The Cook's Book of Ingredients

AMCHOOR | CURRY LEAVES | 349 AMCHOOR (MANGIFERA INDICA) CLASSIC RECIPE Native to India and Southeast Asia, the 3 EAT Amchoor is used in north much used as a sourish flavouring in CHAT MASALA big, evergreen mango tree is now Indian vegetarian cooking to give a tang dals and chutneys. In the West Indies widely cultivated for its fruit. Every of tropical fruit to vegetable stews and the chutneys have been adapted to The amchoor adds a tart and slightly part of the tree is utilized in some way soups, potato pakoras, and samosas. It incorporate local ingredients. sour flavour to this masala spice mix; – bark, resin, leaves, flowers, seeds. is good with stir-fried vegetables, in FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Aubergines, use it in small quantities sprinkled The fruits are eaten fresh: both green stuffings for breads and pastries, and cauliflower, okra, pulses, potatoes. over fruit and vegetable salads. (unripe) and ripe mangoes are made in marinades used to tenderize poultry, CLASSIC RECIPES Chat masala. into chutneys and pickles; in India thin meat, and fish. It is also an important 2 tsp cumin seeds slices of green mango are also ingredient in the preparation of meats sun-dried. Amchoor is made from to be grilled in the tandoor. Amchoor 2 tsp fennel seeds unripe fruit and is produced in India. is essential to chat masala, a fresh- It has a pleasant, sweet–sour aroma of tasting, astringent spice blend from the 1 tbsp coriander seeds dried fruit and a tart, but also sweetish, Punjab, used for vegetable and pulse fruity flavour. dishes and for fruit salads. It is also 5 cardamom pods, seeds only 1 BUY Amchoor is available from Indian and some oriental shops, usually 5 dry red chillies, seeds discarded as a powder. It may be labelled “mango powder”. It is also sold as dried slices. 1 tbsp amchoor powder 2 STORE Slices can be stored for 3–4 months; the ground spice will keep for 1 tsp ground ginger up to a year in an airtight jar. 1 tbsp garam masala The finely ground Sliced dried fruit powder has a slightly Dried slices are normally light brown and 1 tsp asafoetida powder look like rough-textured wood. They are fibrous texture, and often used for pickles: if added to curries 1 In a small frying pan, dry fry the should be sandy-beige. they should be removed before serving. cumin, fennel, coriander, and cardamon seeds until you can smell Amchoor powder them. Put them in a small food The lumpy amchoor powder is easily processor and grind, or else pound crushed and provides acidity in a dish in a pestle and mortar. without adding moisture: 1 tsp has the acidity of 3 tbsp of lemon juice. 2 Dry fry the chillies for about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn them. Leave them to cool slightly, so they crispen up a little, then add them to the other spices. 3 Now add the armchoor powder, ground ginger, garam masala, and asafoetida powder to the mixture, and stir well. Grind or pound once more. Store the spice mix in an airtight container for 2 months. CURRY LEAVES (MURRAYA KOENIGII) Curry leaves come from a small, also include them. Quickly shallow- Fresh leaves deciduous tree that grows wild in the fried with mustard seeds, asafoetida, These are used extensively in south Indian foothills of the Himalayas, and in India, or onion, curry leaves may be used as a cooking, such as Gujarat vegetarian dishes, northern Thailand, and Sri Lanka. The flavouring at the start of cooking; or at much as coriander leaves are in the north, tree is cultivated in southern India and the end, as in the basic bagaar or tadka and in chutneys (notably coconut chatni), northern Australia. When bruised, that goes over most lentil dishes. relishes, and marinades for seafood. fresh leaves are intensely aromatic, FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Lamb, fish and giving off a musky, spicy odour with seafood, lentils, rice, most vegetables, a citrus note. The taste is warm and cardamom, chillies, coconut, coriander pleasant, lemony and faintly bitter. leaf, cumin, fenugreek seed, garlic. Fresh leaves impart a delicate, spicy CLASSIC RECIPES Coconut chatni; flavour to curries without the heat chat masala. often also associated with those dishes. 1 BUY Fresh curry leaves can be Strip fresh curry leaves bought in Indian and other Asian from the stalk just stores, where they may be labelled before they are meetha neem or kari (or kadhi) patta. added to a dish. 2 STORE Store fresh leaves in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer; they will keep for a week in the fridge. 3 EAT Leaves can be used in cooking and either eaten or removed before serving. They are used in long- simmered meat stews, and in the fish curries of Kerala and Chennai (Madras); Sri Lankan curry mixtures

350 | SPICES POPPY (PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM) White seeds are lighter and more to garnish vegetables. Grind to a mellow in flavour. The aroma and paste with honey or sugar, to fill The opium poppy – Papaver flavour of seeds are enhanced by strudels and other pastries. In Turkey, somniferum means sleep-inducing dry-roasting or baking. roasted, ground seeds are made into poppy – is a plant of great antiquity, 1 BUY Blue poppy seeds are halva or desserts with syrup and nuts. native from the eastern Mediterranean available from supermarkets; the They are used extensively in Bengali to central Asia. It has been cultivated white can be bought from spice cooking in shuktas (bitter vegetable since earliest times for opium, a merchants or Indian shops, and the stews) and to coat crusty, dry- narcotic latex that oozes from the brown in Middle Eastern shops. textured vegetables. unripe seed pods if they are cut, and The seeds tend to go rancid quickly FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Aubergines, for its ripe seeds. Neither the seeds because of their high oil content, so green beans, breads and pastries, nor the dried pods from which buy in small amounts and use quickly. cauliflower, courgettes, potatoes. they are harvested have narcotic 2 STORE Store in an airtight CLASSIC RECIPES Suktas; properties. Poppy seeds may be slate container, or in the freezer if you Poppy-seed cake. blue, mid-brown, or creamy-white. intend to keep them longer than The mid-brown seeds are common a few months. in Turkey and the Middle East; the 3 EAT Sprinkle over or incorporate blue-grey seeds are most used in into breads, bagels, pretzels, and Europe, and the creamy-white seeds cakes. Use, with or without other in India. The aroma of dark seeds is spices, in dressings for noodles or lightly nutty and sweet; the flavour is strong and somewhat almond-like. Dark seeds White seeds The flavour of dark poppy seeds is stronger White poppy seeds are commonly used in than that of white. The blue-grey seeds are India, where they are roasted and ground, commonly used in Europe, added to breads then combined with spices to flavour and and cakes. They do not grind easily, but dry thicken kormas, curries, and gravies. roasting followed by a whiz in a coffee grinder can help to break them down. NIGELLA (NIGELLA SATIVA) 3 EAT Sprinkle nigella on flatbreads, rolls, and savoury pastries, alone or with sesame or cumin. Nigella is the botanical name of It is good with roast potatoes and other root love-in-a-mist, the pretty garden plant vegetables. Indian cooks usually dry-roast or fry with pale blue flowers and feathery the seeds to develop their flavour before foliage. The species grown for its seed sprinkling them over vegetarian dishes and is a close but less decorative relative, salads. In Bengal it is combined with mustard native to western Asia and southern seeds, cumin, fennel, and fenugreek in the local Europe, where it grows wild and in spice mixture, panch phoron, which gives a cultivation. India is the largest producer distinctive taste to pulses and vegetable dishes. of nigella and a large consumer. The Elsewhere in India nigella is used in pilafs, small, matt-black seeds are often kormas, and curries, and in pickles. In Iran misnamed and sold as black onion it is a popular pickling spice used for fruit and seed. Nigella does not have a strong vegetables. Ground with coriander and cumin aroma; when rubbed it is herbaceous, it adds depth to a Middle Eastern potato or somewhat like a mild oregano. The mixed vegetable omelette. taste is nutty, earthy, peppery, rather FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Breads, pulses, rice, bitter, dry, and quite penetrating; the green and root vegetables, allspice, texture is crunchy. cardamom, cinnamon. 1 BUY Nigella is stocked by spice CLASSIC RECIPE Panch phoron. merchants and by Indian and Middle Eastern shops. Buy whole seeds Seeds are black and because they keep better; ground teardrop-shaped; it is seeds may be adulterated. better to buy the seeds 2 STORE In an airtight container they and grind as needed. will keep their flavour for 2 years.

NUTMEG | MACE | 351 NUTMEG (MYRISTICA FRAGRANS) This spreading, evergreen tree, native is warm and highly aromatic, but vegetable purées, meat stews, and fruit being boiled twice in syrup, was once to the Banda islands of Indonesia, often nutmeg has hints of clove and a deeper, puddings; the Italians add rather more a popular sweetmeat from Malaysia. called the Spice Islands, produces fruit bittersweet, woody flavour. subtle quantities to mixed vegetable FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Chicken, veal, that yields two distinct spices, nutmeg 1 BUY Nutmeg is best bought whole. dishes, spinach, veal, and fillings or lamb, fish and seafood chowders, and mace. Grenada now grows almost 2 STORE In an airtight container it sauces for pasta. In France it is used cheese and cheese dishes, egg dishes, a third of the world’s crop. To produce keeps almost indefinitely and is easily with pepper and cloves in slow-cooked milk dishes, cabbage, carrots, onion, nutmeg, the fruit of the tree is split ground or grated as required. Once stews and ragoûts. In India it is added, potato, pumpkin pie, spinach, sweet open to reveal the hard-shelled seed. ground, nutmeg tends to lose its sparingly, to Moghul dishes. Together potato, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, The lacy aril that clings to the shell is flavour rather quickly. with mace, the Arabs have long used it coriander, cumin, rose, geranium, mace; the kernel within the shell is 3 EAT You can use nutmeg in both in delicately flavoured mutton and lamb ginger, mace, pepper, rosebuds. nutmeg. Both spices have a similar rich, sweet and savoury dishes. It goes well dishes; in North Africa both are found CLASSIC RECIPES Quatre épices; fresh, and warm aroma; nutmeg smells in stews and in most egg and cheese in traditional spice mixtures. Half-ripe ras el hanout; Tunisian five spices. sweet but is more camphorous and dishes. The Dutch add nutmeg lavishly nutmeg, pricked all over (as is done pine-like than mace. The taste of both to white cabbage, cauliflower, with green walnuts) and soaked before Nutmeg kernels Nutmeg kernels are best whole and only grated when needed. Banda and Penang nutmeg and mace are considered superior to the West Indian ones. Nutmeg seeds Grated nutmeg Nutmeg seeds may be bought Grated nutmeg is widely used in Europe, intact, with the kernel, the in both sweet and savoury dishes. It adds nutmeg, still inside its hard shell. flavour to honey cakes, rich fruit cakes, This shell is stripped from the fruit desserts, and fruit punch. kernel and discarded. MACE (MYRISTICA FRAGRANS) This spice from the apricot-like fruit cheese soufflés, chocolate drinks, carrots, onion, potato, pumpkin pie, of Myristica fragrans is the thin, lacy and cream cheese desserts. spinach, sweet potato, cardamom, covering or aril clinging to the hard FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Chicken, veal, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, seed shell, the kernel of which is the lamb, pâtés and terrines, fish and rose geranium, ginger, nutmeg, paprika, spice nutmeg. After the aril is removed seafood chowders, cheese and cheese pepper, rosebuds, thyme. from the seed it is pressed flat and dishes, egg dishes, milk dishes, cabbage, CLASSIC RECIPE Pickling spice. dried, then stored in the dark. The resulting mace pieces are called “blades”. Mace has the rich and warm aroma of nutmeg, but the smell is stronger and shows a lively, floral character with notes of pepper and clove. The taste of mace is warm, aromatic, delicate, and subtle with some lemony sweetness, yet it finishes with a potent bitterness. 1 BUY Ground mace is more commonly available than blades, but the latter are worth seeking out. 2 STORE Mace blades keep almost indefinitely in an airtight container and can be ground in a coffee grinder. Ground mace keeps its flavour better than many other ground spices. 3 EAT Mace and nutmeg can be used interchangeably; however, mace gives a Mace blades The orange-yellow Ground mace lighter flavouring and will preserve the Whole “blades”, or pieces, of mace can be used to blades are brittle, yet Ground mace keeps its flavour reasonably well. delicate colour of a dish. Mace gives a flavour soups or stews, but should be removed before exude oil when pressed The mild masala blend, aromatic garam masala, lift to béchamel and onion sauces, clear serving. Nutmeg and mace have a similar taste and with the fingertips. which is dominated by cardamom, is made with soups, shellfish stock, potted meat, aroma; nutmeg is more widely used as it is cheaper. cardamom, mace, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and cloves.

