flour with Kirsch and add to cheese mixture. Keep stirring until the mixture is thick and creamy. Add pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Serve immediately in a fondue pot with the bread cubes, salad and cured meats
Kate O'Meara - The Cheese Society
Cheddar Roulade
6 - Filling can be varied according to taste
Ingredients:
Roulade
2oz fresh breadcrumbs
6oz grated farmhouse cheddar
4 eggs – separated
¼ pint single cream
2 tablespoon warm water
Seasoning
Grated parmesan for dusting finished roulade
Filling:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 rashers of crispy bacon – snipped
2 tablespoons of cream cheese
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of chopped chives- optional
1 tablespoon of chopped basil - optional
100g cooked sliced mushrooms
Method:
Method:
1 Line a Swiss roll tray with baking parchment
2 Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, egg yolks, cream, water & seasoning
3 Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the cheese mixture
4 Spread evenly in the tin and bake for 10-12 minutes until firm to touch
5 Remove from oven and cover with a clean damp tea towel
6 Turn the roulade out onto a piece of baking parchment
7 Mix all of the filling ingredients together and spread over the roulade.
8 Roll up the roulade lengthways and wrap in the baking parchment.
9 Warm in a moderate oven for about 10-15 minutes before dusting with grated parmesan and serving with a green salad and new potatoes
Val Bellamy, Calverton, Nottinghamshire
Tartiflette
6 Very Easy
Ingredients:
500g Reblochon Cheese
½ pint double cream
100g sundried tomatoes sliced
500g Cooked new potatoes with or without skins (a waxy variety is best)
100g Caramelised Onions (optional)
Salt & Freshly ground Black Pepper
100g Grated Parmesan
50g Butter
Method:
Butter an ovenproof serving dish
Preheat the oven to 200C
Slice the new potatoes into the serving dish, layering with sundried tomatoes and caramelised onions and season well
Heat the double cream in a saucepan and pour over the potato mixture
Stand the oven dish on a tray in case the cream bubbles over the edges
Scatter grated parmesan cheese over the dish and put in the oven for about
15-20 minutes or until the dish is golden brown and bubbling
Serve immediately with a green salad and crusty bread
Kate O'Meara
tagliatelle with aubergine, goats cheese and pesto dressing
Ingredients:
2 slices of Aubergine, grilled in olive oil
1 slice of fresh soft Goats cheese (Capricorn, Burche Ruffec, Golden Cross, St Maure)
2 oz Fresh Tagliatelle
Pesto Sauce - Basil, Garlic, Pine Kernels, Olive Oil, Parmesan or Pecorino
Method:
Cook the Tagliatelle and toss in the Pesto sauce whilst still warm and before serving.
Grill the slice of goats cheese until golden.
Arrange the Tagliatelle in the middle of a warm plate (a ring pastry cutter is really good for this).
Place the slices of aubergine on top of that.
Carefully remove the pastry cutter.
Serve immediately with crusty bread as a great starter or light lunch dish
Richard Gibbs - Chef
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