cheese recipes

FIVE COUNTIES BROCCOLI QUICHE

Serves 6 - 8 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time : 45 minutes 225g/8 oz ready rolled shortcrust pastry, thawed if frozen 250g/9oz broccoli florets 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp dried thyme 3 large eggs 150ml/5fl oz single cream 90ml/3 fl oz milk 200g/7oz Ilchester Five Counties cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark. Unroll the pastry and use to line a round 23cm /9" fluted loose-bottomed quiche tin. Press the pastry into the sides and trim the top edge.
2. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Lift out the baking beans then cook the pastry case for a further 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the broccoli and boil for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water then drain again. Place the broccoli of a few sheets of kitchen paper to absorb excess water.
4. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan, cook the onion with dried thyme for 10 minutes over a medium low heat until softened but not browned. Scatter over the pastry case.
5. Thickly slice the broccoli florets and the stalks and place on top of the onion,
6. Beat the eggs, cream and milk together, season and pour onto the broccoli.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 190C375F/gas mark 5 and bake the quiche for 20 minutes when the custard should be just set.
8. Cut the Five Counties cheese into thick slices then cut strips about 1.25cm/½" wide keeping the layers intact. Take a palette knife and lift the strips onto the quiche, arranging them in a cartwheel pattern, return to the oven 4-5 minutes until the cheese is just beginning to melt.
Serve the quiche with a crisp green salad and cherry tomatoes.

 

SMOKED APPLEWOOD RISOTTO CAKES

Serves 4 or 8 as a starter Preparation time : 35 minutes, plus cooling time Cooking time : 20 minutes 1 small onion, finely chopped 25g/1oz butter 2 tsp olive oil 250g/9oz risotto rice 150ml/¼ pt dry white wine few strands saffron, (optional) 750ml/1¼pt hot vegetable stock 150g/5oz Ilchester Smoked Applewood cheese small bunch parsley, chopped 25g pkt melba toasts, crushed

1. Heat the butter and oil in a shallow pan, add the onion and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the rice and stir well, then pour in the wine. When it has bubbled up and almost absorbed, add a ladleful of stock and the saffron threads (if using).
2. Stir the rice and continue to add the stock a little at a time, allowing the rice to absorb it before adding more. Continue until all the stock is used up and the rice is just tender, this will take about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile cut the cheese into 8 cubes, removing the rind if wished. Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
4. Stir the parsley into the risotto then season if needed. Divide into 8 portions. Take each portion and using damp hands, mould each portion around a piece of cheese, forming it into a cake shape. Coat each side with the melba toast crumbs and place on a greased baking tray. The cake can be chilled at this stage of preparation if wished.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until crisp and golden.
6. Serve with a little crisp salad to garnish.

 

FIVE COUNTIES FENNEL AND APPLE SALAD

Serves 4 Preparation time : 15 minutes 4 little gem lettuce 1 bulb fennel 2 dessert apples eg Braeburn 250g/9oz Ilchester Five Counties Cheese chives Dressing : 1 tsp Dijon mustard 2 tbsp cider vinegar 3 tbsp light olive oil 2 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tsp runny honey salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Trim the bases from the little gem lettuce then separate the leaves, wash and dry then put into a large bowl. Trim the stalks from the fennel, saving any feathery fronds. Cut in half then slice as finely as possible, alternatively chop into small pieces, add to the leaves.
2. Halve and quarter the apples, discard the core and slice thinly, add to the salad.
3. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing until smooth, then pour over the salad and toss together. Divide between four serving plates.
4. Cut the Five Counties cheese into slices, about 5mm/¼" thick, then cut lengthways into long strips about the same width. Lay the strips of cheese on the salad, some strips may fall apart.
5. Snip the chives and chop any fennel fronds then scatter over the salads.

Variations try using pears or peaches instead of the apples.
For a variation with the dressing, plain yogurt can be used instead of the mayonnaise.

 

 

Recipes courtesy The Ilchester Cheese Company