352 | SPICES ANISE (PIMPINELLA ANISUM) sweet fruit dishes. It is added to Whole seeds Scandinavian pork stews and root The seeds are more subtly flavoured This delicate plant, native to the Middle vegetable dishes. The Portuguese add than fennel or star anise. Indian cooks East and eastern Mediterranean, is a handful of anise to the water when dry-roast the seeds to enhance the now widely established throughout boiling chestnuts to impart a delicate aroma before using them in vegetable Europe, Asia, and North America. fragrance. Around the Mediterranean or fish curries, or they can be quickly Called anise or aniseed, it is cultivated anise often flavours fish stews. In the fried in hot oil as a garnish for lentils. for its seeds, but young leaves are also Middle East and India anise is mostly used as a herb. The small, oval seeds used in breads and savoury foods; in Check that there is no vary in colour from pale brown to Morocco krachel, sweet rolls, are made more than a minimum green-grey, with lighter-coloured with anise and fennel. In Iran a spice ridges. The aroma and taste are sweet, blend for pickling vegetables includes of stalks and husks liquorice-like, warm, and fruity; Indian anise. The spice is also valued for its when buying seeds. anise can have a hint of bitterness. digestive properties: along with betel The leaves have the same fragrant, leaves, nuts, and other spices it is Ground seeds sweet, liquorice notes, with mild offered in the traditional paan at The aroma of ground anise peppery undertones. The essential the end of a meal. Fresh anise dissipates quickly so grind seeds oil distilled from anise flavours aperitifs leaves can be added to salads; as needed. In Morocco and Tunisia and liqueurs such as ouzo, pastis, they also make a good garnish anise flavours bread; in Lebanon it and anisette. for carrots, beetroot, parsnips, goes into fritters and spiced custard. 1 BUY Anise seeds are best bought and fish soups. whole, and ground just before use. FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Pork, Alternatively, plants are available from fish and shellfish, apples, some herb nurseries. chestnuts, figs, pumpkins, 2 STORE In an airtight container root vegetables, ajowan, seeds will retain their flavour for at allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, least 2 years. To dry anise you have cloves, cumin, fennel, garlic, grown yourself, put the seedheads nigella, nutmeg, pepper, star in paper bags and hang in a well- anise, nuts. ventilated place. CLASSIC RECIPES Moroccan 3 EAT In Europe anise is mostly used krachel; Lebanese fritters and to flavour cakes, such as Catalan dried spiced custards; Iranian pickling fig and almond cakes, and an Italian fig spice blend. and dried fruit “salami”; also breads, particularly rye bread; biscuits; and CUBEB (PIPER CUBEBA) the flavour is strongly pine-like, PEPPER (PIPER NIGRUM) as needed. Sun-drying is preferable pungent, and glowing with a lingering, for pepper than being dried at high Cubebs, also known as Java pepper bitter note, but cooking brings out the The history of the spice trade is temperatures in artificial heat, when and tailed pepper, are the fruit of a allspice flavour. essentially about the quest for pepper, some of the volatile oils are lost. tropical vine of the pepper family 1 BUY Cubebs are not easy to find, and it remains, in volume and value, the 2 STORE In airtight containers native to Java and other Indonesian except from some spice merchants. world’s most important spice; India, peppercorns will keep for up to a year. islands. They were cultivated in Java Buy sparingly; although they keep their Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia, and Vietnam Keep fresh green and red pepper from the 16th century and for 200 aromatic properties well, they are only are the main producers. Pepper has berries in the fridge. years were a popular substitute for used in small amounts. different characteristics in different 3 EAT Pepper is neither sweet nor black pepper in Europe. Now scarcely 2 STORE If kept airtight, seeds will places of origin and is therefore savoury, merely pungent. Although known in the West, there is a revival stay fresh for 2 years. classified according to where it is mostly used in savoury foods, it can of interest in them among spice 3 EAT Cubebs are used in Indonesian grown. Black pepper of the best quality be used with fruits and in some sweet aficionados. Slightly larger than cuisine, in meat and vegetable dishes, is Indian Malabar; Tellicherry is the breads and cakes. It brings out the peppercorns, cubebs have a warm, and to a lesser extent in Sri Lanka. grade with the largest berries. The best flavour of other spices and retains its pleasant aroma, lightly peppery but They were traded from the 7th white pepper is considered to be own flavour well during cooking. also allspice-like, with a whiff of century by Arab merchants and their Muntok from Indonesia. Black pepper The aroma of black pepper can be eucalypt and turpentine. When raw role in Arab cooking persists in the has a fine, fruity, pungent fragrance detected in foods all round the world, Moroccan spice mixture ras el hanout. with warm, woody, and lemony notes. flavouring cooking liquids, stocks, salad The taste is hot and biting with a clean, dressings, sauces, spice mixtures, and FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Lamb, penetrating aftertaste. White pepper is marinades. Ground black pepper cardamom, cinnamon, sage. less aromatic, and can smell musty, but flavours rich stews and curries, and CLASSIC RECIPES Ras el it has a sharp pungency with a sweetish is used to season simple buttered hanout; North African lamb afternote. Red or pink peppercorns, vegetables and smoked fish. Rinse and mutton tagines. which are fully ripe fruits, have a brined peppercorns before using. delicate, almost sweet, fruity taste; Rub butter mixed with crushed green Cubebs are furrowed the inner core provides a moderate, and wrinkled and have lingering heat. Both red and green are Red peppercorns a short tail. Buy whole available packed in brine or vinegar. Red or pink peppercorns are fully ripe fruits, and grind as needed. Green (unripe) peppercorns are not usually available preserved in brine or vinegar. overpoweringly hot, with a light taste. The inner core provides a moderate, lingering The long pepper species originated heat. The outer skin is removed and they are in India and Indonesia. The spikes dried to produce white peppercorns. of minute fruits are harvested and sun dried. 1 BUY Black and white pepper rapidly lose their aroma when ground, so it is best to buy whole berries and grind in a pepper mill or crush in a mortar,

ALLSPICE | PEPPER | 353 ALLSPICE (PIMENTA DIOICA) resembles a peppery compound preserving liquids. In the Middle East CLASSIC RECIPE of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, or allspice is used to season roasted Allspice is native to the West Indies mace. Most of the flavour is in the meats. It is used in pilafs and in some PEPPERCORN SAUCE and tropical Central America. shell rather than the seeds. Indian curries. In Europe allspice is used Columbus found it growing in the 1 BUY Buy whole berries in whole as a pickling or mulling spice. This rich, creamy sauce is delicious Caribbean islands and thought he had preference to ground, as ground Most of the world’s crop goes to the as an accompaniment to fillet or found the pepper he was looking for, allspice loses its flavour quickly. It food industry for use in commercial sirloin steak: use whole black or hence allspice’s Spanish name pimienta can be bought whole or ground. ketchups and other sauces, as well green peppercorns. (pepper), which was anglicized as 2 STORE Berries crush easily, and if as sausages, meat pies, Scandinavian pimento. The name was later altered kept airtight will last almost indefinitely. pickled herrings, and sauerkraut. SERVES 2 to Jamaica pepper because most of the 3 EAT Long before the discovery of FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Aubergines, 25g (1oz) butter crop, and certainly the best quality, the Americas, the people of the islands most fruit, squash, root vegetables. 1–1½ tsp black or green peppercorns, comes from that island. Allspice has a used allspice to preserve meat and fish. CLASSIC RECIPES Escabeches; pilafs; to taste, roughly crushed in a pestle and pleasantly warm, fragrant aroma. The The Spaniards learned from them and Indian curries. mortar (leave some whole) name reflects the pungent taste, which used allspice in escabeches and other 1 tbsp brandy 150ml (5fl oz) double cream Ground berries 1 Add the butter to the frying pan in In Europe ground allspice is used which you have just cooked the steak; to give a gentle, warm flavour to if not cooking steak, use a small frying cakes, puddings, jams, and fruit pan. When the butter has melted and pies. It also enhances the flavour is just beginning to froth add the of pineapple, plums, peppercorns and cook for a minute, blackcurrants, and apples. then add the brandy and bubble for a couple of minutes until the alcohol evaporates. 2 Stir in the cream and simmer for about 2–4 minutes on a low heat. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Spoon it over the steak to serve. Whole dried berries In Jamaica allspice is still an important ingredient in jerk seasoning pastes that are rubbed on chicken, meat, or fish for barbecuing. It is also used extensively, crushed rather than ground, in breakfast breads, soups, stews, and curries. pepper and ginger under chicken skin Long peppers resemble before baking; green pepper is also grey-black catkins in excellent for steak au poivre. Red appearance and are pepper can be used in similar ways. generally used whole. In France, mignonette pepper, a mix of black pepper, for aroma, and white, Long black pepper for strength, is popular. (P. longum and P. retrofactum) FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Meat, fish Long pepper is mostly used in Asia, East Africa, and North and seafood, most vegetables, basil, Africa in slow-cooked dishes and pickles. It smells sweetly cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fragrant, and initially resembles black pepper in taste, but coconut milk, coriander, cumin, garlic, has a biting, numbing aftertaste. ginger, lemon, lime, nutmeg, parsley, rosemary, thyme. CLASSIC RECIPES Baharat; berbere; garam masala; ras el hanout; quatre épices; steak au poivre. Crushed black pepper Peppercorns can be crushed in a mortar, and pressed into steaks or fish to be grilled or baked. They are also added to spice mixtures and marinades in Latin America and southern Asia. Green peppercorns Ground white pepper These have a light aroma and an agreeable, fresh Ground white pepper is preferable to pungency. They combine beautifully with sweeter black in pale sauces and cream soups, spices, such as cinnamon, ginger, bay, fennel seed, to preserve their appearance. White and lemon grass, to flavour pork, chicken, and pepper contains less essential oil than seafood. Green berries are fermented and dried black because the oil, present in the to produce black peppercorns. hull, is removed in cleaning; that also explains why white has less aroma.

354 | SPICES SUMAC (RHUS CORIARIA) 3 EAT Sumac has little taste of its appetizer. Mix ground sumac into own, but brings out the flavours of yogurt with fresh herbs to make Sumac is the fruit of a decorative, the food to which it is added, much a dipping sauce or side dish. bushy shrub that grows wild around as salt does. Rub ground sumac the Mediterranean, especially in Sicily, on to food before cooking: the FLAVOUR PAIRINGS where it is also widely cultivated. It is Lebanese and Syrians use it on fish, found also in parts of the Middle East, the Iraqis and Turks on vegetables, Chicken, lamb, fish and seafood, notably in Turkey (Anatolia) and in the Iranians and Georgians on kebabs. aubergines, chickpeas lentils, onion, its native Iran. The berries are picked In Turkish and Iranian kebab houses, pine nuts, yogurt. just before they are fully ripe, dried a small bowl of ground sumac is in the sun, and crushed to a brick-red usually on the table alongside a bowl CLASSIC RECIPES or red-brown powder. Sumac is only of chilli flakes. Sumac is also used in slightly aromatic; the taste is chicken or vegetable casseroles, in Fattoush; za’atar. pleasantly tart, fruity, and astringent. stews, and in stuffings for chicken. 1 BUY Outside the growing regions With sliced raw onion it is used as an sumac is normally only available as coarse or fine powder. 2 STORE In an airtight container, for ground sumac keep for several months. Whole berries can be kept for a year. Ground berries Whole berries Ground sumac is often sprinkled on flatbreads; it provides the If the berries are used whole they should be soaked in tart element in the Lebanese bread salad, fattoush, and is an water for 20–30 minutes, then squeezed out well to extract essential part of the spice and herb blend za’atar. all the juice. The latter is used for marinades and salad dressings, in meat and vegetable dishes, and to make a refreshing drink. MAHLAB (PRUNUS MAHALEB) Christians for their Easter Ground mahlab should celebrations; and Turkish kandil be pale cream in colour: This agreeable spice, little known rings, made for the five religious if it is dark or turning outside the Middle East, comes from feast nights each year when the yellow, it is too old. a sour cherry tree that grows wild mosques are illuminated. It is also throughout the region and in used as a flavouring for sweetmeats. Ground kernels southern Europe. The tree bears FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Almonds, Try adding a little ground mahlab to spiced or small, thin-fleshed, black cherries; the apricots, dates, pistachio nuts, rose fruit breads or pastry. Mahlab is best ground in soft, beige kernels from the cherry water, walnuts, anise, cinnamon, a coffee grinder. If that proves difficult, add a stones are dried to yield the spice. cloves, mastic, nigella, nutmeg, little salt or sugar, according to the recipe, to Mahlab is sweetly perfumed and floral poppy seed, sesame. help break down the mahlab. with hints of almond and cherry. It CLASSIC RECIPES Tsoureki; Whole kernels has a mouthwatering flavour that is chorek; ma’amool; kandil rings. Beige mahlab kernels are creamy white inside, nutty with a soft, almond sweetness, with a soft and chewy texture. but has a bitter aftertaste. 1 BUY Mahlab is best bought whole and ground as needed: once ground, it loses its flavour quite quickly. Spice merchants and Middle Eastern or Greek shops are the best sources. 2 STORE Store whole mahlab in an airtight container, where it will keep for a few months. 3 EAT In Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, and the neighbouring Arab countries, from Syria to Saudi Arabia, ground mahlab is primarily used in baking, especially in breads and pastries for festive occasions. A piquant note of mahlab spices the plaited Greek Easter bread, tsoureki; Armenian sweet rolls called chorek; Arab ma’amool, little pastries stuffed with nuts or dates baked by Lebanese

ROSE | PINK PEPPER | MASTIC | 355 MASTIC (PRUNUS MAHALEB) 2 STORE Keep in a cool place. The mastic resin 3 EAT Mastic is powdered so that hardens into “tears”, Mastic is a resin yielded by an it blends evenly into a dish. The main which are powdered evergreen tree native to the Greek use is in baking, desserts, and before use in cooking. island of Chios; most of the crop is sweetmeats. Greeks use mastic exported to Turkey and the Arab to flavour festive breads, especially states. The tree has many veins, rich in the Easter bread tsoureki, and mastic, just beneath the bark. When Cypriots in their Easter cheese the gnarled trunks are cut the sticky pastries, flaounes. With sugar and resin oozes out; in contact with the air rose or orange flower water, mastic the resin hardens into oval or oblong is used to flavour milk puddings, “tears” that are semi-transparent, with dried fruit and nut fillings for a light, golden colour. The dried tears pastries, Turkish delight, and have a brittle texture, but when preserves. Mastic soup, mastic chewed they take on the consistency stew, and a mastic sweetmeat of chewing gum. Mastic has a light, pine are made in Izmir. aroma; the taste is pleasantly mineral- FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Fresh cheese, like, lightly bitter, and mouth-cleansing. almonds, apricots, dates, pistachio nuts, 1 BUY Mastic is expensive, but you walnuts, allspice, cardamom. need only a small amount at a time. CLASSIC RECIPES Tsoureki; flaounes. It is available from Greek and Middle Eastern shops and spice merchants. PINK PEPPER (SCHINUS TEREBINTHIFOLIUS) Pink pepper is the fruit of the Brazilian pickled in brine or vinegar, bottled and shellfish, chervil, fennel, galangal, The berries are easily pepper tree, native not just to Brazil or canned. kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, mint. crushed with a pestle but Argentina and Paraguay as well. 2 STORE Keep pink peppercorns CLASSIC RECIPE Pink peppercorn and mortar or under The tree has been introduced in whole in an airtight container and sauce to accompany fish or poultry. the blade of a knife. many places as an ornamental or crush or grind them as needed. shade tree and now grows in almost 3 EAT Pickling softens the berries every temperate zone in the world; and they can be crushed easily. Dried Réunion is the only place where pink berries have a brittle, papery outer pepper is commercially cultivated. shell enclosing a hard seed. Use in The aroma of the crushed berries small amounts – not, for example, is pleasantly fruity, with a clear note in the quantity needed to prepare of pine. The taste is fruity, resinous, a pepper steak. Pink pepper is mostly and sweetly aromatic, similar to recommended for fish or poultry, but juniper but not as strong. Pink goes well with game and other rich pepper has none of the heat of foods in the same way as juniper. Pink true black pepper. pepper makes quite delicate sauces 1 BUY Dried pink pepper is sold to accompany such varied ingredients by spice merchants and supermarkets as lobster, veal escalopes, and pork. – freeze-dried berries have the best FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Poultry, veal, colour and flavour. It is also available game, pork, rich and fatty meats, fish Dried rosebuds keep ROSE (ROSA SPECIES) 3 EAT Infuse fresh or dried petals in their scent and should syrups to make desserts and drinks, or be ground as needed in Western cooks seldom think of put petals into a jar of sugar to give it an electric grinder. roses as a flavouring ingredient, but a delicate rose scent that will flavour throughout the Arab world, Turkey, creams and cakes. In India, powdered, and Iran, and as far east as northern buds are used in marinades and in India, dried rosebuds or petals and delicately flavoured kormas. In Bengal rosewater distilled from them are and the Punjab rosewater features consumed in a variety of ways. prominently in desserts such as gulab Turkey and Bulgaria are the biggest jamun and rasgulla, in sweet lassi, and producers of attar of roses (the in kheer (a rice pudding). In Morocco essential oil) and rosewater. Only rosebuds are a constituent of ras el intensely fragrant roses are used, hanout. Tunisian cooks seem to such as the highly perfumed damask appreciate rosebuds most of all, using rose, Rosa damascena, produced in them in spice blends for a wide range the Balkans, Turkey, and the Middle of dishes. A bharat of ground East. Most of the flowers are cinnamon and rosebuds is used with processed to make rosewater but black pepper to flavour roast meats, you can also buy the wonderfully stews using fruits such as quinces, and scented, pink, dried buds. couscous with fish or lamb. 1 BUY Rosewater and rose oil are FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Poultry, lamb, available from Middle Eastern, Indian, fish, apples, apricots, chestnuts, quinces, Iranian, and Turkish shops. Some shops rice, desserts, and pastries. sell dried rosebuds. CLASSIC RECIPES Ras el hanout; 2 STORE Dried buds can be stored in bharat; gulab jamun; sweet lassi. an airtight container for up to a year.

356 | SPICES AKUDJURA (SOLANUM SPECIES) AJOWAN (TRACHYSPERMUM AMMI) Akudjura, Solanum centrale, is the name and in an interesting version of damper, Ajowan, native to southern India, is a flavour pickles and root of an edible member of a group of wild the traditional bread-like “bush tucker”. small, annual umbellifer closely related to vegetables. It is often cooked tomatoes, native to the deserts, or The powder goes into sweet biscuits, caraway and cumin. The seeds, which with pulses and is an ingredient “bush”, of western and central Australia. chutneys, dressings, relishes, and salsas. are green or brown and resemble celery in some curry mixes. In northern There is, as yet, no cultivation of the A mixture of akudjura, wattle, and seeds, are a popular spice throughout India, ajowan is fried in ghee with bush tomato – what is available has mountain pepper is used the same way India; the plant is also grown and used in other spices before being added been gathered in the wild. Their aroma as Cajun blackening spice, especially for Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and Egypt. to a dish. Probably its best-known suggests baked caramel and chocolate. fish; in other mixtures akudjura is used The taste is hot and bitter; cooking use in the West is in the The taste is of tamarillo, and tomato, for barbecuing and marinating meat, mellows the flavour to resemble that of flavouring of the popular snack with a bitterish, lingering aftertaste especially lean kangaroo meat. thyme or oregano, but it is stronger and Bombay mix. With lemon juice that is refreshing. FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Lean meats, with a peppery note. If chewed on their and garlic it makes an excellent 1 BUY Bush tomatoes are sold whole fish, cheese dishes, apples, onions, own, ajowan seeds numb the tongue. rub for fish fillets; leave the fish and, more frequently, ground to an peppers, potatoes, lemon myrtle. 1 BUY Ajowan can be bought from to marinate for an hour or two orange-brown powder, called akudjura. Indian shops, where it may also be before frying. 2 STORE The ground powder keeps CLASSIC RECIPES called ajwain or carom. FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Fish, in an airtight container for 2–3 months. 2 STORE The seeds will keep green beans, pulses, root 3 EAT Akudjura must be soaked for Bush tucker. indefinitely in an airtight jar. vegetables, cardamom, cinnamon, 20–30 minutes before use in cooking, 3 EAT Ajowan should be used cloves, cumin, fennel seed, garlic, and suits both sweet and savoury dishes. judiciously; too much will make a dish ginger, pepper, turmeric. Use it in place of sun-dried tomato or sweet paprika, and to flavour tomato- taste bitter. Just before use, bruise or CLASSIC RECIPES based sauces and meat stews, particularly crush whole seeds, or grind in a goulash. It is sprinkled on salads, soups, mortar, to release their flavour. Berbere; chat masala. egg dishes, and steamed vegetables. In Ajowan has a natural affinity Australia it is used whole in casseroles with starchy foods and in south Asia is used in breads (paratha), The brown dried savoury pastries (pakora), and bush tomato has fried snacks (especially those made a chewy texture. with chickpea flour). It is also used to CLOVES (SYZYIUM AROMATICUM) Ground seeds Ajowan seeds are often used whole or The clove tree is a small, tropical 1 BUY Whole cloves vary greatly in crushed. Do not grind until needed. In Gujarat it is used in batters for bhajis and evergreen with fragrant leaves. Its size and appearance. Ground cloves pakoras, and with chilli and fresh coriander to flavour pudlas, or pancakes. crimson flowers seldom develop, and should be dark brown. the unopened flower buds constitute 2 STORE Whole cloves will keep in the spice. Native to the Moluccas, an airtight jar for a year. The powder MOUNTAIN PEPPER (TASMANNIA LANCEOLATA) volcanic islands now part of Indonesia, loses its strength quite quickly. cloves reached Europe overland through 3 EAT Cloves are equally good in Mountain pepper comes from a genus of sharpness and pungency somewhat Alexandria in Roman times. Now, sweet and savoury dishes, and go into small trees, native to the uplands of and allows the flavour of the pepper to Madagascar, Zanzibar, and Pemba Island baked goods, desserts, syrups, and Tasmania, Victoria, and New South permeate the dish. Or try them in a are the main exporters; Indonesia uses preserves almost everywhere. In Wales. Early colonists there soon classic French sauce poivrade, which is nearly all its vast production itself. The Europe, cloves are used as a pickling discovered that the ground berries could good with beef and rich, well-flavoured aroma of cloves is assertive and warm, or mulling spice. The Dutch use them be used as a condiment. All parts of the game – in particular hare or venison. with notes of pepper and camphor. liberally in cheese, the British in apple tree are aromatic. The leaves have a In Australia, mountain pepper is The taste is fruity but also sharp, hot, pies. In Germany they are found in warm, woody aroma with a citrus note; often combined with other bush and bitter; it leaves a numbing sensation spiced breads. In the Middle East and the taste is similar, with a kick that recalls spices, such as wattle and lemon in the mouth. North Africa cloves go into spice blends Sichuan pepper rather than black pepper. myrtle; a mixture of ground leaf, used to flavour meat dishes or rice, Fresh berries initially taste of sweet fruit, lemon myrtle, and thyme is good often with cinnamon and cardamom. Whole cloves FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Ham, pork, followed by an intensely pungent bite that in marinades or as a dry rub Good-quality cloves should be clean and apples, beetroot, red cabbage, carrots, intact. They should exude a small amount of onions, oranges, squash, chocolate. leaves a numb sensation in the mouth. for lamb. oil if pressed with a fingernail. Use sparingly, as they easily overpower other spices. Berries are more potent than leaves, and FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Game dried leaves are stronger than true meats, beef, lamb, pulses, CLASSIC RECIPES Quatres épices; pepper. The leaves and berries of a squash, root vegetables, bay, five spice powder; garam masala. related tree, Tasmannia stipitata, are sold garlic, juniper, lemon myrtle, as Dorrigo pepper, named for the marjoram and oregano, mustard. Dorrigo mountains where it grows. CLASSIC RECIPE Sauce poivrade. 1 BUY In Australia, fresh and dried whole leaves and berries are available. Elsewhere dried, ground leaf, and berries preserved in brine are more commonly found. Buy both leaf and Dried berries can be berries in small quantities, since they ground in a peppermill are used sparingly and the flavour and are often diminishes once they are ground. sold crushed. 2 STORE Fresh leaves and berries will keep for several weeks if kept in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge. Store dried leaves and berries in an airtight container. Ground cloves 3 EAT The berries are very potent. Cloves must be ground in an electric grinder. In India they are essential to garam Add a few crushed or whole berries to masala, in China to five spice powder, and in France to quatre épices. long-cooked meat stews and hearty bean dishes or mixed vegetable soups; prolonged cooking dissipates their

TA M A R I N D | 3 5 7 TAMARIND (TAMARINDUS INDICA) Whole seeds The seeds are Tamarind is obtained from the bean-like 1 BUY From Indian shops and spice seeds are used in cakes. In Iran stuffed small, ridged ovals, greyish-green pods of the tamarind tree, native to merchants, tamarind is available as a vegetables are baked in a rich tamarind to reddish-brown. When crushed, eastern Africa, probably Madagascar, dried block, with or without seeds, stock. In the Middle East a lemonade- they have a strong, rather crude which makes it the only important spice as a thick, fairly dry paste, or as a like drink made from tamarind syrup is smell of thyme. of African origin. The tall, evergreen more liquid, brown-black concentrate. popular; Central America and the trees with their handsome crowns were Supermarkets usually have concentrate West Indies also have canned tamarind already growing in India in prehistoric or paste. Occasionally, fresh leaves, drinks, which are consumed on their times. The pods contain a dark brown, slices of dried pulp, and dried own or in tropical fruit punch, or made sticky, and very fibrous pulp, which is powdered tamarind can be found. into milk shakes with ice cream. Jamaica extracted and pressed into flat cakes; 2 STORE In all processed forms uses tamarind in stews and with rice; these often include the shiny, black tamarind keeps almost indefinitely. in Costa Rica it is used to make a sour seeds. Further processing results in 3 EAT Try using it with salt as a rub for sauce. In Thailand, Vietnam, the tamarind paste and concentrate. fish or meat before cooking, or with soy Philippines, Jamaica, and Cuba tamarind Tamarind has little smell, and a sourish sauce and ginger in a marinade for pork pulp is also used as a sweetmeat, but also sweet and fruity taste. The spice or lamb. In India and Southeast Asia dusted with sugar or candied. has long been exported – principally tamarind is used as an acidulant (much as FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Chicken, from India – for the manufacture of such the West uses lemon and lime) in lamb, pork, fish and shellfish, cabbage, condiments as Worcestershire sauce. curries, sambhars, chutneys, marinades, lentils, mushrooms, peanuts, most preserves, pickles, and sherbets. With vegetables, asafoetida, chilli, coriander raw sugar and chillies it is simmered to a leaf, cumin, galangal, garlic, ginger, syrupy dipping sauce for fish. In Indonesia mustard, shrimp paste, soy sauce, it is used in sauces, both savoury and (brown or palm) sugar, turmeric. sweet, and for marinades. On Java, CLASSIC RECIPES Goan vindaloo; especially, it is preferred to lemon for the Thai tom yom soup. island’s sweet-sour dishes. In India ground Block Indian shops and spice merchants generally sell tamarind as a dried block.To use, soak a small Whole pods piece, about the equivalent of 1 tbsp, for 10–15 Unripe pods are used in Vietnam and Thailand in tart soups minutes in a little hot water. Stir to loosen the pulp, and stews. In the regions where tamarind grows, especially squeeze out, and sieve to remove fibre and, if they Thailand and the Philippines, young leaves and flowers are are present, seeds. used in curries and chutneys. Concentrate Concentrate has a “cooked” smell reminiscent of molasses, and a sharp, acid taste. To use, stir 1–2 tsp into a little water. Leaves and seeds Paste When substituting mountain pepper for Adding prepared tamarind to dishes moderates the heating true pepper, use half the amount of effect of fiery chillies and hot spices. Tamarind gives many ground leaf as you would true pepper, and hot South Indian dishes, such as Goan vindaloo and Gujarati even less if you are using the berries. Dried vegetable stews, their characteristic sourness. It goes into leaves are stronger than fresh. Thai tom yom soup and Chinese hot-and-sour soup.

358 | SPICES CLASSIC RECIPE FENUGREEK (TRIGONELLA FOENUM-GRAECUM) VANILLA ICE CREAM Native to western Asia and Ethiopia fenugreek is a constituent southeastern Europe, fenugreek is of berbere spice mixture. In Turkey Nothing beats creamy home-made prized in Middle Eastern and Indian and Armenia ground fenugreek vanilla ice cream. This is delicious cooking, but has yet to capture the is combined with chilli and served with fresh berries, or ratafia imagination of Western cooks. The garlic and rubbed on to or cantucci biscuits crumbled into aroma of the raw seeds forms the pastirma, or dried the base of the serving glass. overriding smell of some curry beef. In Yemen powders. Their taste is celery-like seeds are used in SERVES 4 and bitter; the texture is floury. Fresh hilbeh, a potent leaves (methi) are grassy and mildly dip. Fenugreek adds 1 vanilla pod pungent with astringent tones; in the bitterness to Bengali dried leaves there is a note of hay. vegetable stews, or 300ml (10fl oz) milk 1 BUY Seeds and leaves are available shuktas. Leaves from Iranian and Indian shops. are added to the 3 egg yolks 2 STORE In an airtight container, Iranian lamb stew, seeds and dried leaves will keep their ghormeh sabzi. 85g (3oz) caster sugar flavour for a year or more. Store fresh leaves in the fridge; use within 3 days. FLAVOUR PAIRINGS 300ml (10fl oz) double cream 3 EAT Fenugreek is widely used by vegetarians in India. It goes well with Green and root vegetables, tomatoes. 1 Split the vanilla pod, scrape out the lentils and with fish, and is much used CLASSIC RECIPES Sambhar powder; seeds, and put the seeds, vanilla pod, in dals and fish curries in southern panch phoron; berbere; hilbeh. and milk into a heavy saucepan. Heat India, and in local breads. Seeds are gently and bring almost to the boil. used in pickles and chutney, and Fresh leaves Remove from the heat, cover, and set traditional spice blends. In Fresh leaves are used in India as aside for 30 minutes, then take out a vegetable, cooked with potatoes, the vanilla pod. Roast and grind seeds spinach, or rice. They are also when needed, as ground chopped and added to the dough 2 Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a for naans and chapattis. large bowl. Stir in the infused milk, fenugreek loses its then return the mixture to the pan. flavour quickly. Whole seeds Brief dry-roasting or frying mellows the 3 Cook the mixture over a low heat, flavour and gives the seeds a nutty, burnt-sugar, stirring constantly, until the mixture or maple-syrup taste, but do not heat for too thickens slightly and just coats the long or the bitterness is intensified. Use back of a spoon. Do not boil the immediately after roasting. mixture or the custard will curdle. 4 Pour the mixture back into the bowl and cool completely. 5 Whip the double cream lightly and VANILLA (VANILLA PLANIFOLIA) fold into the cooled custard. Vanilla is the fruit of a perennial, merchant than a supermarket. When 6 To freeze the ice cream by hand, climbing orchid, native to Central buying vanilla extract, look for bottles pour the mixture into a freezerproof America. Tribes ruled by the Aztecs labelled “natural vanilla extract”, with container and freeze for at least 3–4 had fairly sophisticated methods of an indication of alcohol content, usually hours, then whisk to break up fermenting the bean-like fruits to about 35 per cent by volume. any ice crystals. Freeze for a extract vanillin crystals. Fresh vanilla 2 STORE Stored in a dark, airtight further 2 hours and repeat the pods have no aroma or taste. After container, pods will keep for 2 years. process, then freeze until ready to fermentation they develop a rich, 3 EAT Use whole or split pods to use. To freeze using an ice cream mellow, intensely perfumed aroma flavour creams, custards, ice cream, machine, pour the mixture into the with hints of liquorice or tobacco and sugar; a whole vanilla pod that has prepared freezer bowl and churn matched by a delicate, sweetly fruity or been infused in a syrup or cream can according to the manufacturer’s creamy flavour. There may also be hints be rinsed, dried, and reused. Add a instructions. This should take 20–30 of raisin or prune, or smoky, spicy pod when poaching fruit or lay cut minutes. Transfer to a freezerproof notes. Today vanilla is exported from pods over fruit before baking. Use container and freeze until needed. Mexico, Réunion, Madagascar, Tahiti, vanilla extract to flavour cakes and and Indonesia. tarts. Vanilla goes well with seafood, 7 To serve the ice cream, remove it 1 BUY Vanilla is expensive because particularly lobster, scallops and from the freezer 10–20 minutes prior its production is labour-intensive. The mussels, and chicken. It enhances to scooping. It will keep for up to best pods have a light, white frosting the taste of root vegetables and in 3 months in the freezer. of vanillin crystals. You are more likely Mexico is used with black beans. to get good-quality pods from a spice FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Fish, milk, The tiny, sticky, black eggs, apples, melon, peaches, seeds inside the pod can pears, rhubarb, strawberries. CLASSIC RECIPE Vanilla ice cream. be removed with the point of a knife. Whole dried pods Vanilla extract Good vanilla pods are deep brown Made by macerating pods in alcohol, vanilla or black, long and narrow, extract has a sweet aroma and a delicate taste. somewhat wrinkled, moist, waxy, Avoid synthetic vanilla, derived from pulp waste, supple, and immediately fragrant. which has a cloying smell and a disagreeable, bitter aftertaste.

S I C H UA N P E P P E R A ND S A NS H O | A RO M ATIC LEAVES | 3 5 9 SICHUAN PEPPER AND SANSHO (ZANTHOXYLUM SIMULANS AND Z. PIPERITUM) These spices, one traditional to the keep for a few days in a Whole Sichuan pepper cooking of Sichuan province in China, plastic bag in the fridge. To dry roast, heat for 3–4 mins to the other to Japan, are both the dried 3 EAT Sichuan pepper is release the aromatic oils. They fruits of prickly ash trees. Also called traditionally used to flavour smoke as they get hot, so watch flower pepper and Japanese pepper, Himalayan yak, beef, and carefully and discard blackened the spices should not be confused with pork dishes, as well as the berries. Cool then grind. black and white peppercorns harvested vegetable dumpling momo. from the Piper nigrum vine. Sichuan Sansho is used as a table Remove the bitter seeds pepper is very fragrant, woody, condiment in Japan, and is from whole berries somewhat pungent, with notes of also an ingredient of seven before using. citrus peel. Sansho is tangy and quite spice blend, shichimi togarashi, sharp. Both have a numbing or tingling which flavours udon (wheat Ground Sichuan pepper effect in the mouth. Sansho leaves, noodles), soups, nabemono Ground berries are used as a condiment. called kinome, have a minty-basil aroma (one-pot dishes), and yakitori. Sichuan pepper is used with poultry and and a refreshing, mild flavour. FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Black beans, meat to be roasted, grilled, or fried, and 1 BUY Sichuan pepper is sold whole chillies, citrus, garlic, ginger, sesame also with stir-fried vegetables. It is also or ground by oriental shops and spice oil and seeds, soy sauce, star anise. good with green beans, mushrooms, and merchants. Sansho is available as a CLASSIC RECIPES Sichuan pepper: aubergines. Grind berries a little at a powder from the same sources. Leaves five spice powder; Chinese spiced salt; time as the flavour soon dissipates. are not found easily outside Japan. Sansho: seven spice blend. 2 STORE Store berries and powder in an airtight container. Sansho leaves AROMATIC LEAVES (VARIOUS SPECIES) The aromatic leaves of a variety of The avocado is cultivated for its trees are used as flavourings in many wonderful fruit; the glossy, scented parts of the world. They are often leaves, with their light hazelnut-anise described, somewhat misleadingly, as or liquorice flavour, come as a bonus. Avocado (Persea americana) being rather like bay leaves. While the 1 BUY Fresh and dried hoja santa Both fresh and dried avocado leaves are used in some way they are used may be similar, their leaves are sold in Latin shops, as are regions of Mexico to flavour tamales, stews, or barbecued meats, or as wrappers. The leaves are aromatic properties are very different. dried avocado leaves. Fresh lá lót leaves usually toasted lightly and used whole or ground. The fresh, soft leaves of hoja santa, can be found in Southeast Asian shops; Lá lót (Piper sarmentosum) These are used in Thailand to which grows in Central America and dried salam in Indonesian shops. Most wrap morsels of food – roasted coconut, peanuts, ginger, shallots, Texas, have a lightly pungent, musky dried aromatic leaves are available via chillies – to serve as snacks. The Vietnamese wrap spring rolls with them. aroma and flavour, with a hint of mint mail order or the internet. and anise; dried leaves have a warm, 2 STORE Dried leaves hold their anise-fennel aroma with a citrus note. flavour quite well; freeze fresh leaves The lightly spicy leaves of lá lót are between sheets of cling film. used in Thailand and Vietnam. 3 EAT The aromatic leaves included Native to Malaysia and here are used in similar ways: to wrap Indonesia, the salam tree, food; and added to soups, vegetable a relative of the clove and meat dishes, and stir-fries. tree, has lemony, FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Ginger, chillies, aromatic leaves. garlic, lemongrass, paprika, galangal. Salam (Eugenia polyantha) The leaves of lá lót Salam leaves are used fresh in soup-like mixed are large, glossy and vegetable dishes, in stir-fried vegetables, or with heart shaped. beef, braised chicken, or duck, and in Bali with roast or barbecued pork. The aroma and flavour develops with cooking. Dried leaves are less fragrant than fresh. Hoja santa (Piper auritum) These leaves feature in Mexican cooking, particularly in Veracruz and Oaxaca. They are used to wrap fish or chicken to be steamed or baked; to line or layer casseroles of fish or chicken; and as a flavouring for tamales. They are also used with other herbs in green mole sauces.

Use colourful and aromatic spices to infuse your food with anything from a subtle spiciness to a dramatic kick.

GINGER | 361 CLASSIC RECIPE FRESH GINGER (ZINGIBER OFFICINALE) GINGER CAKE Ginger is a rhizome of a lush plant that Whole fresh rhizome resembles bamboo. It has been an Ginger is used in savoury dishes throughout Asia. It’s worth making this deliciously important spice for more than 3,000 Peel the rhizome, then grate, slice, or shred; or use moist cake at least 2 or 3 days before years, and is cultivated in China, India, large, unpeeled slices and discard before eating. you want to serve it: the cake will and northern Australia. Fresh ginger store well in an airtight tin and, as has a rich and warm aroma with a Fresh ginger rhizomes the days go by, it will mature in refreshing, woody note and citrus should be hard, flavour. Serve individual portions of undertones. The flavour is hot and unwrinkled, plump, the cake with a small spoonful of tangy. The Japanese and Koreans use and heavy. Jersey cream or crème fraîche. the buds and shoots of mioga ginger, Z. mioga, which have a delicate, Sliced rhizome Shredded rhizome 225g (8oz) golden syrup crunchy texture. A wild ginger, Nicolaia Familiar to sushi lovers, gari is finely sliced Beni-shoga is preserved in salt, then vinegar. 225g (8oz) black treacle elatior, known as ginger flower or torch rhizome that is pickled in sweet vinegar. This vivid red pickle offers a sharp contrast in 225g (8oz) butter ginger, is used in Thailand and Malaysia. colour and taste when served with seafood. 350g (12oz) caster sugar 1 BUY Ginger is available fresh, 350g (12oz) plain flour, sifted chopped, and preserved, and frozen as Crystallized ginger 1–2 tsp ground ginger a paste. Hajikami shoga are pickled To make this lightly pungent sweetmeat, 1 tsp mixed spice ginger shoots. Gari, beni-shoga, and knobs of young ginger are cooked in a 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda hajikami shoga are all available in packs thick syrup, air dried, and rolled in sugar. 2 large eggs, beaten or jars from oriental shops, as is 170 ml (6fl oz) boiling water pickled and fresh mioga; ginger flower buds are mainly found in Asia. 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/ 2 STORE Fresh ginger can be kept in Gas 4). Grease and line a 25cm the fridge or a cool place for 10 days. (93⁄4in) round cake tin with 3 EAT In China ginger is common greaseproof paper. Put the syrup, with fish and seafood, meat, poultry, treacle, butter, and sugar in a and vegetables, particularly cabbages saucepan. Bring gently to the boil over and greens, and it goes into soups, a low heat at first, until the sugar has sauces, and marinades. In Japan freshly melted, and then over a medium heat. grated ginger and its juice are used in 2 Put the flour, ginger, mixed spice, tempura dipping sauce, in dressings, and bicarbonate of soda into a large and with grilled and fried foods. In bowl and add the melted ingredients. India, ginger goes into chutneys and 3 Mix the dry and the melted relishes, marinades for meat and fish, ingredients together well with a and into salads. Sliced mioga is used to wooden spoon. Add the beaten eggs flavour soups, tofu, salads, vinegared and mix together well, then add the dishes, and pickles. boiling water. FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Chillies, 4 Combine all the ingredients coconut, garlic, lime, spring onion. thoroughly. Pour the mix into the CLASSIC RECIPE Chinese stir-fries. lined tin. Cook for 45–50 minutes, or until the cake springs back if pressed DRIED GINGER (ZINGIBER OFFICINALE) lightly. Leave to cool in the tin. The Assyrians and Babylonians used main exporter of dried ginger. Whole, aroma and fine-textured powder. GRATING FRESH GINGER dried ginger in cooking, as did the dried rhizomes are less aromatic than 2 STORE If kept airtight, rhizomes will This is a simple way to prepare shreds of Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. fresh, but once bruised or powdered last for 2 years, and ground for1 year. fresh ginger, which can be time-consuming Middle Eastern and European dishes they are warm and peppery with 3 EAT In Asia dried ginger is used in to cut with a knife. developed using dried ginger rather light, lemony notes. The taste is fiery many pungent spice mixtures. Fruits than fresh because that was the and penetrating. marry well with ginger, and it is good 1 form in which it came via the ancient 1 BUY Dried ginger can be bought as for spicing jams. In Arab countries caravan routes. Today India is the pieces of rhizome, slices, and powder; dried ginger is used with other spices 2 rhizomes are hard to grind. The quality in tagines, couscous, and slow-cooked Dried rhizome pieces and flavour of dried ginger vary greatly meat dishes with fruit. It flavours ginger Dried, pale-beige rhizomes release according to its origin, with Jamaican beer and wine, and soft drinks. a warm aroma when bruised. considered the best for its delicate FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Squash, carrots, Whole pieces are most used dried fruits, bananas, pears, pineapple, in pickling spices. oranges, nuts, cinnamon, cloves. CLASSIC RECIPES Berbere; five spice powder; pickling spice; quatre épices; ras el hanout; gingerbread. 3 Ground ginger In the West, ground ginger is 1 Peel the ginger rhizome with a knife. 2 Using a essential to many breads, cakes, grater with coarse blades, grate the peeled rhizome and pastries. Dried ginger has at an angle. 3 The finely shredded ginger should be a different taste to fresh, and used soon after grating, or it will lose its flavour. the one should not be substituted for the other.



DAIRY & EGGS EGGS | MILK | CREAM YOGURT | BUTTER FRESH CHEESES BLUE CHEESES SOFT WHITE CHEESES HARD CHEESES

364 | DAIRY AND EGGS DAIRY AND EGG ESSENTIALS Dairy and eggs are core ingredients in many cuisines around the Dairy products are essential for baking: butter will help produce perfect melting biscuits, and world. Often taken for granted, these are wonderfully versatile freshly whipped cream makes the ideal, luxurious accompaniment. foodstuffs that can be used in many different ways. It is hard to imagine cooking without the possibility of using eggs, butter, cream, milk, or yogurt. Delicately flavoured, all these ingredients add texture and a mild but distinctive richness to a diverse range of dishes. They are ingredients that are both consumed and enjoyed in their own right, but also play an essential part in both savoury and sweet dishes, such as fresh pasta, pastries, cakes, dips, and classic sauces. In the case of both eggs and dairy, one bird and one animal dominate production. Although we use eggs from different birds, it is the hen’s egg which is the most widely produced and consumed around the world, with the term “egg” generally taken to mean “hen’s egg”. Similarly, in the world of dairy, “milk” is usually assumed to mean cow’s milk, with cows providing the majority of milk consumed internationally. BUY STORE There is a multitude of different dairy ingredients available, but it is To get the very best from dairy products, they need to be stored worth knowing what to look for when buying them. in sealed containers to prevent them absorbing other flavours, and kept at the appropriate temperatures. Milk and yogurt Always look at the sell-by date on both these Milk, cream, and butter Store milk in the refrigerator or freeze products and buy well before that date. You can buy organic products if you prefer, and choose from full-fat, semi-skimmed, or skimmed milk. it while it is still fresh – do not wait until it reaches its use-by date. (Milk Yogurt can be bought with varying fat contents, flavoured, and smooth expands when frozen, so empty a little milk out of the container before or set, depending on your preference. freezing it.) Creams with a higher fat content, such as clotted cream, will freeze more successfully than lower-fat versions, such as single cream. Cheese Make sure cheese is well wrapped and has no sign of Milk and cream can be frozen for up to a month. Keep butter in the fridge or freeze it, well wrapped, for up to eight months. a cracked rind or discolouration. If you can, smell it to see if it has an odour that is not characteristic of the type of cheese. Yogurt Store in the fridge or freeze it for up to three months. Eggs Choose between organic and free-range. Check the sell-by date Defrost frozen milk, cream, butter, and yogurt in the refrigerator. and make sure none are cracked or broken before buying. Eggs Store in a cool, dry place, ideally the fridge, and consume before the use-by date. Bring back to room temperature before use. Store cheese in the fridge, HOW TO STORE CHEESE Primarily, cheese well wrapped in waxed paper should be kept cool. It was traditionally stored in or foil to keep it fresh. the cellar or larder, but nowadays, as most homes no longer have such storage spaces, the fridge is used instead. However, fridges are in fact too cold and too dry to provide the ideal atmosphere for storing cheese, but there are positive measures you can take to store your cheese as well as possible. Cheese should be stored wrapped, both to prevent its aromas tainting other foods and to prevent it becoming tainted by other strong odours. Wrap it thoroughly, as any exposed parts will quickly dry out and deteriorate. Ideally, use waxed paper, as this retains humidity and allows the cheese to breathe; aluminium foil is the second-best option. Avoid plastic wrap as this causes the cheese to sweat and creates a tainted taste; if you bought your cheese wrapped in plastic, re-wrap it in waxed paper or foil before storing. Place the wrapped cheese in a plastic container with a close-fitting lid, then store this in the fridge – if possible in the warmest part of the fridge furthest away from the freezer.

