which cheese?

[absley]

I'm trying to recreate a dish I had recently but am struggling with the cheese sauce component and the restaurant is ignoring my questions about it, so I'm hoping to tap into TMT's cheese expertise...

It was celeriac ribbons with cheese sauce and walnuts - see here.

I've nailed the ribbons - cook for 90 seconds then cool and dry them before reheating in (lots of) browned butter. Dress with the cheese sauce and top with walnuts. Any idea what the herb is?

For the sauce I reduced white wine & veg stock, added double cream and reduced again. Then I added the cheese. But what cheese? The sauce at the restaurant was really strongly flavoured, but not blue. I used a mix of parmesan and gruyere and while it was nice it needs to be pokier. I thought about just using parmesan but what else would you consider/ throw in the mix? I think a bit of acidity would be good, so strong feta could also play a role.

Any and all ideas welcome!

[Cosmopolitan]

Is that herb marjoram? I'm not totally sure but I did have a plant last year that looks similar but maybe a bit more woody in texture. I'll ask Mr Cos.

Maybe something like tallegio?

[absley]

It wasn't marjoram - it was more delicate in flavour and texture.

I've not had taleggio for ages, I need to try and remember its flavour properly!

[Rebel Pebble]

It looks a bit like just the leaves part of cress.

[Froozy]

Oregano for the herb maybe, but i always think that’s stronger than Marj. Cheddar and mozzarella for the sauce?

[Hamm]

It looks a bit like just the leaves part of cress.

Yes, baby watercress would be my guess.

[Mountain Goat]

The herb looks like it could be summer savory? I just wrenched some out the garden yesterday thinking it was a weed, and then remembered.

Aged comte for the cheese? Or even a pungent washed rind cheese?

[Disco]

I thought it looked like savoury too.

[Mountain Goat]

It makes sense with celeriac, cheese and walnuts too.

[absley]

It does look like savoury, thank you; I wonder if that's something I can get here.

Good cheese ideas too - thank you. I like the idea of a washed rind cheese.

[Epponnee Rae]

I can’t pretend I’ve had any of these but might it be a Scandi cheese of some kind? There’s a couple on this page that sound quite pungent

https://www.scandikitchen.co.uk/sweet-d ... n-cheeses/

[absley]

I'm sure it will be a scandi cheese, Epp, which I'm fairly sure I won't be able to get here. I'll have a read through and see what kind of flavours they talk about in case that helps me work out an alternative. Thank you.

[Epponnee Rae]

Doh. I clearly misunderstood the question, sorry I hope you find a good (enough) alternative!

[absley]

Oh, you didn't misunderstand, I was vague with my cheese (and herb) ponderings!

[Mountain Goat]

I have a winter savory plant arriving tomorrow - this would have been slightly more helpful to you if you were still down the road, mind.

[absley]

Um, it's the thought that counts?

You should make the dish, with your savory - it's very delicious!

[Mountain Goat]

I might try this this week actually, as my savory is doing well, I happen to have a celeriac, and my cheese box arrives on Mon - if any turn out to be suitable I'll have a go. Though of course I'll have no idea whether it's anywhere near where it should be or not...

[absley]

Let me know how you get on, Goat.

I did another version just with parmesan (I was using stuff up) and it was less good - I think the gruyere added a richness to the texture of the sauce, which is worth having.

Leftovers got stirred through pasta, with some added cauliflower.

[Mountain Goat]

I just got my cheese delivered and now have no idea which is best to use. I have a smeared rind (? never heard of this before) cheese that is gorgeous and unctuous, but is quite mild - I think it would get lost and also wouldn't be a great use of a beautiful cheese, but it might work paired with something else.

I also have a soft sheep's cheese (similar to a cream cheese) that has a nice acidic bite but is again a little too mild. The other cheese are a smoked cheddar (so completely off brief, though it could actually taste good) and a caerphilly.

And in my fridge anyway I have parmesan, pecorino, feta and halloumi. I'm thinking pecorino or parmesan plus some of the smeared rind, maybe - I probably need to taste them together. It would be a lot easier if your parmesan experiment had been more successful.

I'm thinking of serving with a green salad and some rye bread, possibly with caraway seeds.

[Scribble]

You’re making this for me, yes? :hopeful, but I don’t like carowY seeds: