Cheese Please

RECIPES VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | IMAGES BRYDIE THOMPSON

The New Zealand Cheese awards were to be held in Hamilton again this year.

Call me biased, but I think it’s an appropriate place for the awards to be held each year; after all, the Waikato is the home to some of New Zealand’s most successful artisan cheese makers including local favourite Meyer Cheese, who picked up five gold medals again this year. One of New Zealand’s most award-winning cheese makers, Meyer Cheese makes Dutch styled Gouda cheese with milk from their own cows on the family farm in Ohaupo. With a pipeline directly from the milk shed to the cheese factory, you couldn’t get fresher milk and the results speak for themselves. Inspired by their wonderful cheese range, we got cheesy in the kitchen and created some classic family favourites.

The Ultimate Cauliflower Cheese

100g butter ½ cup flour 1½–2 cups milk lots of your favourite Meyer cheese, grated (I especially love their not just award-winning but the 2019 Champion Cheese winner goats milk gouda for this)

In a small pot, melt the butter. Stir in the flour until it forms a paste—this is called a roux. Cook out the flour, stirring continuously, for at least a minute.

Over a low heat, and whilst continuing to stir, pour in approx. a third of the milk. Once incorporated, slowly stir in remaining milk. (By adding the milk slowly you will avoid lumps forming and create a silkier sauce.)

Add the cheese and continue to stir until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

Pour the hot sauce over steamed vegetables (cauliflower and broccoli are great but when in season asparagus is also delicious!). Then for an extra flourish pop it under the grill for a few minutes before serving.

Got leftover cheese sauce? Spread it between two pieces of bread and grill for a luxurious toastie. Or freeze it for next time.

Cheese & Miso Scones

3 cups flour 5 tsp baking powder 75g butter, cold 1½ cups of grated cheese (we used Meyer tasty or vintage gouda) 2 tbsp miso paste 1½ cups buttermilk or thin natural yoghurt*

Mix the flour and baking powder together. Grate the butter into the flour and then with your fingertips rub the butter into the flour until it is like fine breadcrumbs, then add 1 cup of the cheese.

Mix the miso with the buttermilk then mix this with the flour mix until just combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured bench and cut into 6-8 scones. Place these on a lined baking tray with a small gap between each. Top with the remaining cheese and bake at 200°C for 10–15 minutes.

Note: They will expand as they cook. I like mine to end up touching once cooked, resulting in softer edges. If you like crisper scones leave a bigger gap between each.

*If you only have a thick Greek-like yoghurt on hand simply thin it down with half milk half yoghurt. Have neither? Milk will work too, just start with 1 cup and add more as you need it.

Cheese and Onion Tart with Walnut Pastry

Pastry

½ cup walnuts ½ cup wholemeal flour 1 cup flour 150g butter, cold 1 tsp salt ¼ cup cold water

Filling

2 large onions extra virgin olive oil 1 cup cream 2 eggs 150g Meyer cheese (cumin gouda is perfect for this tart!)

For the pastry

Place the walnuts into a food processor and whizz until the nuts are finely ground.

Add the flours and whizz again before adding the chopped butter and salt. With the motor running, slowly add half the cold water. If the pastry does not come together in a ball, add a little more of the water.

Wrap the pastry and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll pastry out on a floured surface until large enough to line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Line the tin with the pastry. Cover the pastry with baking paper, then fill with baking beans and bake at 180°C for 15 minutes. Take out the paper and beans, then bake for a further 5–10 minutes more until pale golden and cooked. While the pastry cooks, peel and thinly slice the onions. Heat a pan and add a dash of oil then the onions and soften over a medium to low heat (15–25 minutes) until just golden.

Spread the cooked onions over the pastry case and sprinkle with the grated cheese.

Beat the eggs and cream together, then season to taste. Pour over the onion and cheese.

Cheesy Crumbed Baked Chicken

4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless

150g Meyer cheese, cut into strips (we used the herb and garlic gouda)

75g butter

½ onion, finely chopped

3–4 rashers streaky bacon, finely chopped

1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs

1 /3 cup finely chopped parsley Score the chicken breasts on a diagonal 3–4 times and place in a baking dish. Stuff the cheese into the scored gaps in the chicken breasts.

Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bacon and cook for five minutes or so or until the onion is soft and translucent. Take off the heat and add the breadcrumbs and parsley. Cover the chicken breasts with the breadcrumb mix, patting them down lightly before baking for 30 minutes at 180°C.

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