Elevate entertaining with a sturdy Spanish cheese that swings candy and savory
Photographed by Derek Bissonnette
Crafted from each cow’s and goat’s milk within the mountainous area of León, Spain, Valdeón is an artisan cheese that has a wealthy and distinctively tangy style with a silky texture. This versatile cheese shouldn’t be solely stunning to cook dinner with, it’s additionally one that may stand by itself when paired with a glass of Spanish purple wine, chutney, and crackers. These recipes are impressed by my profession in eating places, from cookbooks I’ve written, and by my household vacation traditions.
1
Valedón Cheese Ball
Add a little bit of festive aptitude and elevate the tasteless cheese balls of previous vacation get-togethers. Pair with candied Ritz Crackers for a flowery contact, and prepare for scores of compliments.
2
Valedón-Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Steak Frites and Chimichuri
The crust on this beef tenderloin is impressed from a dish on the White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, Maine. Barely spicy chimichurri provides a full of life kick when paired with the equally piquant cheese. This recipe will yield sufficient crust for six to eight steaks, so be at liberty to freeze the unused portion for a future meal. In case you’re brief on time, use your favourite frozen grocery retailer fries.
3
Candied Bacon Valedón-Stuffed Dates
Elevate your appetizer sport with these Valdeón-stuffed dates wrapped in candied bacon. Wealthy, savory, and candy, this dish marries smoky bacon with tender dates and creamy, pungent Valdeón cheese. Don’t be afraid to make a double batch, as they gained’t final lengthy after you serve them!
4
Pear, Hazelnut, and Valedón Crostata
The buttery, whole-wheat crust of this crostata is a perfect automobile for a savory-sweet filling. The candy pear contrasts with the tangy complexity of Valdeón, which makes this an ideal dessert for the choosy diner who “doesn’t do sweets.”
5
Steak and Braised Cabbage Soup with Valedón Fritters
This recipe was impressed by a soup in my cookbook, Soup: The Final E book of Soups and Stews. Zingy blue cheese enhances heat soup laced with comforting cabbage.
A former chef who labored in bakeries and three Michelin-starred eating places all through America and Europe, Derek Bissonnette has switched gears and now paperwork his ardour for creating meals together with his digital camera (One Cheese, 5 Methods, p. 25). Derek is the writer and photographer of six cookbooks and
is at present engaged on his seventh.
He combines his expertise for recipe growth, styling, and pictures at his studio in Saco, Maine.