DAIRY AND EGG ESSENTIALS | 365 PREPARE Unless you are cooking eggs in their shells to produce soft- or hard- boiled eggs, most recipes call for some initial preparation or the knowledge of a few simple techniques. They are often basic but essential, such as separating the yolk and white, and beating and whisking. This initial preparation pays dividends later on as it can affect the texture of the finished dish. SEPARATE EGGS Many recipes call for eggs that have been 1 Hold the egg over a sturdy bowl and crack it 2 Taking care not to puncture the yolk on separated, which means they have been divided into yolks and whites. lightly and cleanly on the edge. Holding both a sharp piece of shell, pass it into the other pieces of the egg shell in your hands, let the half of the egg shell, letting any remaining egg white fall into the bowl below. egg white drop into the bowl. WHISK EGG WHITES Whisked egg whites are used to add lightness to dishes such as soufflés, cakes, and meringues. The action of whisking incorporates air into the egg whites so that they thicken and increase substantially in volume. For best results, use a large, roomy metal bowl and a balloon whisk. 1 First, ensure your egg white has no trace of 2 As you whisk, the translucent egg white will 3 To test for the desired consistency, lift up the yolk and is at room temperature. Place it in turn an opaque white and will begin to expand whisk, bringing up a little of the whisked egg a large bowl that is dry and free of grease. and fill the space in the bowl. with it. If it stands up in soft peaks, it is ready. WHIP CREAM Double cream 1 Pour cold cream into a large bowl that is and whipping cream are the best chilled or placed on ice. Whisk the cream using for whipping, because a fat content a hand-held balloon whisk or an electric whisk. of 30 per cent is needed, and both are high in fat. Whipped cream is often used to fill or decorate cakes and desserts, or to accompany fruit. Recipes will state if the cream should be whipped to light or stiff stage. 2 Keep whisking around the bowl in a circular 3 Once the cream has reached the soft peak motion; as air is beaten into the cream it will stage, take care not to over-whip it or the fat thicken in texture, forming a light, fluffy mass. in the cream will begin to form butter. COOK BOIL EGGS A simple, fat-free way of cooking eggs is to boil them. Depending on your preference, eggs can be soft boiled – so that they Since many dairy products are often used as ingredients rather than as have a runny yolk within a set white, or they can be cooked longer dishes in their own right – with the exception of cheese – individual until hard-boiled – when both the yolk and white are firm. recipes will dictate how the varying foods should be incorporated and cooked in each case. CLARIFIED BUTTER This is butter that has been treated to remove its water content and milk solids. It is valued for its rich flavour and as a cooking fat, since it has a higher burning point than ordinary butter. To clarify butter, place it in a heavy- To soft boil an egg, lower it into a pan To hard boil an egg, lower it into a pan of based saucepan and heat it gently so that it of cold water, heat the water to boiling point, cold water, heat to boiling point, then cook at melts but does not brown. Skim off any scum then cook at a simmer for 3 more minutes. a simmer for 7 more minutes. then carefully pour away the clear golden- yellow liquid; leave behind the milky layer below and discard. The cooled clarified butter can be stored in the fridge for several weeks.

366 | DAIRY | EGGS EGGS The shells are porous, and eggs can (particularly pork-derived), many kinds become tainted by strong-smelling of spices especially those used in Bird eggs have long been an important foods nearby. To avoid this, store them Spanish, Mexican, Middle Eastern, food in many cultures. A versatile in a covered container. For certain and Indian cuisine. ingredient with a mild flavour, eggs are recipes, such as poaching, fresh eggs CLASSIC RECIPES Eggs Benedict; used extensively in baking, in batters are required. To test for freshness, Chinese egg drop soup; eggnog; and sauces, and also as the main place in water. A fresh egg will sink to egg mayonnaise; meringue. ingredient in dishes such as omelettes. the bottom, as eggs become lighter 1 BUY Eggs are sold graded according with age. For some recipes it is advised Quail Shells are speckled to weight, from small to large. Terms to bring the eggs to room temperature These tiny, fragile, delicately-flavoured dark-brown and the used to describe how the laying birds before cooking with them. Egg whites eggs are a luxury. Serve in canapés, are reared can be confusing: “farm freeze well, but egg yolks need hard-boiled with celery salt, or as eggs have a high fresh” and “barn” eggs have been laid stabilizing with the addition of either miniature Scotch eggs. yolk-to-white ratio. by birds kept indoors in large industrial a little salt or sugar before freezing units with little space to move around; in order to retain their texture. Hen “free range” means the birds have an 3 EAT Boil, fry, poach, and scramble. A versatile food with a delicate outside area to enjoy; “organic” means Eggs are suitable for both savoury and flavour, hen eggs are the most the birds are kept free range and fed sweet dishes, used whole or separated widely consumed eggs of any bird on an organic diet. Always check shells into yolks and whites. Yolks are a key worldwide. Poach, boil, fry, or are free from any cracks; any eggs with ingredient in custard and emulsified scramble, use in egg drop soup, cracks in their shells should be discarded. sauces like mayonnaise or Hollandaise. meringues, Spanish tortilla, 2 STORE Eggs in their shells should Egg whites can be whisked, trapping air soufflés and zabaglione. be kept at an even temperature below into them, and used to create dishes 20°C (68°F), preferably in the fridge. such as soufflés, meringues, and cakes. FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Cheese and CLASSIC RECIPE cream, bread, rice, most kinds of herbs and peppery salads, tomatoes, peppers, EGGS BENEDICT asparagus, spinach, kale, onions, potatoes, oily fish such as tuna and The smooth buttery sauce makes a salmon, sausages and cured meats truly indulgent breakfast or brunch. Ostrich An average ostrich egg weighs around 1.5kg (3lb 3oz), equivalent to 24 hen eggs, and has a delicate flavour. Boil, fry, poach, or scramble, bearing in mind their large size means longer cooking times. SERVES 4 8 large eggs 4 English muffins butter, for spreading 1 quantity Hollandaise (see page 373) 1 Fill 2 large saucepans with boiling water to a depth of 5cm (2in). When tiny bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, carefully crack 4 eggs into each pan. 2 Leave the pans on the heat for 1 minute, then remove and let the eggs sit in the hot water for exactly 6 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pans, using a slotted spoon, and drain on kitchen paper. 3 Meanwhile, preheat the grill on its highest setting, split each muffin in half, and toast both sides. 4 Butter each muffin half and place 2 on each serving plate. Top each half with a poached egg and spoon warmed Hollandaise over the top.

Duck EGGS | 367 Larger than hen eggs and thicker-shelled, duck eggs contain large yolks and watery CLASSIC RECIPE whites, giving them a rich flavour. Use in baking, such as sponge cake, or for FOLDED OMELETTE Chinese tea eggs. This iconic French egg dish is a very quick meal and can be flavoured with many different ingredients. Gull eggs have Goose SERVES 1 pretty, mottled A seasonal delicacy of late spring to summer, these large blue-green shells. eggs have a strong flavour. Scramble, fry, poach, and boil 18–20cm (7–8in) non-stick frying pan or use them to make an intensely rich sponge cake. (measured across the base) Gull The eggs of the black-headed Thousand year 3 eggs gull are a rare, British spring A Chinese preserved food made by coating duck eggs in delicacy, harvested by licensed a quicklime paste and storing for 3 months. Yolks are salt and pepper collectors. They have a faint grey-green with an amber-coloured white, and a distinctive, fishy flavour. Hard-boil and salty flavour. Clean, peel and slice into congee. 15–30g (1⁄2–1oz) butter serve with celery salt. 1 Gently beat the eggs in a bowl using Salted a fork until the yolks and whites are A Chinese preserved food, made by soaking well blended. Season to taste. duck eggs in brine or coating them in a salted charcoal paste. They have a rich, 2 Melt 15–30g (1⁄2–1oz) butter in the salty flavour. Clean, peel and use in congee, frying pan over a high heat until soups, dumplings, and moon cakes. foaming but not browning. Pour in the beaten eggs and shake the pan to distribute evenly. 3 Stir with a table fork, keeping the rounded side of the fork flat. Stop stirring after 20–30 seconds, or when the eggs are set but still soft. 4 Using the fork, fold the side of the omelette nearest you halfway over itself, as if folding a letter. Grasp the handle of the pan from underneath, and lift the pan to a 45-degree angle. Sharply tap the top of the handle closest to the pan, to encourage the omelette to curl over the folded portion. Use the fork to fully “close the letter”. 5 Fetch a warmed serving plate and tilt the pan so the omelette falls on to the plate. Serve immediately. Preserving quicklime creates an appearance of large grey pebbles.

368 DAIRY | MILK MILK to eliminate bacteria, and widely desserts. Care should be taken when distributed. If milk hasn’t been heating up milk due to its tendency CLASSIC RECIPE In most countries today, “milk” will homogenized, it will separate into to boil over very rapidly. One of the usually mean “cow’s milk”, although two layers, the fat globules at the characteristics of heated milk is the CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE in many parts of the world milk top and the watery content at development of a “skin”, created by is produced by other dairy animals, the bottom. the proteins in milk. As it also curdles This sweet pastry cream is a rich including goats and sheep, especially 2 STORE Milk is highly perishable very easily when heated, some and creamy filling for fruit tarts and in southern Europe; water buffalo, and can turn sour very quickly, so it recipes suggest adding it to a flour choux buns. which are widespread in Asia; camels, should be stored in the refrigerator base to prevent curdling. common in the Middle East and after purchase and used as soon as CLASSIC RECIPES Béchamel sauce; North Africa; yaks in parts of China possible. It can be frozen (though it crème pâtissière; crème anglaise; dulce and Tibet. Traditionally valued as a will expand), but should still be used de leche; Yorkshire pudding; pork useful source of nutrients, protein within a month. cooked in milk (Italy’s maiale al latte). and calcium, milk contains water, 3 EAT Milk is an enormously protein, fat, sugar, and minerals. All versatile foodstuff. Most varieties milk is opaque, but varies in colour, can be drunk, turned into yogurt from bright white to buttery cream. and cheese, and used as a common In industrialized countries, where milk ingredient in cooking. Drink it on its is mass-produced, dairy cattle, such as own, in a milk-shake, or added to tea, Friesian or Holstein, have been bred to coffee, or hot chocolate. In cookery, produce large quantities of milk, which use it in sauces, soups, batters, and is then processed, often homogenized (to disperse the fat evenly), pasteurized MAKES 300ML (10FL OZ) 300ml (10fl oz) cow’s milk 2 egg yolks 60g (2oz) caster sugar 20g (¾oz) plain flour 20g (¾oz) cornflour ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract 1 Pour the milk into a saucepan Full-fat cow’s milk Semi-skimmed cow’s milk Skimmed cow’s milk and heat it to simmering point. Also known as “whole milk”, it contains about With a reduced-fat content, typically about As its name implies, this milk has been skimmed 3.5 per cent fat. With a creamy texture and 1.7 per cent, this milk can be used as a low-fat of nearly all its fat, leaving 0.1–0.3 per cent. 2 Beat the eggs and sugar together flavour, it is ideal in béchamel sauce, custard, and alternative to whole milk. Although thinner, it tastes It is a thin, watery liquid with a less creamy flavour in a bowl, mix in the flour and baked rice pudding or khoya. It is also used as the quite similar. Add it to tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. than semi-skimmed milk. Use it as a very low-fat cornflour, then pour in the hot base of Indian desserts such as gulab jamun. Use it in batters, desserts, sauces, and soups. alternative to milk, with cereals, and in drinks. milk, and mix well. 3 Return the mixture to the pan and bring it slowly to the boil, stirring continuously until it becomes smooth and lump-free. Once the mixture reaches boiling point, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring for 1–2 minutes, to cook the flour. 4 Allow the mixture to cool a little, then stir in the vanilla extract. Use at once, or cover and chill until needed. Jersey cow’s milk Buttermilk UHT milk The milk from Jersey cows has an especially high Although it was originally produced as a by-product Ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk has been fat content of 5 per cent. Its buttery, yellow colour of butter making, most buttermilk today is made heated up to 138°C (280°F) for 1–2 seconds. and rich, creamy flavour is quite distinctive. It is by fermenting low-fat milk. It has a thicker texture The process produces “long-life” milk that can be ideal for recipes where a rich, full milk flavour is than milk and a mild, slightly sour flavour. Use it in kept without refrigeration, as long as it is bought required, such as rice pudding or béchamel sauce. baking; it is excellent for scones or soda-bread. sealed. UHT milk has a distinctive cooked taste.

MILK | 369 CLASSIC RECIPE CRÈME ANGLAISE A rich French custard, made from egg yolks and milk, and traditionally flavoured with vanilla. The perfect accompaniment to hot fruit desserts. Sheep’s milk Buffalo’s milk Goat’s milk MAKES 300ML (10FL OZ) Bright white, with a rich, nutty flavour, sheep’s milk Produced by water buffalo, this brilliant-white milk Bright white, with a faint nutty taste, this milk is is high in fats and proteins. Used as an alternative is high in proteins, calcium and lactose. With a naturally homogenous. Valued by people with an 300ml (10fl oz) cow’s milk to cow’s milk, it is popular for making yogurt and rich, full flavour, it is ideal for drinks, such as chai, allergy to cow’s milk, goat’s milk is both drunk and cheeses, such as feta, pecorino, and Roquefort. and cheeses including paneer and mozzarella. used in cookery instead of cow’s milk. 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways Ymer Condensed milk CLASSIC RECIPE 3 egg yolks A Danish dairy product, ymer is made from With a sugar content of 50 per cent, condensed skimmed cow’s milk to which live bacterial cultures milk has been sweetened and heat treated for a long DULCE DE LECHE 3 tbsp caster sugar have been added. The resulting strained yogurt has shelf life. If bought sealed, it can be kept for years a thick texture and mild, sour flavour. Eat with without refrigeration. Its sweet taste makes it ideal An indulgent, caramelized milk dessert 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional) cereal and fruit or use it in dressings and sauces. for making fudge and desserts such as banoffee pie. that is very popular in Latin America. 1 Heat the milk and vanilla pod in a SERVES 8 saucepan until nearly boiling. Remove the pan from the heat and leave for 3 litres (5¼ pints) whole milk 10 minutes, to allow the flavour of the pod to infuse the milk. Scrape some 600g (1lb 5oz) sugar of the seeds into the milk. Remove the pod, rinse it, and let it dry; then store 3 tbsp white wine vinegar in an airtight container for future use. vanilla ice cream, fresh fruit or fruit compote 2 Meanwhile, beat the yolks with the and wafter cones (optional), to serve caster sugar in a bowl. Whisk in the hot milk, then return the mixture to 1 Bring the milk and sugar to the the pan. boil in a large saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and add the vinegar; this 3 Place the pan over a medium–low will separate the milk and sugar. heat, and simmer, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon until the sauce 2 Simmer for 3 hours, or until the is just thick enough to coat the back liquid evaporates, leaving an almost of the spoon. Do not allow the sauce solid toffee. Cool completely and to boil once the egg yolks are added, place in dishes. or the sauce will curdle. 3 Serve with good vanilla ice cream, 4 Strain the sauce through a sieve into fresh fruit, such as sliced bananas, a bowl and serve as required. If using or fruit compotes. Leftovers can be vanilla extract, add it at this point. If stirred into slightly softened vanilla serving cold, stir occasionally to avoid ice cream and refrozen. Serve in a skin forming and chill until needed. wafer cones or little cups. Filmjölk Evaporated milk A Swedish dairy product, this soured milk has a Heat treated to evaporate about 50 per cent of its pleasant, mild, sour flavour. Containing 3 per cent water content, this thick, cream-coloured milk has fat, it is valued for its high nutrients and calcium. a rich, creamy, cooked flavour. Use it in beverages, Drink it as it is, pour it over cereal and fresh fruit, sweet sauces, such as chocolate fudge sauce, and or use it for dressings with a gentle, sour flavour. desserts, such as Ecuador’s tres leches cake.

370 | DAIRY | CREAM CLASSIC RECIPE CREAM them separating, making them ideal for CLASSIC RECIPE hot dishes, such as sauces. Often cream CREME BRULEE PANNACOTTA WITH Long considered a luxury, cream comes is simply served as an accompaniment STRAWBERRY PURÉE from the richest part of cow’s milk, the to desserts, both hot and cold. In This popular French dessert consists milk fat, or “butterfat”, which is much savoury cookery, use it to thicken and of a baked custard, topped with a Strawberries are just one of the thicker and fuller than milk itself. Its enrich sauces, braised dishes, stews, fine, crisp layer of caramelized sugar. seasonal fruits that complement basic colour, “cream”, comes in many casseroles and curries, and fillings in this creamy Italian dessert. shades, from white to golden yellow. In tarts and flans. Cream is also widely SERVES 6 texture, it is thick and creamy smooth, used in desserts: ideal in profiteroles, 500ml (16fl oz) double cream SERVES 4 with a mild, rich taste. Traditionally, in trifles, pannacotta, crème brûlée, and 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways 1⁄2 sachet powdered gelatine the days before milk was homogenized, ice cream. Its smooth texture and 5 egg yolks 300ml (10fl oz) double cream cream was created by setting milk aside mild flavour also make it a popular 50g (13⁄4oz) caster sugar 3–4 tbsp caster sugar to stand, allowing the milk fat to rise cocktail ingredient. 12 tbsp sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract to the surface naturally, from where CLASSIC RECIPES Crème brûlée; 1 Preheat the oven to 140°C (275°F/ 250g (9oz) strawberries, hulled, plus it could be skimmed off. This time- syllabub; pannacotta; vanilla ice cream. Gas 1). Place the cream in a pan and extra whole strawberries to decorate consuming process ‘ripened’ the add the vanilla pod. Heat the cream cream, resulting in a slightly sour taste. Single cream over a low heat until just simmering, 1 Pour 2 tbsp water into a small, Today, cream is usually separated from With a fat content of 18 per cent, this is a then set aside to infuse for 1 hour. heatproof bowl, sprinkle the milk mechanically through the use of thin-textured cream, ideal for pouring. Its low fat 2 Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar gelatine over, and leave to stand centrifugal force, a very quick process content makes it unsuitable for either whipping together in a bowl until well combined. for 3–5 minutes, or until it softens that results in “fresh” cream, without or boiling, as it will curdle. In North America and Remove the vanilla pod from the and becomes spongy. Quarter-fill any trace of sourness to its flavour. Australia “light cream” is a similar product. cream, and, using the tip of a knife, a saucepan with water, bring to Cream is now mass-produced in dairy scrape the seeds into the cream. the boil, then remove the pan from countries worldwide, including Europe, Whipping cream 3 Whisk the cream into the egg the heat. Set the bowl of gelatine the US, UK, and Australia. With a fat content of 30–40 per cent, this cream mixture, then strain through a sieve in the pan, and leave until it has 2 STORE Cream should be stored can be transformed by whipping with a whisk into a jug. Pour the mixture into completely dissolved, shaking the in the refrigerator and used within into a light, fluffy consistency. Use it whipped 6 ramekins, and place in a roasting bowl occasionally. a few days of purchase before it spoils. to decorate desserts, such as pies, pastries and tin half-filled with boiling water. Bake 2 Combine the cream and 2 tbsp High-fat creams, such as double cream, trifles, and cakes; use it unwhipped, as a for 40 minutes, or until just set. sugar in another pan over a medium may be successfully frozen, but low-fat light-textured pouring cream, with fruit salad, Remove from the tin, cool, and chill. heat, and slowly bring to a simmer, varieties, such as single cream, do not poached fruits, sweet tarts, chocolate cakes, tarts, 4 To serve, evenly sprinkle 2 stirring until the sugar has dissolved. freeze well. tablespoons of sugar over each Turn off the heat, and stir in the 3 EAT Cream is a versatile ingredient, Crème fraîche pudding. Place under a preheated vanilla, then whisk in the gelatine used in both sweet and savoury dishes. A French dairy product made by adding a lactic grill untilthe sugar caramelizes, then in a slow, steady stream. Strain the High-fat creams can be heated without bacteria to cow’s cream, this is a thick-textured cream chill until required. vanilla-flavoured cream into 4 moulds with a distinctive, slightly sour tang. Its high fat content and leave to cool completely. Cover Double cream of 38 per cent allows it to be boiled without curdling, Clotted cream with cling film and chill for A rich cream, with a minimum fat content of making it more versatile than soured cream. Use it in A traditional delicacy from Britain’s West Country, at least 3 hours until set. 48 per cent, double cream has a thick texture and sauces, casseroles, savoury flans, and salad dressings; clotted cream is a rich, thick-textured and slightly 3 Meanwhile, place the berries full flavour. It is valued in cookery, as its high fat serve with desserts, such as baked puddings, chocolate sweet treat, varying from pale to golden cream. in a blender or food processor content means that it can be boiled without cakes, and fruit. Made by heating cow’s cream, it has a high fat and blend to make a purée. Stir in separating, and also whipped until fluffy. Add to content of 55–60 per cent. Qashtah and kaymak 1–2 tbsp sugar to taste, then cover sauces, use in sweet and savoury flans and tarts, are similar products from the Middle East, served and set aside. or serve as a thick pouring cream with desserts. with pastries, preserves, and honey. Eat clotted 4 To serve, quickly dip the base cream with scones and jam or serve with desserts. of each mould in hot water. Working Soured cream with one mould at a time, place a Made by adding a lactic bacteria to single cream, serving plate on top and invert, giving this thick-textured, white cream has a sour tang a gentle shake. Lift and remove the and a medium fat content of 12–20 per cent. It is mould. Spoon the purée around each ideal for sweet and savoury dishes. Use it in dips, pannacotta and decorate with whole canapés, casseroles, or cheesecake; serve with strawberries. baked potatoes. Its mild, sour taste contrasts well with chilli con carne, guacamole, or lentil soup. As it curdles when cooked, always add it at the end.

Perfectly suited for baking, French butter is beautifully subtle in flavour with a rich, creamy texture.

372 | DAIRY | YOGURT YOGURT as mint. It is also useful for marinades, Cow’s yogurt BUTTER as it has tenderizing properties. If Made from cow’s milk, this common yogurt has A versatile, nourishing milk food, with cooked, cow’s milk yogurt will curdle a mild, slightly sour flavour. As it curdles easily A soft, creamy spread, ideal on bread, a smooth texture and mildly sour very easily when brought to the boil. when heated, be sure to stabilize it first (see left). butter has been common dairy fare flavour, yogurt is consumed in many To stop it splitting when boiled, simply Eat on its own, or with cereal and desserts; use as since ancient times. It is made by parts of the world. It is made by adding stir in some cornflour mixed with a a base for refreshing dips and drinks, such as lassi; churning cream until the milk fat, or lactic-acid-producing bacterial cultures little water (allow 1 tsp cornflour serve as a cooling relish with rich, spicy curries. “butterfat”, within the cream binds to heated milk, then setting it aside in mixed with 1 tbsp water to 450g (1lb) together to form a smooth, yellow a warm place to ferment. The process yogurt). Another traditional way of Strained yogurt mass containing at least 80 per cent fat, thickens the milk, while the acid adds a stabilizing yogurt in a cooked dish is Some yogurts, such as Greek, are strained through with a subtle yet distinctive creamy distinctive sour tang. Different bacterial to whisk in egg yolks. Add yogurt a cloth, usually muslin, to remove excess moisture, flavour. For centuries, butter was made cultures produce different flavours, to smoothies; serve with fruit and resulting in a thick, creamy texture and a mild, by hand, using a churn. Now most varying from mild to sharp.Traditionally, desserts; use in dips, sauces, dressings full flavour, with a fat content of 8–10 per cent. butter is mass-produced in creameries, yogurt has been made from the milk and marinades; stir into soups just Labne, a Middle Eastern variety, ranges in texture with the cream churned in large vats, of various dairy animals, including cows, before serving. from creamy to thick – like a soft cheese. Eat with then kneaded to improve its texture. sheep, goats, and buffaloes. A highly CLASSIC RECIPES raita; lassi; honey, fruit, or bread, or mix with egg yolks to The majority of butter produced nutritious food, rich in calcium, it is shrikhand; ayran; tzatziki; make a topping for moussaka. worldwide is made from cow’s milk, now widely produced. In addition to mast-o mooseer. characterized by a creamy flavour and the plain, unflavoured, or “natural” a smooth texture. In colour, it varies variety, yogurt is available in many Natural yogurt from pale cream to a deep, rich yellow, sweetened and flavoured versions. As its name suggests, this is simply plain, depending on the breed of cow and Historically, it has been regarded as unflavoured yogurt, made from cow’s, goat’s, method of production. The standard an aid to digestion. “Live” yogurt, sheep’s or buffalo’s milk. It has a smooth, thickish cow’s milk butter, now used in many particularly, is today viewed as texture and mild, sour tang. A versatile ingredient, parts of the world, including North beneficial, containing living and it is ideal for both sweet and savoury dishes. Eat as America, Britain and Australia, is “friendly” bacteria, such as probiotics, it is, or sweeten with honey, sugar or fruit. Use it to known as “sweet cream butter”. Made thought to promote healthy digestion. thicken and enrich smoothies and salad dressings; from pasteurized cream, it is yellow, 2 STORE Yogurt should be stored as a tenderizing marinade, or as a base for dips. with a mild but full flavour. covered in the fridge after purchase. It can be frozen, but should be used CLASSIC RECIPE within 3 months of freezing. 3 EAT Eat yogurt just as it is or BEURRE BLANC sweetened with sugar or honey. Cool and refreshing, it is widely used in A French emulsified butter sauce appetizing drinks, such as ayran or lassi. with a rich flavour, this is often Its mild flavour also makes it an ideal served with poached or grilled fish. base for dips, and it goes well with cucumber, aubergines, and herbs such CLASSIC RECIPE Goat’s yogurt Sheep’s yogurt MAKES 300ML (10FL OZ) Made from goat’s milk, this bright white yogurt This white yogurt has a clean, sharp tang and 2 shallots, finely chopped LASSI has a refreshing, distinctive, slightly nutty flavour. creamy texture. Eat it sweetened with honey, sugar 3 tbsp white wine vinegar Eat it with honey, sugar or fruit; use it in smoothies, or fruit; use it to flavour salad dressings, or as a 4 tbsp dry white wine A traditional Indian beverage, salads, dips, and dressings for salad or pasta. base for drinks and dips, such as ayran or tzatziki. 2 tbsp cold water this yogurt drink is valued for its 200g (7oz) unsalted or slightly salted cooling, refreshing properties, ideal butter, chilled and diced for drinking in a hot climate. It can salt, white pepper, and a squeeze of fresh be made either salted or sweet, lemon juice, to season depending on your taste. 1 Place the shallots, vinegar, and wine SERVES 4 in a small pan and bring to the boil. 1 tsp cumin seeds 450g (1lb) natural yogurt 2 Lower the heat and reduce the 1⁄4–1⁄2 tsp salt contents for about 2 minutes until ice cubes, to serve only 1 tbsp liquid remains. It should have a light, syrupy consistency. 1 Dry-fry the cumin seeds until fragrant; cool and finely grind. 3 Over a gentle heat, add the water, then whisk in the butter a little at a 2 Place the yogurt, 200ml (7fl oz) time until emulsified. Season with salt, water, salt and ground cumin in a jug white pepper, and lemon juice. Usually blender, and blend until thoroughly served unstrained, beurre blanc can be mixed and frothy. Alternatively, use a strained for a smoother sauce. hand whisk to blend together. 3 Pour the lassi into 4 glasses; add ice cubes to taste and serve at once. Skyr Kashk A traditional Icelandic dairy product, skyr is made An Iranian dairy product, kashk is made from dried from skimmed milk to which live bacterial cultures buttermilk. Traditionally dried in the sun and rolled have been added; the resulting yogurt is then up to form balls, or crushed into a powder, it has strained. Nowadays, cow’s, rather than sheep’s, a distinctive sour flavour. The Jordanian variety is milk is used. Skyr has a thick, smooth texture and called jameed. Use it to thicken and flavour soups mild, sour tang. Eat with fresh fruit, sugar or honey. and stews, sauces, and dips.

BUTTER | 373 The butter more traditionally used in When shallow-frying CLASSIC RECIPE Continental Europe is lactic cow’s milk with butter, take care HOLLANDAISE SAUCE butter, made from cream that has been not to let it burn, as soured slightly by the addition of it has a lower burning A quick version of a versatile sauce. lactic-acid bacteria. Also known as point than oil. “ripened”, “cultured”, or “cultured A useful tip when Unsalted cream” butter, it is usually pale in frying with butter is Free from salt, “sweet”, colour, with a subtle, creamy flavour. to add a little oil to the or unsalted, butter has a mild, slightly Both sweet cream butter and lactic butter to prevent it sweet flavour. It is ideal for baking, as its use allows total cow’s milk butter can be used as either from burning so easily. control over the salt content. Use as a spread or as a a spread or cooking fat. In cooking, it is ideal for cooking fat, excellent in pastry and cakes. 2 STORE Butter softens and melts as baking cakes, biscuits, scones, it warms. To keep it fresh, it should be and pastries; for making icing MAKES 200ML (7FL OZ) stored in the fridge, where it becomes or flavoured butters, and enriching firm. Wrap it well (in its own wrapper, mashed potatoes, sauces, or 1 tbsp white wine vinegar greaseproof paper or cling film) to cooked vegetables. delay rancidity, and to prevent it juice of 1⁄2 lemon becoming tainted by flavours in the CLASSIC RECIPES atmosphere. Wrapped well, butter 3 large egg yolks can also be frozen and kept for up to Beurre noisette; beurre blanc; 8 months. One way of extending the garlic butter; croissants; brandy sprinkling of salt and ground white pepper shelf life of butter is to “clarify” it: first, butter; butterscotch dessert gently melt the butter, skimming sauce; hollandaise sauce. 175g (6oz) butter off the whey foam that forms on the surface, while letting the milk solids sink Salted 1 Put the vinegar and lemon juice to the bottom; then strain the rich Traditionally added to in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil golden liquid through muslin or a fine preserve butter, salt is now and remove from the heat. sieve to remove any remaining sediment. added for taste. Flavoured 3 EAT Spread butter on bread, toast, with 1–2 per cent salt, this 2 Meanwhile, place the egg yolks buns or crumpets. Use it in baking too. butter has a subtle, salty in a food processor or blender, season As a highly versatile cooking fat, butter taste. Use it as a spread or with a little salt and pepper, and blend adds its distinctive flavour to many cooking fat, ideal for sweet for 1 minute. With the motor running, dishes, from cakes and puff pastry and savoury dishes, from slowly add the lemon juice and to omelettes and pancakes. cakes to omelettes. vinegar mixture. CLASSIC RECIPE A soft texture is a 3 Put the butter in the same pan and hallmark of France’s leave over a low heat until melted. BUTTERSCOTCH famous beurre d’Isigny. When it begins to foam, remove from DESSERT SAUCE the heat. With the motor of the food processor or blender still running, Rich and buttery, this sauce is a big gradually add the butter to form hit with children. a thick sauce. Serve immediately. MAKES 300ML (10FL OZ) Beurre d’Isigny Protected by an Appellation D’Origine 85g (3oz) butter Contrôlée, this French lactic butter is produced traditionally in northern France. It is golden- 115g (4oz) light muscovado sugar coloured, with a subtle, creamy flavour. Use in baking, in hollandaise sauce, or as the base 200ml (7fl oz) double cream for flavoured butters. 1 Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Goat’s butter Stir in the sugar and cook over a low Made from churned goat’s milk, heat, stirring occasionally, until the this pale butter has a subtle but sugar dissolves. distinctive, slightly nutty flavour and a smooth, soft texture. Use 2 Pour in the cream and stir as a spread or cooking fat. until well combined and glossy. Increase the heat and boil gently, whisking, for 2 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Serve warm or cold. Ghee Beurre d’Échiré A traditional Indian dairy product, ghee is made by Protected by an Appellation D’Origine Contrôlée, clarifying and cooking butter to remove its excess water this French lactic butter is produced traditionally content. Once solidified, the resultant smooth, creamy from cows grazed within a 19km distance of the yellow paste has a rich, nutty flavour. Ghee can be village of Échiré in the Deux-Sèvres region of stored at room temperature for several weeks and France. Made in small quantities, this butter is has a far higher burning point than butter, making it valued for its distinctive delicate flavour and soft a useful cooking fat. Use in curries, lentil dishes, Indian texture. Use as a spread or as a cooking fat, desserts; or spread on Indian breads, such as rotis. excellent for making puff pastry.

374 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE Gjetost If you find the taste of feta The colour of French mustard and the too salty, simply soak in FRESH CHEESES texture of fudge, this is not to everyone’s cold water or milk for taste, but Norwegians love its sweet 10–15 minutes. Ready to eat within a few days, or even caramel and peanut-butter flavours, hours, of being made, fresh cheeses and its unique aromatic, goaty taste. are so young that most barely have time to develop any more than a Boursin whisper of the milk’s potential flavour. Rich Normandy milk and cream This does not mean they are bland. make this a moist yet creamy, On the contrary, subtle flavours can sweet, and very rich cheese with be coaxed from the milk: the sweet, a touch of acidity. It simply melts grassy notes of cow’s milk; the in the mouth like ice cream. aromatic, herbaceous character of goat’s milk; the richness of ewe’s milk; Boursin may be made with or the leathery, earthy undertones of a carefully balanced mix of buffalo’s milk. Fresh cheeses are easy to garlic and herbs, or rolled recognize because they are very white, in fiery, cracked pepper. usually shiny, and have no rind. Beyond these defining characteristics, however, there is much variety among them, particularly in terms of texture, which ranges from soft, crumbly, spreadable, or creamy to firm and sliceable. 1 BUY With the highest moisture content of all types of cheese, they have a very short shelf life, unless they have been pickled in brine or oil. If possible before buying, check that they have a fresh aroma and appearance. 2 STORE Keep tightly covered in the fridge and use as soon as possible after purchase. 3 EAT Fresh: They are the basis of many spreads and cocktail dips, and a wide variety of desserts. Cheeses decorated, rolled, or dusted in ash, herbs, or spices are superb additions to a cheeseboard. Cooked: Fresh cheeses can be baked in a dish or grilled. They tend to fall apart or split in sauces and become tough if grilled too long. FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Fresh and dried fruits, Mediterranean vegetables such as tomatoes, spinach, olives. CLASSIC RECIPES Boreks; insalata tricolore; Greek salad; spinach and ricotta ravioli; pizza and calzone; mozzarella en carozza; melanzane alla Parmigiana; smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels; mattar paneer; liptauer; topfennockerl; tiramisu; cannoli; coeur à la crème. Beyaz Peynir When frying, do not use Halloumi Depending on the area, producer, season, and milk any oil as this seals the To make this Cypriot cheese the curds are kneaded by used to make it, this feta-like cheese can vary from cheese and the crunchy hand to remove excess whey, which produces a firm, strong to mild, salty to very salty, and hard to soft. caramel crust will not dense texture that is easy to cut. It is the kneading It plays a major role in Turkish cuisine. that gives halloumi its unique ability to keep its form as easily. shape and not melt when cooked.

Crescenza FRESH CHEESES | 375 This delicate, moist Italian cheese derives its name from the Latin CLASSIC RECIPE carsenza, meaning “flat bread”, because when it is kept in a BOREKS warm place the cheese ferments, swelling up like rising bread These crisp feta-filled pastries from and bursting through its Turkey are traditionally made in thin rind. cigar shapes or triangles. The coating of toasted Caboc MAKES 24 oats enhances the A traditional Scottish cheese made from flavour and adds cream-enriched milk that has curdled 175g (6oz) feta cheese, finely crumbled a pleasant texture. naturally without rennet, this is very rich, smooth, and buttery. It has a nutty taste pinch of freshly grated nutmeg Feta PDO but slightly sharp finish like soured cream. Consumed at every meal in Greece, this 1 tsp dried mint popular cheese is firm yet easily crumbled. Cream cheese If made with goat’s milk, it is very white, Mild and velvety-smooth cream cheese has a fresh lemony zing, freshly ground black pepper with a fresh taste that hints of wild herbs; making it perfect to spread on bagels, toast, or your favourite ivory-white ewe’s-milk feta is slightly cracker. It has one of the highest fat contents of all cheese, 8 sheets filo pastry, each about richer and creamier. Feta does not melt which is why it tastes so good. Low-fat versions may contain 40 x 30cm (16 x 12in), thawed if frozen completely when baked or grilled. whey powder, giving them a slightly grainy feel. 60g (2oz) butter, melted Innes Button may be coated with herbs, ash, flour, for dusting pink peppercorns, or chopped nuts. 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/ Gas 4). Place the feta cheese in a bowl, add the nutmeg and dried mint, and season to taste with black pepper. 2 Lay the filo sheets on top of each other and cut lengthways into three strips 10cm (4in) wide. 3 Take one strip of pastry at a time (keep the rest covered with cling film). Brush it with butter and place 1 heaped tsp of the cheese mixture at one end. Roll the pastry over the cheese, then continue rolling up into a cigar shape. One-third of the way along, fold in the sides to enclose the filling completely. Tightly seal the end. 4 Lightly dust an area of work surface with flour. As the pastries are rolled, pile them on the flour and keep covered with a damp cloth. 5 Arrange the pastries in a single layer on a large greased baking sheet. Brush with the remaining butter, then bake for 10–12 minutes, or until crisp and golden. These are best served freshly baked, hot or warm. Innes Button Fromage Frais This tiny, unpasteurized British goat’s cheese is soft and As the name implies this is a very fresh and almost mousse-like, melting in the mouth to release its therefore very simple cheese. After draining, the lemony freshness with hints of walnuts and white wine on soft curd is shaped, salted, and served. Fromage the finish. Spread on bread, or grill. blanc is similar but smoother.

376 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE FRESH CHEESES (CONTINUED) Paneer An integral part of numerous Indian CLASSIC RECIPE dishes, this is one of the few cheeses indigenous to the Indian subcontinent, INSALATA TRICOLORE where most milk is used to make yogurt or ice cream. Similar in texture to feta Named for the three colours of the but not as crumbly, it is only lightly salted. Italian flag, the main ingredients Lemon juice, not rennet, is used to curdle of this salad are always buffalo the milk for paneer, so it is suitable mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. for vegetarians. SERVES 4 Tupí An ancient Catalan shepherd’s recipe, this spread 1 ripe avocado is made from fresh and cured cheeses, blended with olive oil and brandy or liqueur. It is a strangely juice of 1⁄2 lemon compulsive cheese, with the texture of porridge, a very strong piquant flavour, and a slightly fetid 4 ripe but firm tomatoes, thinly sliced aroma. It is not a cheese for the faint-hearted. 250g (9oz) mozzarella di bufala Queso blanco (drained weight), thinly sliced Simply meaning “white cheese”, this is popular throughout Mexico 12 fresh basil leaves, torn and Latin America. It is like a cross between salty cottage cheese and 4 small handfuls wild rocket mozzarella, with a buttery, mild flavour and firm, elastic texture. olive oil Use to top spicy dishes such as enchiladas and empanadas. coarse sea salt freshly ground black pepper 1 Halve the avocado and remove the stone, then peel and slice. Toss with the lemon juice immediately to prevent browning. 2 Arrange the tomatoes, mozzarella, and avocado attractively in a ring on 4 small serving plates, halving any larger slices of cheese. Scatter the torn basil leaves over the top. 3 Put a small handful of rocket in the centre of each ring. Drizzle all over with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Add a good grinding of black pepper and serve immediately. Mozzarella di bufala PDO Mozzarella is made around the world and varies from lush, juicy, pure white balls to yellow, rubbery blocks of cow’s milk, suitable for family pizzas. But none can match mozzarella di bufala PDO, made with milk from the handsome water buffalo of Campania. Labane Throughout the Middle East, this deliciously rich and velvety smooth cheese is made in many households by draining thick, full-fat yogurt overnight in a cloth. It is traditionally eaten at breakfast, or served with olive oil, fresh local herbs, pine nuts, and pitta bread.

FRESH CHEESES | 377 Sussex Slipcote Pant-Ys-Gawn The name derives from an Old Named after the family farm in Wales English word meaning a “little” where it was first made, this goat’s-milk (slip) piece of “cottage” (cote) cheese is available with or without fresh cheese. It is very moist and almost herbs. It is smooth and creamy in texture mousse-like with a lemony fresh and refreshing with a mild, goaty finish. tang that finishes with sweet notes Spread it thickly on crusty bread. typical of ewe’s milk. Best spread on bread or biscuits, it is also Ricotta a good addition to a baked potato Unlike other cheeses this is named after the or other baked vegetable dish. cheesemaking process: in Italian ricotta means “cooked twice” because the cheese is made by This garlic-and-herb reheating the whey left over from making hard variety is perfect for cheeses. Milky, with a touch of acidity, it has crumbling generously over a delicate lemony aroma. Some ricotta is a warm baked potato. pressed and salted or smoked. Use in baked pasta dishes and creamy desserts. Mascarpone Known to have been a favourite of Napoleon, this smooth and wickedly rich Italian cheese is made by heating cream and allowing it to separate or curdle naturally, at which point the whey is drained off. The sweet, lemony taste and buttery aroma make it ideal for use in desserts and a perfect partner for tart fruits. Mascarpone is a key ingredient in the famous Italian dessert, tiramisu.

378 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE AGED FRESH CHEESES 3 EAT Fresh: No cheeseboard is truly complete without one of these As the name suggests, these are fresh attractive, rustic-looking cheeses. cheeses that are aged in caves or Cooked: Slice, drizzle with olive oil, cellars. Moulds and yeasts grow on the and grill or bake on rounds of crisp rinds, and the cheeses lose moisture baguette. An aged fresh cheese, such and shrink, causing the rinds to wrinkle. as Crottin de Chavignol, is wonderfully Like all cheeses, each develops its own nutty and aromatic prepared this way. individual character. Varying in shape, FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Crusty or from small rounds and pyramids, to fruity bread, peppery salad leaves cones, bells, and logs, the cheeses are such as rocket, celery, chicory, often covered in herbs, spices, or ash, dried fruit, walnuts. or wrapped in vine or chestnut leaves, CLASSIC RECIPE Chèvre salad. over which the moulds grow. Mostly goat’s cheeses, they are moist, creamy, The edible crust is made and aromatic when young, gradually up of rosemary, thyme, becoming more crumbly in texture juniper berries, and and nutty tasting, then turning dense, small, pungent chillies. flaky, and brittle with a sharp flavour as they mature. When made with cow’s, Fleur de Maquis or ewe’s milk, the cheeses are typically The name of this unusual ewe’s-milk cheese, softer and sweeter. which means “flower of the maquis”, refers to 1 BUY The best-known aged fresh the Corsican landscape. The crunchy, aromatic cheeses are made in the Loire in crust is a perfect partner for the tender cheese France – you see them in small, and the overall taste is rather honeyed. straw-lined wooden boxes on rickety tables in French markets – but they are increasingly being produced around the world. They are sold at varying stages of ripeness, depending on the taste and preference of the purchaser: the best way to buy is from a good cheesemonger and take their advice. 2 STORE Aged fresh cheeses are sold ready to eat, so it is best to enjoy them the same day you buy them or the next. Keep in an airtight container in a cool, moist place or the fridge. Holy Goat La Luna From Australia, this very creamy, hand-made goat’s cheese has deliciously complex, lingering nutty flavours. Made in a ring shape, a barrel shape, or a small “baby”, it is sometimes wrapped in chestnut leaves.

AGED FRESH CHEESES | 379 As ageing progresses, the chestnut leaves dry and the cheese softens. Bouton-de-Culotte The smallest of the French cheeses, whose name means “trouser button”, this is traditionally made in the late summer and stored through autumn for winter use, when it is hard enough to be grated into the pungent local cheese, fromage fort. Banon AOC Sold rustically wrapped in chestnut leaves and bound with raffia, the flavour of this French goat’s cheese is mild and lactic at first, changing to slightly nutty and then developing a distinct goaty tang. Chabichou du Poitou AOC Pérail The attractive, wrinkled white rind dusted with grey, This French cheese has a less assertive flavour than most yellow, and blue moulds conceals a French cheese with ewe’s-milk cheeses, probably because of its rather short ageing a firm to almost brittle texture and nutty-to-strong period. But it is still identifiably nutty, with a smooth texture and goaty flavour that intensifies as it ages and dries out. tender rind. Try it with dried figs and new season’s walnuts. The paprika coating on the rind gives a hot, peppery bite. Boulette d’Avesnes Crottin de Chavignol AOC Made in France with the fresh curds of This is the classic Loire goat’s cheese sold across the world. Maroilles cheese, mashed with herbs and Known for its piquant taste, it can be eaten at various stages: spices, this is spicy and sharp. A shot of gin will when young it is tender in texture, becoming harder, crumbly, bring out the unusual combination of flavours. and sharp as it ages.

380 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE Saint-Marcellin This pale and creamy cheese has been made in homes and small AGED FRESH CHEESES (CONTINUED) farms in the Dauphiné region of France for centuries. Traditionally produced from goat’s milk, today all but a handful are made from The coating of ground, cow’s milk. It is superb when baked. locally grown pecans adds a crunchy texture and nutty flavour. The interior is firm to creamy, almost liquid, with a light, subtle lemony freshness and a nutty aroma. Pecan Chèvre This creamy goat’s cheese from Georgia in the USA is fairly strong, with a tart bite to the rind as it ages. It is best served young – ideal with ripe peaches. The distinctive rind is covered in grey and black moulds. Rocamadour AOC With a tender and creamy rind and interior, this French goat’s cheese tastes mild and slightly milky, but has a delicious sweet and nutty aftertaste. Serve it with fresh, ripe figs. Monte Enebro The flavour of this Spanish artisan goat’s cheese matures over time from a light citric creaminess to an assertive, pungent bite. Add it to a beetroot salad, or deep-fry in tempura batter and serve with orange-blossom honey. Pouligny Saint Pierre is nicknamed “the Pyramid” and “the Eiffel Tower” because of its shape. Wabash Cannonball This firm and slightly dry North American goat’s cheese from Indiana has a goaty flavour with a lemony tang. The ash-dusted rind lends a pleasant muskiness and the finish is rich and buttermilky. It is ideal with dried fruit and sparkling wine. Pouligny Saint-Pierre AOC Bleu des Causses is Moist, soft, and crumbly, the flavour of similar to Roquefort but this French goat’s cheese changes with age from citrussy to nutty to piquant made with cow’s milk and goaty. Like all aged fresh cheeses rather than ewe’s. it is superb for a cheeseboard or grilled.

