Recipe Ideas

Starters // Main Courses // Light Bites // Accompaniments

Please do contact us with any Cheshire cheese recipe ideas you enjoy cooking and eating.

Starters

Couscous and Cheshire Cheese Salad

Serves 6 as a starter or 4 as a main course

Ingredients

225g/8oz couscous
300ml/1/2pt hot vegetable stock
110g/40z fine green beans
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 tbsp parsley, chopped
75g/3oz cherry tomatoes

Optional Dressing

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Small pinch of chilli flakes

Method

Put the couscous into a bowl, pour over the hot stock and set aside until all the stock is absorbed
Meanwhile cook the beans in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and plunge into a bowl of cold water. Drain when cool and cut into 2.5cm/1” lengths.
Heat the oil in a small frying pan, add the red onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly soft, add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add to the couscous and fork through. When cool add the beans and most of the parsley.
Break the Cheshire cheese into roughly shaped small pieces and add to the salad.
If you are dressing the salad whisk the ingredients together, pour over the salad and toss.

This delicious salad is best served at least an hour after making to let the flavours develop, sprinkle each serving with the remaining parsley.

Cheesy Tomato Risotto

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course

30g butter, plus extra to grease
1 litre chicken stock
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato puree
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
250g Arborio rice
6 slices ham, diced
100g frozen peas
50g Appleby's Double Gloucester

Method

Grease a shallow, ovenproof dish.
Place the chicken stock and sun-dried tomato puree in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine, then simmer gently over a low heat.
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and garlic and cook over a low heat until the onion is softened.
Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to coat the grains of rice in oil.
Add the stock to the rice a ladleful at a time, stirring occasionally, waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding the next ladleful. Season.
Stir in the ham and peas, then spoon the risotto into the ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the Appleby's Double Gloucester.
Dot with butter, then put under the grill until the cheese has melted.

Main Courses

Sun-blush Tomato, Courgette and Cheese Frittata

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 Medium waxy potatoes, un-peeled
100g Sun-blush tomatoes in oil
1 Spanish onion, sliced
1 Large courgette, sliced
150g Appleby's Smoked Cheshire Cheese
6 Medium eggs
Handful of parsley, chopped

Method

Boil the potatoes for 12-15 minutes, until just cooked. Drain, cool under cold water then peel and roughly slice.
Take 2 tbsp of oil from the tomatoes and heat in a 23cm non-stick frying pan.
Add the onion and courgette and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
Layer the potato slices, cheese and tomatoes over the top and season.
In a jug, beat the eggs with most of the parsley, season, then pour evenly into the pan - you don't want it more than 3/4 full as the eggs will rise.
COver and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes or until the egg is just set.
Top with the remaining parsley, cut into 4, and serve with salad and crusty bread.

Grilled Pork Chops, Rarebit Style

Ingredients

4 Large loin pork chops
65g finely grated Appleby's Smoked Cheshire cheese
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp Double cream

Method

Preheat the grill to high.
Season both sides of the chops, place on the rack.
Cook for 1 minute, then reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for a further 8 minutes.
Turn the chops over and repeat step 3.
Meanwhile, mix the Appleby's Smoked Cheshire cheese with the Dijon mustard, cream and a little salt and freshly ground pepper.
Remove the pork chops from under the grill and turn the heat back up to high.
Spread the cheesy mixture over each chop and return them to the grill for 1 minute, or until the cheese is bubbling.

Macaroni Cheese

Ingredients

Serves 2 adults

1 garlic clove
10g butter, plus extra to grease
284ml single cream
1 bay leaf
200g macaroni
Pinch of nutmeg
50g Appleby's Double Gloucester, grated
50g Appleby's Cheshire, crumbled
50g Parmesan, grated

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.
Rub a square 25 x 5cm ovenproof dish with the peeled garlic clove, then grease the dish.
Place the garlic, cream and bay leaf in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave for 15 minutes. Remove the garlic and bay leaf.
Cook the macaroni according to packet instructions. Drain and add to the pan with the infused cream, a pinch of nutmeg and the two Appleby cheeses. Season well and stir to combine.
Tip the macaroni into the dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Dot the top with the butter and bake for 30 mins, or until golden and bubbling.

Special Quiche

Ingredients

Serves 8-10

350g shortcrust pastry
1 goat's cheese, crumbled
10 thin slices pancetta
1 small handful of thyme, mixed in a glug of olive oil

For the filling:
5 large eggs
600ml double cream
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 handful of grated Appleby's Cheshire cheese
1 handful of grated Gruyere
Bunch of chives, finely chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4
Roll out the pastry and line a 28cm loose-bottomed fluted flan tin, then place it in the freezer to rest.
Line a tart case with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Place in the oven and bake blind for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile mix all the filling ingredients together in a bowl.
As soon as the pastry is cooked, remove the paper and baking beans.
Pour the filling into it and sprinkle over the goat's cheese.
Lay the pancetta slices over the top, then finish with a drizzle of your thyme oil.
Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown on top.

Light Bites / Snacks

Ultimate Cheese on Toast

Ingredients

Serves 4

1/2 garlic clove
1 slice of good quality thick white bread per person
Butter or olive oil
Appleby's Cheshire cheese, sliced

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7.
Rub the garlic clove over the bread, then spread with the butter or olive oil.
Place on a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes or until nicely toasted, on one side only.
Top the un-toasted side with the cheese and return to the oven.
Cook until the cheese starts to bubble.

Muffins with Smoked Cheese and Sweetcorn Kernels

Ingredients

Makes 12

250g plain white flour
125g polenta (coarse if possible)
4 tsp baking powder
100g cooked and cooled sweetcorn, or drained tinned sweetcorn
150g Appleby's Smoked Cheshire cheese, plus 100g for topping
2 medium eggs
200ml milk
30g unsalted butter, melted, or 65ml sunflower oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6.
Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
In a mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients, then make a well in the centre.
Mix together the sweetcorn, cheese and all the wet ingredients in a jug - don't over beat, just loosely incorporate them - and pour into the well, mixing quickly and lightly to a lumpy batter. If the mixture doesn't drop easily add a little more liquid.
Drop a heaped dessertspoon full into each paper case, top with the rest of the grated cheese and bake in the middle shelf for about 20 minutes or until well risen and golden.

Potted Cheshire Cheese

A traditional way to use up remains of a large cheese, this will keep in the fridge for several days. You could add fresh herbs instead of the spices.

Ingredients

200g Appleby's Cheshire cheese
100g unsalted butter, softened
100g full-fat soft cheese
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
2 tbsp milk
1 heaped tbsp roughly chopped walnuts

Method

Finely grate the cheese and tip into a food processor with all the other ingredients, except the walnuts.
Mix for a couple of minutes until it makes a paste that has a similar consistency to cream cheese.
Spoon into a serving bowl and smooth the top, scatter with the walnuts.
Cover with cling film and chill for at least 4 hours.
Serve with hot toast or water biscuits.

Accompaniments

Grandma Appleby’s Tomato and Apple Chutney

Ingredients

¾ lb apples
¾ lb tomatoes
¾ lb raisins/sultanas
½ lb demerara sugar
½ lb shallots/onions
¾ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
6 cloves
4 chillies (or similar)
1 pt malt vinegar

Method

Finely chop apples, tomatoes and shallots.
Put all ingredients except vinegar in a large saucepan, cook gently for ½ hour.
Add vinegar. Gently simmer for 3 hours.
Pour chutney whilst warm into sterile, warm, dry jam jars (approx 6). Cover with parchment paper and seal with a screw lid.
Best left for a minimum of 1 month before eating, will keep for 12 months.