Cooking with cheese

Why cheese
• Keeps well at camp
• Very high energy content
• Good source of protein
• Rich in vitamins A, D, and Calcium
• Strong taste, so appetising when tired and hungry

BASIC FOOD HYGIENE
1. Clean hands
2. No hands to mouth (or nose) while cooking
3. Clean surfaces
4. Don’t cross contaminate
5. Clean utensils
6. Personal forks / spoons, don’t cross-dip!

RECIPES – how many can we make?

Pear and walnut salad – (blue cheese)
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• 50g Walnuts
• 2 Pears
• 4 oz soft blue cheese
• Pack of mixed greens
1. To make the Warm Balsamic Vinaigrette, Heat a tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet. Add some minced garlic and saute on low heat till garlic turns brown. Remove from the heat and add a tbsp of balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Combine well to make a dressing.
2. Toss the walnuts with some olive oil and salt, and toast them on the stove or in the microwave.
3. Slice the pears into thin wide strips, brush them with some lemon juice and arrange on the grill or a broiler pan. Grill or broil turning once till the sides start to brown, about three minutes on each side.
4. Toss some mixed greens with the dressing, top with warm sliced pears, and place the goat cheese on top of the pear slices, so the cheese starts to melt from the heat of the grilled pear. Sprinkle toasted walnuts and salt and freshly ground pepper.

Welsh Rarebit – (strong hard cheese)
• 125ml milk
• 1 tbsp flour
• 400g farmhouse cheddar , grated
• 175g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1 heaped tsp English mustard powder
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (go for Lea & Perrins)
• 120ml ale , cider or Guinness (the last will give a stronger flavour)
• 1 egg , plus 1 yolk
• 6-8 slices, toasted crusty bread (can also make it on large flat mushrooms)
1. Heat the milk in a pan, whisk in the flour and bring to the boil. Allow to bubble until slightly thickened. Reduce the heat to low and add the grated cheese. Stir briefly until melted, then add the breadcrumbs, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce and your choice of alcohol. Cook, stirring, until the mixture starts to leave the side of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
2. Put the mixture in a food processor and, with the motor running, add the eggs. Keep it running for about a minute, then season with ground black pepper. Spread onto the toast and grill until browned and golden.
Per serving – 465 kcalories, protein 32g, carbohydrate 27.1g, fat 15.4 g, saturated fat 14.6g, fibre 3g, salt 0.35 g

Cheese Fondue – Gruyere
• 250ml (8 fl oz) dry white wine
• 250g (8 oz) grated Emmental cheese
• 250g (8 oz) grated Gruyere cheese
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 (450g) loaf crusty French bread, cut into 2.5cm cubes
Simmer wine in fondue pot. Add cheeses, 100g at a time. Stir after each addition of cheese until melted. Stir in flour. When all the cheese has melted, stir in salt and nutmeg. Serve with cubed French bread on long forks.
Can dip other food items into cheese as well: broccoli, bread, pears, pepperoni, pita bread, mushrooms, baby potatoes, peppers, cherry or grape tomatoes,

Pasta Alfredo
Pasta dish traditionally made from fettuccine pasta tossed with Parmesan cheese and butter. As the cheese melts, it emulsifies the liquids to form a smooth and rich coating on the pasta. It was named by an Italian restaurateur at his restaurant. Pasta tossed with cheese and butter or cream has a long history both in Italy and abroad. It was popularised amongst US tourists in Rome by restaurateur Alfredo di Lelio who served it with his own name attached:
Prep Time: 5 Minutes / Cook Time: 5 Minutes / Ready In: 10 Minutes
Yields: 4 servings
“Cream cheese is the secret to Jamie Oliver’s quick Alfredo sauce, he also used shredded parmesan instead of grated and sautéed some broccoli and added it to the sauce.”
• 200g pasta (penne or fettucinne)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 cups milk
• 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1. Heat water, cook pasta, check timing
2. Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth.
4. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps.
5. Stir in Parmesan and pepper.
6. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency.
7. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long.
8. Toss with hot pasta to serve.

Cooking with cheese – shopping list

Pear and walnut salad – (blue cheese)
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• 50g Walnuts
• 2 Pears
• 4 oz soft blue cheese
• Pack of mixed greens

Welsh Rarebit – (strong hard cheese)
• 125ml milk
• 1 tbsp flour
• 400g farmhouse cheddar , grated
• 175g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1 heaped tsp English mustard powder
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (go for Lea & Perrins)
• 120ml ale , cider or Guinness (the last will give a stronger flavour)
• 1 egg , plus 1 yolk
• 6-8 slices, toasted crusty bread (can also make it on large flat mushrooms)
Cheese Fondue – Gruyere
• 250ml (8 fl oz) dry white wine
• 250g (8 oz) grated Emmental cheese
• 250g (8 oz) grated Gruyere cheese
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 (450g) loaf crusty French bread, cut into 2.5cm cubes
broccoli, bread, pears, pepperoni, pita bread, mushrooms, baby potatoes, peppers, tomatoes
Pasta Alfredo
• 200g pasta (penne or fettucinne)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 cups milk
• 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper