Western News: January 11, 2024

10
Thursday January 11 2024
The best things in life are cheesy
“Cheese can be
complicated but it
doesn’t have to be,” say
siblings Sam and Elle
Studd, self-professed
cheese experts.
“It can be expensive,
but there are ways
to enjoy it without
overly stretching the
budget. It can also be
an intimidating topic if
you don’t know where to
start, but all you have to
do is take that first step.”
In their new book they
explore the best ways to
enjoy cheese – where to
buy it from, what to pair
it with and how to cook
with it.
A twizzle of puffed pastry
with cheese – a primo party
starter circa 1985! Great for
using the off-cuts of cheese
lurking in the fridge.
Sam and Elle recommend
using camembert from
Normandy for its barnyard
funk. Industrial versions of
camembert will taste bland
and don’t melt as well, and
they’ll often ooze a pool of
oil, which isn’t the sultry
look they’re going for here,
especially for sharing with
pals.
Gooey Baked Camembert
Serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, peeled
250g Normandy Camembert, in
Eighties Cheese Straws
Makes 24
Ingredients
2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, just
thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp smoked paprika
100g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely
grated
60g halloumi, finely grated
sea salt flakes
Chilli butter
50g unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp chilli oil
½ bunch of chives, finely sliced
Method
• Preheat the oven 200 deg C
conventional. Line a large baking
tray with baking paper.
its box
2 Tbsp cider
4–5 sprigs of thyme, leaves
picked
freshly ground black pepper
crusty bread, to serve
Method
• Preheat the oven to 200 deg C
conventional.
• In a small saucepan, blanch
the garlic cloves in boiling water
for 1–2 minutes, until softened.
Drain and slice the garlic.
• Remove the wax paper from
the cheese and return it to the
box, with the lid on the bottom.
Pierce the cheese in six places
• Brush the pastry sheets with
some of the beaten egg and
sprinkle over the paprika. Combine
the cheeses and sprinkle
over the top, then use a rolling
pin to roll over the cheese and
press it into the pastry.
• Fold the pastry sheets in half
and roll again with the rolling
pin to firmly enclose the cheese
layer. Cut the pastry sheets into
2cm-wide strips, then twist each
strip and place on the prepared
tray. Brush with the remaining
beaten egg, then sprinkle with
salt and bake for 15–20 minutes,
until golden brown.
• Meanwhile, to make the chilli
butter, combine the butter, chilli
oil and chives in a bowl. Remove
the cheese straws from the oven,
brush with the chilli butter and
serve.
with a small, sharp knife and
gently push the garlic into the
cheese.
• Spoon over the cider, making
sure it seeps into the cheese, and
scatter the thyme over the top.
• Season with freshly ground
pepper, to taste.
• Wrap the base of the box
tightly in foil or tie with string to
keep the box together.
• Place the cheese on a baking
tray and bake for 10–15 minutes,
until hot and bubbling and the
cheese centre is liquid.
• Serve immediately, dipping
the crusty bread into the molten
cheese.
CHEESE BOARD TIPS
• Store cheese in the
vegetable drawer in the
fridge
• 14°C to 16°C is the
optimum temperature
for serving cheese
• Remove cheese from
its packaging and sit at
room temperature at
least one hour before
serving, covered with a
damp linen cloth or tea
towel.
• Blue cheese only needs
30 minutes at room
temperature, covered
again.
• Start compiling your
cheese board one
hour before serving
adding charcuterie and
condiments 15 minutes
before.
• Choose your surface –
large plates or surfaces
are best and dark
surfaces make white
cheeses pop.
• Make cheese the star
of the show by adding
it first then adding the
pairings one at at time
followed by bread or
crackers.