A Very Cheesy Post

When I was a child you couldn't get me to eat any cheese other than those plastic processed cheese slices.  Anything stronger than that and I wasn't having any of it!  I guess I was quite finicky.  Even as an adult,  I was afraid to try anything very strong . . . I never thought I would like any of it.

I got much braver after moving over here . . . and have become quite enamoured with lots of cheeses.  Cooking at the manor down South was a great education.  I often had to prepare Cheese Boards for the dinner parties and I quickly learned the different flavours and just what went with which.  In short . . .  I fell in love with real cheese.

One of my favourite cheeses to snack on is the Cathedral Strong Cheddar.   It's strong, but not in your face strong if you know what I mean.  I just love the stuff. (And no, I haven't been sent any samples to try, nor am I being paid to say that.  I'm simply telling you what I like.)  It's great for snacking on and for cooking with and I just adore cheese on toast made with it.

I was quite excited to learn that they are coming out with a new product, Cathedral City Selections,

a bag of individually wrapped, mouth-watering pieces of Cathedral City cheddar. Each pack of Selections contains 14 pieces of cheese and is available in three varieties: Mature and Extra Mature as well as the Variety bag which contains Mature, Extra Mature and distinctive Vintage 20. (Yumm!!)

With so few cheese snacks aimed at adult taste buds, Cathedral City Selections make a great alternative to make any cheese-lover melt; morning, noon or night. The delicious bite-sized treats are conveniently individually wrapped and are a good source of calcium too. Perfectly sized for snacking on or for tucking into lunch boxes and picnic baskets. 

I was sent a selection of tasty recipes to use for cooking with cheese and I thought I would share them with you as well, with their permission of course!  You can find a lot more on the Cathedral City Cheese Site!

I have a few of them ear-marked for trying as soon as my house settles down/post reno work!

*Cathedral City Mature Cheddar Creamy Cheese and Onion Tartlets*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

This recipe would also work well in a large tart tin if preferred, just cook it for 5 -10 minutes longer or until the middle feels firm to the touch.

Ingredients:

25g butter (1 3/4 TBS)

2 red onions, thinly sliced

1 large white onion, finely chopped

Salt and ground black pepper

375g pack ready rolled short crust pastry

330ml crème fraîche ( 1 1/3 cup)

3 medium eggs

Pinch grated nutmeg

150g Cheddar cheese, grated (1 1/4 cup)

Method:

Melt the butter in a large pan. Add all the onions and season, then cover and cook gently for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are very soft and starting to caramelise. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190°C/375*, gas mark 5.

Unroll the pastry then roll out on a lightly floured surface and use to line a 4-6 small tart cases. Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans (see cook's tips).

Bake for 10 minutes then lift out the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

Place the creme fraîche, eggs and nutmeg in a large bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper and whisk together.

Stir in the caramelised onions and half the cheese, and pour the mixture into the pastry case. Scatter the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the surface is golden and the filling set, serve warm with a tomato salad.

Cook's tips:

To get ahead, prepare the onions and/or the pastry case the day before and chill until needed. If you don't have baking beans, use any dried beans or scrunch up some foil and place in the pastry case while it cooks.

 

*Cathedral City Mature Rarebit Toasts with Red Onion Compote*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a great little savoury nibble that works well with a glass of wine or serve it as a more substantial lunch time snack accompanied by a rocket and cherry tomato salad.

Red onion compote

25g butter

2 large red onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tbsp. thyme leaves

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. redcurrant jelly

Rarebit Toasts

2 tsp. plain flour

150g Cheddar cheese, cubed

3 tbsp. whole milk

8 slices herby or olive bread

Drizzle of Worcestershire sauce

Method:

For the compote, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onions and thyme. Stir over a high heat for 3–4 minutes so that they start to soften.

Cover with a lid and turn the heat right down; cook for about 15 minutes. Uncover, turn the heat up and add the vinegar and redcurrant jelly. Stir for 1–2 minutes until jammy, and then set aside.

For the rarebit, place the butter and flour in a saucepan and cook over a low heat for 1 minute. Add the milk and stir until it's boiling. Stir in the cheese until melted.

Grill the bread for 2–3 minutes until golden. Pour the sauce and a splash of Worcestershire sauce on top and grill for a further 1–2 minutes.

Serve with a teaspoon of red onion compote.




*Cathedral City Mild Cheese Wheels*
Printable Recipe

These would be great with soups or salads!

Ingredients:
1 packet of frozen puff pastry
Tomato Puree (tomato paste)
garlic puree (garlic paste)
Cathedral City Mild Yet Distinctive, grated

Method:
Allow the pastry to fully defrost at room temperature.  Preheat oven to 210*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. 

When pastry has defrosted, roll out thinly.  Spread the tomato puree and garlic puree all over the surface of the pastry and then cover with lots of cathedral city.  Roll the pastry up, with the purees and cheese on the inside, like a long Swiss roll.  Dampen the edges with water and press the pastry lightly together to seal.  Cut into slices about 1/5 cm and bake until golden.





*Cathedral City Mature Lighter Baked Garlic Chicken
with Vine Tomatoes, Thyme and Cheddar Crumble*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a simple supper dish that all the family will enjoy.  Easy to make ahead of time in the morning and pop into the oven in the evening.

6 chicken thigh fillets
1 TBS olive oil
6 vine baby tomatoes, halved
3 TBS fresh bread crumbs
1 TBS fresh thyme, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 TBS mixed seeds, such as sesame, pumpkin or sunflower
2 TBS Cheddar grated
150ml of chicken stock or white wine (2/3 cup)

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Season the chicken pieces.  heat the oil in a nonstick frying pan and cook the chicken thighs  on both sides until golden.  Drain on kitchen paper and place in a greased shallow baking dish.

Arrange the tomatoes over the chicken thighs.  Mix the breadcrumbs, crushed garlic, thyme, seeds, cheddar and seasoning, then scatter over top.  Pour in the stock or wine into the dish around them and then bake, uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes until the top is crisp and golden and the chicken is cooked through.

Divide the fillets into four servings and serve with a baked potato and a green dressed salad.