British Cheese Week runs from 1st – 7th June 2015 and with over 700 named British cheeses produced in the UK, including feta and quark as well as the more traditional British cheddar and goats cheeses, there is a type of cheese available whatever the dish and occasion. Celebrate the delicious flavours of British cheese with this selection of recipes guaranteed to satisfy that craving for a cheesy feast.
British asparagus, pea & goats’ cheese soufflés
Serves: 6
Preparation: 20 – 25 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
You’ll need:
50g butter
30g walnuts, lightly crushed
300g British asparagus
200g fresh British peas (shelled weight)
200ml whole milk
2tbs flour
3 eggs
100g goats cheese, such as Capricorn
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
What to do:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / gas 6.
- Melt the ½ of the butter and use it to brush the inside of 6 ramekin dishes. Sprinkle the walnuts into the dishes and tap around the edge so they stick to the butter. Arrange on a baking sheet and set aside.
- Cut the asparagus into 1cm pieces, leaving the tips a little longer. Cook with the peas in plenty of boiling salted water until tender. Drain and, reserving the asparagus tips, purée the stems and peas to a coarse paste using a hand blender or food processor. Set aside.
- Melt the rest of the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the flour to make a roux and cook for a minute before whisking in the milk. Cook the sauce for a few minutes until thickened and remove from the heat.
- Chop the goats’ cheese into cubes and stir through the sauce along with the pureed asparagus and peas. Season generously.
- Separate the eggs carefully, tipping the yolks into the asparagus sauce and the whites into a really clean metal bowl. Stir the yolks through the sauce to mix well.
- Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fluffy. Don’t over whisk as they will be too dry to fold through the asparagus sauce.
- Take a large spoon of the egg white and stir it vigorously in the sauce, then pour the sauce into the bowl of eggs whites. Using a large metal spoon fold the sauce very, very gently through the egg whites.
- Spoon the mixture very gently into the prepared ramekins, push the reserved tips gently into the top of the mixture and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Try to resist opening the oven door whilst they are cooking as they will collapse.
- Serve immediately with a simple green salad.
www.british-asparagus.co.uk
Beetroot & melted brie on toast
Serves: 2
Preparation: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
You’ll need:
4 slices thick cut rustic bread
2 cloves garlic, bruised & cut in half
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
400g cooked beetroot – choose from Red Wine Vinegar and Orange Blossom Honey or Sweet Chilli from the infused beetroot ready-to-eat range
200g brie, cut into slices
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
What to do:
- Pre heat the grill to high and toast the bread on one side.
- Rub the untoasted side with the garlic and brush over the olive oil.
- Arrange the beetroot wedges on the toast and lay over the slices of brie. Grind over freshly ground black pepper to taste and place back under the grill.
- Cook until the cheese is hot and bubbling. Serve immediately with a green salad.
Cook’s tips: Infused beetroot ready-to-eat range is available in major retailers. Flavours include – Spicy Sweet and Fiery Beetroot (Tesco Finest), Sweet Chilli Rosebud Beetroot (M&S), Red Wine Vinegar & Orange Blossom Honey Beetroot (M&S), Sweetfire® Beetroot Wedges (Waitrose), Juniper & Black Pepper in Red Wine Vinegar Baby Beetroot (Morrison’s), Lime Zest Baby Beetroot (Waitrose) , Juniperberry & Black Pepper Cocktail, Beetroot (Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference), Sweetflame Beetroot (Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference), Honey & Ginger Baby Beetroot (Asda)
