If I had to choose a last meal on earth then I'm pretty certain I would choose a cheese plate. I want cheeses from all around the world, as many as possible, a Noah's ark of cheese, filled to the gunwales. After polishing off my enormous boatload of cheese, I could then die relatively content, or at least fat and happily full of cheese.
I imagine there will be lots of readers who can't get their heads around the concept of leftover cheese. This concept is a bit of an odd one in my household as well. As far as cheese is concerned, I don't have an off button and since I cannot be trusted not to eat an entire wedge, block or wheel of cheese, I tend to buy smaller amounts and try (or at least fully intend) to have firm plans for cooking with it. Most of this cheese doesn't actually last long enough to reach the leftover stage, however there will always be small plastic tubs in my fridge filled with an assortment of cheese nubbles waiting for me to use up.
To keep your cheese fresher for longer wrap cheeses in foil, grease-proof paper or baking parchment. Store in an air-tight container and keep at the bottom of the fridge. Wrapping cheeses helps to prevent loss of moisture and prevents the cheeses from drying out, and, in the case of strong cheeses, helps to prevent their smell tainting other cheeses you may be storing.
Some cheeses such as cheddar or stilton also freeze well for up to three months, wrapped in clingfilm or foil. Defrost at room temperature, overnight. While some cheeses become more crumbly as a result of freezing, a slow defrost prevents the cheese from becoming even more crumbly. However, if you are using the cheese in sauces or bakes, then this isn't really a problem. Do not refreeze.
What about mouldy cheese that wasn't intended to have mould on it? Be careful and look for more information about this on the UK Food Standards Agency website. Other information about dairy food and healthy choices can be found on the NHS Live Well website. If you should encounter a small patch of mould on your hard cheese, scrape it off with a small paring knife, or, for larger areas, remove in thick slices. Think of this as sacrificing a small part for the greater good of the whole chunk of cheese. You should still taste the cheese before using as despite excising the mould, the cheese may have been affected and may be rank and unpalatable. If the cheese has become so mouldy that it looks as if it could probably start a conversation or have its own passport, then I'm afraid it's a trip to the bin. If you put cheese or dairy products on your compost then you are going to make your compost even more attractive to pests. (Some local councils will collect it as kitchen waste, however.)
I've erred on the side of mentioning the better-known cheeses, but really you can mix and match, using what you like or have to hand. In most cases substituting cheeses with similar qualities and textures, such as hard cheeses for hard cheeses, soft cheeses for soft, will work perfectly well. However, even cheeses with similar textures have different melting properties, which you need to bear in mind. There are about three different types of melting properties – cheeses that don't melt (such as halloumi and feta), stringy and stretchy (such as mozzarella and provolone) and flowing and smooth (such as cheddar, gruyere and blue cheese). You get the picture.
1. Parmesan or pecorino rinds
I am a bit of a geek when it comes to kitchen tips and one of my favourites is to do with that dog end of parmesan or (my favourite) pecorino, (or perhaps manchego or some other very hard cheese), where the cheese has been so far grated down that to grate any more would be to lose the skin on your knuckles.
This piece of rind will only emerge on the day you decide to spring clean your fridge and throw out this unloved tiny chunk. I have just one thing to say. Don't. This unprepossessing nubbin of dried-out cheese rind is the cook's friend and a secret weapon in your flavour armoury. If it is slightly mouldy, then I just scrub it with a vegetable brush, rinse under the cold tap and pat dry with kitchen paper. Then throw the rind into a slow cooking stew such as beef and ale casserole, or in soups such as minestrone, or particularly in a bolognese sauce. Let it simmer away for anything from 20 minutes to a good hour or so. While the rind cooks it isn't imparting a huge amount of cheesy flavour, but it is giving your stew an injection of umami; that lip-smacking, indefinable extra oomph of savoury flavour.
Once the rind has cooked through, it begins to soften. What you end up with is a sort of cheesy toffee. Fish this out of soup or stew before serving. This is not to be thrown away either, nor is it for sharing. This delicious savoury morsel is the cook's treat or prize: it might look like a bit of damp old leather, but it brings one of the greatest of kitchen tips. No need to thank me, but you are welcome.
I like to make a very simple broth by simply heating up a good quality (usually home-made) chicken or vegetable stock. I add the rinds and simmer about 20 minutes, until the rinds are completely soft and the broth has taken on a depth of umami flavour from the cheese. I fish out the rinds and then add stuffed pasta such a tortellini. Bring the broth back to the boil and then simmer for the time required to cook the pasta through (usually only a few minutes). Serve with loads of black pepper and extra grated cheese. In a similar vein, Salt'n Pepper Restaurant's lovely chickpea, parsnip and saffron soup also includes the great tip of using up parmesan rinds.
2. My friend Graeme's perfect fondue
My first experience of fondue was reading the classic Asterix in Switzerland, in which losing your bread in the fondue pot led to a forfeit of running around Lake Geneva. This appealed to my childish sense of humour and I couldn't wait to try the real thing.
These days the fondue is one of the stars of the annual reunion of four very longstanding friends. Once a year we come together from all over the country. We are rather noisy (well there's lots to catch up on), things always get a little bibulous, there is a lot of laughter and often singing (actually that is usually just me after too much wine) and much jostling for airtime since we are a chatty bunch. But once the fondue arrives, silence reigns as we all jockey for position. These days, however, I pace myself. If you can hold back it means there is more at the end of the pot, when everyone else is full to bursting and have had their fill. This means you get the chewy, cheese-toffee that clings to the bottom, which is clearly my favourite bit.
This is not strictly a recipe for cheese leftovers, but it is proof that a mixture of different cheeses can work beautifully.
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove
75ml dry white wine
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
200g emmental
200g gruyere
100g cheddar
100g reblochon
2 tbsp cornflour
3 tbsp kirsch (or port)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
miscellaneous accompaniments:
cubes of crusty bread; chunks, sticks or slices of crunchy fruit and vegetables (celery, carrots, fennel, apples, pears, plums, cauliflower, green beans, etc), pickles (cornichons, etc) as well as some cured meats such as chorizo, saucisson sec, salami, etc.
Rub the cut side of garlic on the inside of a large, heavy-based saucepan – make sure that you rub up the sides too. Add the wine and lemon juice to the pot. Simmer over a medium to high heat.
Combine the cheeses with the cornflour in a large bowl. Add handfuls of the cheese and cornflour mix to the simmering wine, a handful at a time. Make sure the first handful has melted before adding the next. Make sure you stir constantly as it stops the cheese and cornflour from either sticking or burning. The fondue should start to thicken.
When you have added all the cheese, reduce the heat to low to medium and stir. Add the alcohol. Bring the heat back to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Season to taste. Sprinkle over a little grated nutmeg and serve to good friends, with sharpened elbows and a happy heart!
Tips: You can use a light, fruity red wine instead of white wine. Apple brandy is a delicious alternative too. Replace the wine with a dark beer, adding caramelised onions too. Add a strong cheddar, fontina or tangy goats' cheese to the cheese mix. Top with crumbled, cooked bacon or pancetta
3. Poached cherries and goats' cheese salad
Tangy soft goats' cheese with sweet cherries is a marriage made in food heaven, but then I can't think of any cheese that doesn't have an affinity with fruit. I like to use goats' cheese or feta, but most washed-rind cheeses, blue cheese or soft mould-ripened cheeses such as camembert would be equally delicious.
Serves 4
Poached cherries:
150g fresh cherries, pitted
6 tbsp wine (red or white wine, or sherry) or water
1 tbsp honey
Dressing:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cherry syrup (the reserved cherry poaching liquid)
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of sugar (optional)
Salad:
1 red onion, cut into about 4 slices
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (red or white)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed salad leaves
100g goat's cheese (with rind), torn into small chunks or any tangy soft cheese such as feta, camembert, etc
30g toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
a few slices of cured meat, such as saucisson sec
Pre-heat the oven too 180C/Gas Mark 4.
Heat the wine or water in a small saucepan and add the honey. Stir until the honey dissolves. Add the cherries and poach for one to two minutes. Set aside to cool. Strain the cherries but reserve the syrupy poaching liquid (which will be used in the vinaigrette).
Put the red onion slices on a baking tray and drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and two tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle over the sugar and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until softened. (Turn once.) Leave to cool.
Combine all the dressing ingredients (including some of the reserved cherry syrup) and whisk well to ensure that they have emulsified. Check the seasoning. While you will need to add salt and pepper, you may need a pinch or two of sugar to balance out the flavour.
Dress the salad leaves with about one tablespoon of the dressing.
Divide the dressed salad between four plates. Top each plate with a little of the poached cherries, red onion, goat's cheese and hazelnuts. Top with cured meat.
More ideas for leftover cheese
4. Camilla Hawkins at Fab Food 4 All's family-friendly ham, cheese and sweetcorn turnovers are simple and delicious.
5. Talking of family-friendly, Camilla's Hippo-Potatomus really made me laugh. These baked potatoes stuffed with cheese, bacon, spring onions and sour cream really do look like hippos!
6. Nic at Cherrapeno has twice-baked soufflés with Barber's 1833 vintage cheddar. I hadn't heard of this cheese before, but I am now on a mission to track it down.
7. Perhaps you would like to try something a bit different, with these lapingachos (Ecuadorian stuffed potato cakes) from Layla Pujol and her blog Laylita which showcases Latin American food.
8. I love a simple Welsh Rabbit (yes, I prefer the name "rabbit.") While Felicity Cloake uses grated Lancashire cheese in her perfect Welsh Rarebit, you could use a mixture of any hard cheeses. such as cheddar or double gloucester.
9. Helen at Fuss Free Flavours has a glorious recipe for Orchard Pancakes with goats' cheese, cider, apples and walnuts - I feel as if I've been scrumping in the orchard and have now had my reward!
10. English potted cheese
I love the idea of potted cheese, recipes for which can be traced back to cookbook writers such as Hannah Glasse in the 18th century, as a way of preserving nuggets of cheese. It is an old technique and is definitely one that is worth reviving, if you haven't already. If you are interested in English food and its history, then a good primer would be Jane Grigson's classic English Food, from which I have adapted her potted cheese recipe.
Ingredients:
250g grated cheese, (a mixture of hard cheeses such as cheddar, Double Gloucester, Cheshire and Lancashire)
90g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp sherry (or madeira or port)l
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/2 tsp mustard powder or prepared mustard
a splash of Worcestershire sauce (optional)
60g walnuts, finely chopped (reserve some as halves for decoration)
melted clarified butter (optional)
Combine the cheese and butter to a paste. (You can do this by hand, but it is much quicker in a food processor.) Add the spices and alcohol. Combine well.
You now have several options. You can pot the cheese paste in ramekins and top with walnut halves. Alternatively you can form the paste into small cakes. Roll in chopped nuts and then top with walnut halves.
Lastly, if the potted cheese is to be kept for a little while, then dispense with the walnuts. Cover the potted cheese with a layer of clarified butter to keep it fresher for longer. Leave for at least 24 hours before eating, to allow the flavours to combine. Delicious on toast (and toasted) or with a good biscuit such as a Digestive or an oatcake.
Tip: A splash of Tabasco might be rather nice too.
11. Rupert Kirby of Casa Rosada throws parmesan rind into his spring soup of seasonal greens. I haven't stayed at the stylish and tranquil Casa Rosada hotel in Portugal, or attended any of Rupert's inspiring cookery workshops but with food like this, I've made a promise to myself to get there as soon as possible.
12. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on a head of celery that hasn't been denuded of its leaves, then Rupert also has an interesting celery leaf and almond pesto, which also uses a little parmesan too.
13. For canapés, Rupert stuffs dates with small pieces of manchego cheese and wraps them in bacon and then bakes them; a delicious reinvention of devils-on-horseback.
14. Bits of cheese are fabulous stuffed into meatballs, such as these lamb and feta meatballs.
15. Another recipe that caught my eye was Jane Grigson's cheese and tomato paste sandwich filling that apparently her mother used to make at the end of the Second World War. It is a thrifty paste of onion, breadcrumbs, butter, egg and tomatoes which Grigson describes as "not refined eating, but it comes very welcome out-of-doors".
16. Felicity Cloake's does all the hard work so that you don't have to by creating the perfect macaroni cheese. This is another great recipe that proves that you don't have to limit yourself to one type of cheese in the cheese sauce.
17. Dominic Franks of Belleau Kitchen uses up bibs and bobs of cheese with spinach to make these heavenly baked egg pots. Breakfast of the gods!
18. Janice of Farmersgirl Kitchen makes a soup from leftover cauliflower cheese. Ingenious and simply delicious.
19. Louisa Foti of Eat Your Veg has a lovely family-friendly recipe for roasted tomato and feta risotto (which is the delicious result of emptying out her fridge!)
20. One of my favourite ways to use up bits of cheese is in a pie - my absolute favourite has to be my version of Yotam Ottolenghi's herb pie, a version of spanakopita. It works with a mixture of different soft to medium cheeses and lots of green herbs and seasonal greens.
21. Linda Duffin of Mrs Portlys Kitchen's griddled courgette, feta and mint salad is light and refreshing.
22. Rosie of A Little Lusciousness' pop-up restaurant adds cheese to her potato and herb gratin recipe. It oozes bubbling cheese and is quite irresistible.
23. And finally if you are feeling adventurous then you might like to try Alicia at Foodycat's baked tomatoes with feta. There is a secret ingredient that is not for the faint-hearted, but I'll let you be the judge!
I have loved searching out cheese recipes, but am pretty certain that I've missed some in a case of not being able to see the wood for the cheese! (Sorry, I couldn't resist that awful pun.) What would you have included? I know that I have focused on British and European recipes. Which countries would you have included? What are the classic thrifty, cheesy delights where you live?
Rachel Kelly is the Guardian home cook of the year 2013. Read more on her website or follow her on Twitter @MarmadukeS.
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