“Cheese is good for the soul” –some really credible scientist probably
Everyone who knows me knows that I’m obsessed with cheese. From sliced to crumbled, or even in stick form, I don’t discriminate. Not only does cheese come in an array of scrumptious forms, according to healthyeating.org it’s also rich in protein and calcium (which Americans need more of in their diets).
Now that we’ve established cheese’s greatness (and now that your mouth is watering), let’s step it up a notch.
France is known for their fancy (and sometimes smelly) cheeses that are oh so delicious. A rich camembert with some aged red wine is a classic combination. Pair that with some fresh French baguette, and you’ve just put the icing on the cake.
But what isn't as well known is their incredible dishes that incorporate cheese on a much more advanced level. Here are three recipes that you need in your life (trust me on this one).
Picture and recipe courtesy of epicurious.com
Fluffy, warm and cheesy. What more could you want?
What you need to do:
Put the oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 400F. Butter 6-cup (1 1/2-quart) soufflé dish. Add the Parmesan cheese and tilt the soufflé dish to coat the bottom and sides of it. Warm the milk in a heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat; do this until the milk steams.
Note: you can do this step ahead of time (up to two hours in advance) or while you wait for the milk to steam. Melt the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour into it and whisk until mixture begins to foam and loses raw taste; this should take about 3 minutes but do NOT let the mixture brown. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit for a minute. Pour in the warm milk and whisk it until it’s smooth. Then, put it back on the burner and cook. Whisk this continuously until it’s very thick; it should take about two to three minutes. After this, remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the paprika, salt, and nutmeg. Add in one egg yolks at a time, but make sure to whisk it together after you add each one. Scrape this (the soufflé base) into a large bowl. Cool it to lukewarm.
Beat egg whites in another large bowl with an electric mixer until it turns stiff (but not dry). Then fold a fourth of these whites into the lukewarm or room temperature soufflé base to lighten (make sure it’s not hot). Fold in the remaining whites in two sections, while progressively sprinkling in the Gruyère cheese. Transfer this batter to the soufflé dish.
Finally, put this in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature from 400 to 375F. Bake until it’s puffed and golden brown on top, and center moves a bit when the dish is shaken. Make sure to keep the oven door shut for at least the first 20 minutes. It will take about 25 minutes to finish. After you take it out of the oven, serve it immediately.
Photo courtesy of knorr.com
This creamy, melted goodness is one I’m sure you’re familiar with. But this authentic recipe will make you feel so sophisticated, you won’t even need to go to The Melting Pot anymore.
What you need to do:
Get a medium heavy pot and rub the inside with garlic. Add the wine, turn the heat on high, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and then gradually add the cheese. Keep stirring it with a wooden spoon until the cheese has completely melted, but don’t let the cheese boil. Keep it on the keep and stir frequently until it gets pretty thick. This should take about 20 minutes. Add the nutmeg, pepper to taste, and kirsch. After this, move the mixture to a chafing dish or fondue pot.
All done. Serve with bread cubes and fondue forks, and make sure to stir frequently.
Note: If the fondue becomes too thick, stir in ¼ cup of dry white wine.
Photo courtesy of raclette.nyc
Last but certainly not least, Raclette. This dish isn’t as popular abroad as its counterparts, but it’s quickly gaining popularity. You may have seen those satisfying videos of New York City restaurants scraping this cheese onto a dish, but, surprise, it’s not from the Big Apple after all. This cuisine came from France (and Switzerland) a very long time ago. Villagers used to eat this hot dish during the winter to warm themselves.
I’ve converted the recipe to US measurements for your convenience.
What you need to do:
1. Put the meat on a plate, and cut the raclette cheese into pieces that are small enough to be put in the raclette trays. Note: If you are using a traditional vertical grill, you should just buy half a cheese. Every guest can scrape their cheese bits onto their plate whenever their hearts desire.
2. Boil the potatoes in water for 30 to 35 minutes. Put the gherkins and small onions in dishes and serve them in vinegar.
3. Preheat the grill and when it’s hot, go ahead and put it on the table.
4. Scrape away and enjoy the melty goodness.
The next time you want to be transported across the pond to Europe, just make these dishes for a little taste of France.
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