Strong Cheese
I made this recipe all the way back in January and I can not believe that I have waited until now to post it. Do not let my dilly dallying rub off on you. Raid your cheese drawer and make this recipe a.s.a.p.
Frugality is not something I excel in. Being a passionate foodie I hesitate to limit my food budget even during these tough financial times, but when being frugal includes an assortment of cheeses, wine, butter, herbs and garlic then I’m in.
Fromage Fort, meaning strong cheese, was created by the French as a way to use up all the little odds and ends of cheese that you may have hanging around in the fridge. You know those pieces I am talking about? After a trip to your favorite Fromagiere, (here’s mine) with a wide assortment ranging from a soft and tangy blue to a unctuous triple creme, you and some lucky guests (or just you) enjoy an evening of fine cheeses. What remains on the plate that once held your delicious array, are small chunks of each variety. It seems rather silly to wrap each piece individually to be put back into the fridge only to be left there uneaten for several days. Fromage Fort is the solution to such a dilemma.
Toss the remaining pieces into your food processor with the aforementioned wine, butter, herbs and garlic. Pulse until smooth then you have an entirely new cheese perfect for spreading on bread and crackers. You can eat as is or place the bread with the spread under the broiler until brown and bubbly.
As with snowflakes and fingerprints, no two Fromage Forts are the same, because different cheeses are used each time. You may use any variety of hard, semi-soft, and soft cheeses.
Isn’t frugality delicious?
Ingredients
- 1 pound left-over cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
- 1 small clove garlic
Directions
Remove any rinds from hard cheeses. Grate hard cheeses and cut others into 1/2-inch cubes. Place cheese, wine, butter, herbs, and garlic in a food processor and blend until smooth, approximately 2 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 1 hour for a firmer consistency. Fromage Fort can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Okay. Now. Go. Make it!!
Served with La Panzanella Croccantini and Raincoast Crisp crackers
Mattbites.com likes Fromage Fort too!!
Originally posted here.
