 Cheesy
Herbed Risotto
Makes 6 Servings
6 cups
chicken broth
1/2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups (1 pound) Arborio rice
1 box (10 ounces) frozen asparagus cuts, thawed
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Italian blend seasoned cheeses*
1/4 cup julienned fresh basil, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring
chicken broth to a boil. Lower heat and keep broth at
low simmer while cooking risotto. Melt butter in large
saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 3
to 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add rice; cook
and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until rice is coated. Add 1/2
cup broth to rice; cook and stir until broth is absorbed.
Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently,
until broth is absorbed. Stir in asparagus and sun-dried
tomatoes about 5 minutes before end of cooking time. (Total
cooking time should be about 20-30 minutes and some broth
may be left over. Rice should be tender but firm with
a creamy consistency.) Remove from heat; stir in cheeses,
salt and pepper to taste and basil, if desired. Serve
immediately.
*Substitute
1/4 cup each mozzarella and smoked provolone cheese. Add
1 small clove garlic, minced, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
and 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves to saucepan with onion
at beginning of recipe.
 For
more delicious cheese recipes, ideas and information,
check out the American Dairy Association Web Site http://www.ilovecheese.com.
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 Apple
Cider-Cheddar Fondue
Makes 10 servings
4
cups (about 1 pound) sharp Cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1-1/4 cups sparkling apple cider
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For
dipping: Bite-size pieces of cooked chicken or pork sausages,
waffle pieces, pizzelles and strudel, apple wedges and
cubes of Cheddar cheese.
In
a medium-size bowl toss the cheese with the cornstarch.
In
a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the cider
and lemon juice over medium heat until barely simmering.
Add the cheese mixture, a handful at a time, stirring
until the cheese is melted before adding more. When all
the cheese mixture has been added, stir in the salt, cinnamon,
nutmeg and pepper, to taste. Cook over low heat until
thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer
fondue to an enamel or ceramic fondue pot and keep warm
over a fondue burner. Serve immediately with Cheddar cubes,
sausages, waffles, strudel and apple wedges.
For
more delicious cheese recipes, ideas and information,
check out the American Dairy Association Web Site http://www.ilovecheese.com.
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Wild
Mushroom Torta
Makes 8 Servings
6
cups sliced wild mushrooms (Oyster, Shiitake, Cremini,
Portobello, etc.)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon butter
Salt
Pepper
1 package (11 ounces) refrigerated French bread dough
1/4 cup pesto sauce
1 ounce White Cheddar cheese, crumbled
Sauté
mushrooms and garlic with butter in large skillet until
tender. Season with salt and pepper. Shape dough into
a round. Press onto bottom and side of buttered 10-inch
quiche dish and spread with pesto.
Sprinkle
with half the cheese, top with mushrooms and add remaining
cheese. Bake at 350° until browned, about 35-40 minutes.
For
more delicious cheese recipes, ideas and information,
check out the American Dairy Association Web Site http://www.ilovecheese.com.
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 California
White Cheddar With Apples
Makes 4 Servings
This
course features a lush combination of share California
Cheddar, sweet-tart apples and spicy walnut conserve.
The apple and walnut conserve recipe provided here is
designed to be quick and simple to prepare, however store-bought
chutney can be used as well. We recommend purchasing a
mild, sweet chutney that includes raisins and nuts. While
the recipe calls for slicing the cheese in a rectangle
shape, this dish would also be lovely with other shapes
of cheese slices. Keep the size of each slice about 1/2
ounce.
8
rectangular slices sharp California White Cheddar, about
2-1/2 inch by 1-1/2 inch by 1/4 inch each (about 1/2 ounce
per slice)
Apple
and Walnut Conserve:
2/3 cup diced red apple (about 1 medium apple)
2/3 cup diced green apple (about 1 medium apple)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
In
a small saucepan combine all ingredients except the cheese.
Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and let cool.
To
Plate: For each serving, place one slice of cheese
on an individual serving plate. Top with 1/4 of the conserve
mixture. Partially overlap with another slice of cheese.
Garnish with walnuts.
Recipe courtesy of the
California Milk Advisory Board.
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 Port-Poached
Pears And Ricotta
Makes 4 Servings
A
glass of Port wine paired with cheese is a classic ending
for a gourmet meal. This simple recipe combines them beautifully
on one plate. For this recipe we recommend using Ricotta
with a dry, thick consistency (a bit drier than cottage
cheese). If your Ricotta seems to have an excess of liquid,
draining it is easy. Simply put the cheese in a fine mesh
strainer (or a colander lined with cheesecloth) placed
over a bowl. Allow it to drain in the refrigerator overnight.
This will guarantee that the creamy texture of the Ricotta
is emphasized without the filling running into the elegant
Port sauce.
1
cup California Ricotta cheese
Port-Poached
Pears:
2 pears, such as Anjou or Bosc, peeled and cored
2 cups Port wine
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
Place
pears, Port and maple syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring
to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover and
simmer, turning pears occasionally, until they are tender
when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Remove from
heat and let pears cool in poaching liquid. Remove pears
from liquid. Cut a small slice about 1/4 inch thick from
the rounded bottom of the pear so it will sit upright
on the plate. Set aside. Place poaching liquid over medium-high
heat and cook until it becomes thick and syrupy. Set aside
and let cool. Cut each pear in half vertically.
To
Plate: For each serving drizzle some of the reduced
poaching liquid over an individual serving plate. Place
one pear half on plate. Fill the pear cavity with 1/4
cup cheese. Reserve remaining poaching liquid for another
use.
Recipe
courtesy of the
California Milk Advisory Board.
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