Cheese Talks

Category: Cheese condiments

How to pair your cheese? Take a look and find inspiration in these condiments.

  • Pair your cheese with homemade apple butter with ginger

    Pair your cheese with homemade apple butter with ginger

    Still have apples in your garden or know someone who does? Then you should make this apple butter, which really has nothing to do with butter. Apple butter is actually cooked applesauce and the name comes from the spreadability of the finished product.

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    apple butter with ginger (3 glasses)

    • 1 kg of apples (2.2 lb)

    • 1 dl water (0.42 cup)

    • 250 g sugar (1.25 cups)

    • 15 g freshly grated ginger (0.5 oz)

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    method

    • Rinse the apples and cut them into eight pieces (without removing the core). Place them in a saucepan with water. Cook until the apples are soft and tender, it takes about 30-45 minutes – depending on the apple variety.
    • Mash the apples through a sieve to a fine mash, discarding the cores and peels.
    • Return the applesauce to the pan and add the sugar and ginger. Heat slowly and cook for 45-60 minutes over low heat. Stir regularly along the way.
    • Flavour with more sugar and ginger if needed. Pour into sterilised jars and seal immediately.

    The most time-consuming part is mashing the apples through a sieve. It takes a little time and a little effort, but trust me: It’s worth it!

    The apple butter has sweetness and acidity at the same time and pairs well with most cheeses. But is also great with yoghurt and desserts.

  • Time for rhubarb chutney

    Time for rhubarb chutney

    Due to the quarantine, our garden has never been as tidy and nice as this year. Rhubarbs are popping up and the first harvest ended as this rhubarb chutney.

    Rhubarb chutney

    It’s a chutney which contains onion, ginger and cardamom apart from the rhubarbs. The taste is sweet, sour and spicy at the same time.

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    Rhubarb chutney (2 glasses)

    • 10.5 oz fresh rhubarbs, cut into small pieces

    • 1 red onion, cut into thin slices

    • 2 tsp freshly grated ginger

    • 1 tbsp olive oil

    • 1/2 cup sultana raisins

    • 5 cardamom seeds, freshly ground

    • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

    • 4.5 tbsp sugar

    • salt, pepper

    Rhubarb chutney
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    Directions

    • Fry rhubarb and onion in the oil for a few minutes.
    • Add the rest of the ingrediens (except sugar) and let simmer for around 10 minutes until the rhubarb is soft.
    • Remove from heat and add sugar. Stir well.
    • Add a pinch of salt and pebber, taste and adjust until the flavor is good. Cool down.
    Rhubarb chutney

    Pairs well with cheese

    Taste it for instance with a washed rind cheese.

    • Rhubarb chutney
    • Rhubarb chutney
    • Rhubarb chutney

    Apart from this rhubarb chutney, do you want more inspiration for cheese condiments? More recipes are waiting for you…

  • Preserved rhubarbs for cheese

    Preserved rhubarbs for cheese

    First the wrinkled green leaves of the rhubarb tell us spring is here. But actually this great plant has two seasons (at least in Denmark), first in May-June and later in August-September.

    Preserved rhubarbs

    I preserved rhubarbs several times this spring. There is both sweetness from the vanilla and sugar as well as acidity from the rhubarbs together with a fresh crunchyness. It goes well with cheese, for instance a rich and creamy washed rind cheese such as Saint Nectaire AOP.

    Rhubarbs and cheese

    Preserved rhubarbs

    INGREDIENTS (2 GLASSES)
    600 g / 21 oz rhubarbs
    1 vanilla pod
    300 g / 10 oz sugar
    1 dl / 0.4 cup water
    3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

    METHOD

    Rinse the rhubarbs. Cut them in thin sticks and put in glass with a closely sealed lid.

    Halve the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds and mix with a bit of the sugar.

    Bring water and the rest of the sugar to boil in a small pot until the sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla.

    Pour over the rhubarbs. Bring taste in balance with the lemon juice.

    Tie closely the lid and place in refridgerator for one or even two days.

    Preserved rhubarbs

    You can also use it for…

    Unless you preserve rhubarbs for a big gathering, you will have some left over. And this is good! It goes well on top of müesli and yoghurt, or as garnish to desserts or even spicy rice dishes.

    Rhubarbs and cheese
    Preserved rhubarbs
  • Pickled red onions

    Pickled red onions

    This is a classical garnish, ideal for cheese. They serve it with cheese boards on restaurants. It is so easy to make and should be part of your basic recipes for all occasions – even when you need to light up a busy week day. And use the left overs for other dishes, see the tip at the end of the post.

    Picked red onions
    The taste of summer: On the board we had a creamy brie, a Swiss cave aged cheese and a pecorino with truffles. And pickled red onions and apricot compote. Together with cherries from the garden.

    Pickled onions have sweetness, acidity and a bit of crunchiness. They pair well with hard matured cheeses but also with other types of cheeses.

    You can use all types of vinegar – but let your taste buds tell you if you need more sugar or a dash of salt.

    Pickled red onions

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    ingredients

    • 1 red onion
    • 0.2 cup / ½ dl white wine vinegar
    • 0.2 cup / 1 dl sugar

    method

    • Peel the onion and cut into thin slices or very slim wedges.
    • Pour vinegar and sugar into a pot. Bring it to boil until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over the onion and let it infuse for at least an hour (or longer).
    • Drain and serve with your favourite cheeses.
    Pickled red onions

    A tip for you

    Do yourself a favour and make a larger portion. Try the onions in a burger, on a pizza, in a pie or a sandwith or as garnish for hot dishes with meat or vegetables.

  • Dried fruit marinated in port

    Dried fruit marinated in port

    If your drawers contain dried fruits such as dates, apricots, figs, cranberries as well as almonds, you are ready to convert them into a yummy treat. Port marinated dried fruit is a delicious companion for your cheese. (Even though someone only feasted on the cheese – see who at end of this post…)

    Dried fruit
    Dried fruit and port

    Cheese, port and dried fruit – what’s not to like?!

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    dried fruits marinated in port

    • 1.3 cup / 3 dl port
    • 0.3 cup / 0,75 dl brown sugar
    • 8.8 oz / 250 g mixed dried fruits (dates, apricots, figs, cranberries), cut into pieces
    • 3.5 oz / 100 g almonds
    • 1 cinnamon stick

    method

    • Heat port and brown sugar in a small pot. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and it simmers.
    • Add dried fruit, almonds and cinnamon stick. Let it simmer for a short while.
    • Pour into scalded glasses. Seal and leave in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
    Dried fruit and port
    Dried fruit in port with cheese
    Lea eats cheese

    Someone in particular licked her lips. My dog Lea. She was right on the spot when I went into the kitchen for a short while – suddenly the brie and the danablu (Danish blue mould) had gone…