BLUE CHEESES 2 STORE If you have a large chunk it is BLUE CHEESES | 381 best stored in a cool, airy cheese “safe”. Unlike their white counterparts, blue Otherwise, wrap in wax paper and keep Barkham Blue moulds grow inside a cheese: in ideal in an airtight container in the fridge. The buttery consistency of Channel Islands milk, which colours the interior damp, cool conditions, they can enter 3 EAT Fresh: A blue cheese is deep yellow, characterizes this excellent cow’s milk cheese that looks as through cracks in the rind. Today, essential on any cheeseboard and good good as it tastes. It is a blue for anyone who usually avoids blue cheese. however, the mould is typically added with walnut bread. A drizzle of honey to the milk in powder form, and then brings out the subtlety of the cheese. Gippsland Blue after a few weeks the young cheese is With the exception of the soft-white This was the first artisan Australian blue. Rich pierced to allow air to enter and the or brie-style blues, it can add another and creamy, it is at its best from late autumn to mould to turn blue. The blue moulds dimension to salads: try it crumbled early summer, when it develops a soft and sticky create an array of wonderful cheeses over flageolet beans, walnuts, and texture that is punctuated with steely blue veins. offering extraordinary variety in flavour peppery rocket dressed with honeyed and texture. All blue cheeses have a vinaigrette. Cooked: Stir small amounts spicy, slightly metallic tang and often into a creamy sauce to serve with taste saltier than other cheeses, but grilled steak. Toss with hot pasta and individually they range from creamy pine nuts, or use in a stuffing for pasta and mellow, through sweet and shapes. Flavour soups, soufflés, and herbaceous, dense and buttery, to savoury mousses. Crumble over pizza. luscious and gooey. Most European FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Walnuts, honey, blues are wrapped in foil, ensuring peppery salad leaves such as rocket their rinds remain damp and sticky and and watercress, celery, chicory, pears. to slow down the development of too CLASSIC RECIPES Blue cheese much mould on the surface. Their dressing; Stilton and celery soup; moist interiors develop wide, uneven galettes au Roquefort. streaks and pockets of blue. Traditional British blues have dry, rough, crusty, orange-brown rinds, often splashed with blue and grey moulds. They develop a dense, more compact texture and when pierced grow thinner, longer streaks that look like shattered porcelain when cut. There are also blues with soft-white rinds, but the blue moulds must be injected into the young cheeses because they are too creamy and dense for the mould to spread naturally. 1 BUY The rind of foil-wrapped blues should be moist but not overly wet and soggy. Crusty rinds should generally be dry and uncracked; some may be slightly sticky. Beenleigh Blue One of a very few British blue cheeses made from ewe’s milk, this is rich, sweet, and slightly crumbly, with hints of burnt caramel. The rough exterior has a slight stickiness. Use in a salad or serve on its own. Bleu des Causses AOC Bleu d’Auvergne AOC Aged longer than most blues, in natural caves in the Named after the province in France in which it originated, this has a very limestone plateaux of the Causses, the flavour of this sharp, engaging flavour and makes a delicious addition to salad dressings, French cow’s-milk cheese differs depending on the season hot pasta dishes, or salads of chicory, nuts, and raw mushrooms. in which it is produced. Ivory-yellow summer cheeses are milder than the stronger tasting, white winter cheeses.

382 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE BLUE CHEESES (CONTINUED) Fourme d’Ambert AOC One of the oldest cheeses in France, this has a quite pronounced flavour, with a well-rounded, spicy tang. The texture is creamy, bold, and rich, while the aroma gives a hint of the cellar in which it is aged. Try it with a sweet Sauternes or Banyuls. Danablu or Danish Blue Invented in Denmark in the early 20th century, this is now popular worldwide. With deep purple-blue streaks, it has a smooth yet crumbly, moist texture, and a full flavour with a sharp, salty, almost metallic blue bite and creamy finish. Cabrales DOP This very strong, artisan cheese, heavily streaked with blue veins, is matured in the mould-rich caves of the isolated Picos de Europa mountains in Spain. Although the cheese’s aroma is a touch fetid, a keen creaminess comes through. Cashel Blue Dorset Blue Vinny One of Ireland’s best-loved cheeses, this Once upon a time, every self-respecting Dorset cow’s-milk blue is soft and silky. The medium farmhouse made this cheese – an excellent use for milk flavour has a gentle buzz from the mould left over from making butter. As it is unpasteurized and veining. It is great melted into colcannon, or the butterfat content of the milk varies according to the crumbled into salads or a smooth celery soup. time of year, this British cheese is sometimes crumbly and sometimes creamy. It is nutty but not too strong. Blue Monday is the only Try with traditional Dorset knob biscuits and sweet cider. blue cheese in the world produced in squares, instead of cylinders. Blue Monday Soft and creamy, this cube-shaped, soft and creamy Scottish blue cheese has a surprisingly mild spicy flavour with a kick of malt and chocolate.

BLUE CHEESES | 383 Dolcelatte Meaning “sweet milk”, this has a luscious, melting-ice-cream feel to it. It was created for those who find the more traditional blues too robust and spicy and prefer softer, milder flavours. Made only in factories, it may also be labelled Gorgonzola Dolcelatte. At its best melted over pasta. Cornish Blue Bleu de Gex Haut-Jura AOC With a creamy texture like Gorgonzola This unusually dense, almost hard, blue and thick streaks of blue, this English cheese is produced in small French cheese is surprisingly mild and sweet, becoming spicier and tangier as it ages. dairies using milk from cows grazing It is perfect for pepping up – but not the pastures of the Jura mountains. overpowering – risottos, sauces, and The soft interior has a speckled appetizers, and goes beautifully blue appearance and a slightly with fruit. bitter, savoury flavour. Serve as the locals do with boiled potatoes and a fruity, regional red wine. Roquefort AOC This famous French ewe’s-milk blue is one of the world’s finest cheeses. There are only seven producers in the world, each using the same basic process, yet each achieves a cheese with its own distinct and individual character. When fully aged, the flavour is spicy, strong, and mouth-watering. Sadly, some Roquefort is consumed too young when there is barely a hint of blue and no bite, and the texture is crumbly rather than cohesive.

384 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE Stilton PDO Stilton was named after the place where it was made famous (the Bell Inn BLUE CHEESES (CONTINUED) in Stilton), rather than where it was first made (the nearby town of Melton Mowbray). It is one of a handful of British cheeses granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status by the European Commission. Stilton is sharp and aggressive when eaten too young. but mellows out to a rich, buttery taste with hints of cocoa on the finish, and sometimes a touch of walnuts. Buffalo Blue Milk from a British herd of water buffalo is used to make this cheese. Paler than a cow’s-milk cheese and creamier, it has an earthy taste, while the streaks of purple-blue mould give it a tang and slightly salty finish. Meredith Blue The uneven and erratically The first Australian ewe’s-milk blue, this spread streaks and patches is hand-made and matured in old shipping containers next to the dairy. As ewe’s milk of blue mould impart is highly seasonal, the cheese is at its best a spicy flavour to the in early spring, when the soft, ivory interior rich, creamy cheese. texture develops dark pockets of salty blue moulds. Shropshire Blue Gorgonzola DOP Despite its name, this was actually first created in Scotland. Thought to be the first blue cheese, with an Based on the recipe for Stilton, it is milder but equally creamy, origin steeped in folklore and legend, everything about and its streaks of blue stand out against the orange interior. Italian Gorgonzola is sexy: its rustic yet elegant appearance, its There is a hint of caramel sweetness behind its spicy tang. melt-in-the-mouth texture, its musky aroma, and its sweet, spicy tang. Today Crumble into salads, or melt into soups. it can only be made by approved producers, with cow’s milk (usually pasteurized) from designated areas in Italy. Toss into salads, or add to sauces and dips.

Cambozola BLUE CHEESES | 385 Also called Bavaria Blu and Bresse Bleu, this German cheese is a fusion of Camembert and Gorgonzola. Considerably CLASSIC RECIPE milder than both, it has a very rich, creamy taste and subtle spicy finish. A perfect cheese for BLUE CHEESE the cheeseboard. DRESSING Rogue River Blue An American favourite for anything With great depth of flavour, this blue from from steak to green salad. Use a blue Oregon in the USA is firm, yet moist and cheese that crumbles easily, such as smooth in the mouth. It is less salty than Gorgonzola, Rogue River Blue, or many blues, and is creamy and sweet Roquefort, and avoid blues with with a spicy finish. It is superb with a soft white rind like Cambozola. desserts such as poached pears or calvados soufflé. MAKES ABOUT 600ML (1 PINT) Rogue River Blue 250ml (8fl oz) mayonnaise is wrapped in grape 150ml (5fl oz) soured cream leaves and soaked in 3 tbsp milk 1 tbsp cider vinegar pear brandy. 1 small garlic clove, crushed 115g (4oz) blue cheese, crumbled The interior should be straw salt and freshly ground black pepper yellow, not brown or dull, and the rind rough and crusty with 1 Combine all the ingredients, except the pierced holes quite visible. salt and pepper, in a bowl. Using a balloon whisk, or hand-held electric mixer, beat together until fairly smooth but still with some tiny lumps of cheese. Season to taste. 2 Cover and chill well in the fridge, preferably overnight, to allow the flavours to develop. Use as required. Store any unused dressing in a clean screw-topped jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Maytag Blue Despite high demand, this North American cow’s-milk blue is still produced by hand, as it was when it was first made in 1941. Although cave-aged, it always remains white on the outside. The flavour is enigmatic: initially creamy and steely blue, it yields to a lemon-tart-like sweet–sourness on the finish. It is perfect for salads, melted on to steak, or baked into fruit-based desserts.



The more blue–black veins of mould that run through a blue cheese, the tangier and sharper the flavour.

388 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE SOFT WHITE CHEESES Cooked: Bake small, whole cheeses for Camembert de Normandie AOC about 15 minutes, then scoop out the One of the most famous French cheeses, this comes Typical characteristics of this type of molten interior with hunks of bread or packed in a wooden box. By its AOC status, it must be cheese are a white crust; a texture that raw vegetables. Or cut off the rind and made with raw milk. The flavour is fruity, with a slight is slightly chalky when young, becoming then grill on bread or a croissant, aroma of mushrooms and mould. Locals prefer it when soft and creamy when mature, almost perhaps layered with roasted peppers the heart is white and not yet creamy. runny, and a subtle-to-distinct aroma of or sweet chutney. mushrooms. Cheeses made with ewe’s FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Fresh and Coeur de Neufchâtel AOC milk have a subtle sweetness, while dried fruits, nuts, celery, carrots. As its name suggests, this French cheese is heart shaped, those made with goat’s milk taste of CLASSIC RECIPE Camembert although it can also be found as a small cylinder or brick, almonds or even marzipan. Factory- en boîte. when it is simply called Neufchâtel. The interior is firm but made varieties tend to have a thick, slightly grainy, with a subtle milk taste and salty tang. velvety rind that seems more like a Green Peppercorn Chèvre Locals like to melt it on warm bread to eat for breakfast. wrapping than an integral part of the Firm and crumbly, this goat’s cheese made cheese. In contrast, artisan examples in New York state has a lemony freshness grow a thinner white crust that can that is perfectly accented by the green be stained with reddish pigments or peppercorn flavour. The finish is delicate and yellow-grey blotches of mould. The clean. Ideal with a summer salad of fresh coat protects the cheese from drying greens and ripe tomatoes. out and speeds up the ripening process, which is why these are sometimes called mould-ripened cheeses. 1 BUY They are best eaten within a few days of purchase as refrigeration will dry them out. If the rind beneath the wrapping looks wet and sticky the chances are the cheese is over the top. 2 STORE Keep in the original paper or wax paper rather than cling film, which prevents the cheese from breathing. Ideally store large pieces and whole cheeses in a larder; otherwise keep in the fridge. Don’t be alarmed by any edible white mould that grows down the cut surface – this just tells you the cheese is alive, and merely trying to protect its soft interior from drying out. 3 EAT Fresh: These wonderful cheeses are at their very best when served at room temperature with crusty bread and a glass of wine. Lucullus Brie de Melun AOC Produced in Normandy and named after a famous Unlike other Bries, the coagulation of the curd relies Roman general and gourmet, this has a wickedly mainly on lactic fermentation rather than rennet. rich, luxurious feel in the mouth and a nutty flavour. This French cheese can be sold young, when it is Eat on crackers or crusty bread. The high cream lemony fresh, or fully mature, when it has a very content means it is more stable than other soft fruity flavour and a strong scent of fermentation. white cheese, so it will keep longer in the fridge.

SOFT WHITE CHEESES | 389 Pithiviers The white rind is CLASSIC RECIPE This French cow’s-milk cheese covered in fine, dried is soft with a slight fragrance of strands of summer CAMEMBERT EN BOÎTE meadow flowers and mushrooms, grasses, herbs, and exuding a tangy flavour. meadow flowers. Baking cheese in its own box is a great innovation. The Noilly Prat Brie de Meaux AOC and thyme add delicious aromas. Made in the region of Ile-de-France, Le Roi des Fromages (“The King of Cheeses”) can trace its SERVES 2–4 history back to Emperor Charlemagne. Today it is enjoyed the world over. It is probably the strongest 1 round 250g Camembert,s in its of all the soft white cheeses and becomes more wooden box intense with age. If it smells strongly of ammonia, then it will deliver a vicious bite. 1 garlic clove, halved 2 tsp Noilly Prat or dry white wine 1 tsp olive oil 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme freshly ground black pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/ Gas 6). Unwrap the cheese and rub the surface with the garlic; discard the garlic. Return the cheese (unwrapped) to the box. Set it on a baking sheet. 2 Make small holes all over the top of the cheese with a skewer. Carefully drizzle over the Noilly Prat and oil, spreading them out with a spoon. 3 Sprinkle with the thyme and some pepper. Replace the lid of the box. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese feels really wobbly when you touch the crust in the centre. 4 Remove the lid, set the open box on a plate, and place in the centre of the table. Serve immediately with chunks of warm, crusty French bread to dip in (eat the herb-strewn crust too). At its peak, Brie has a glossy, soft interior that oozes irresistibly towards you, and a characteristic savoury and mushroom taste.

390 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE Reminiscent of Brie, Sharpham is best matched SOFT WHITE CHEESES (CONTINUED) with a red wine produced on the same estate. Gaperon Traditionally made in the Auvergne, France, the number of Gaperons hanging in the kitchen was an indication of a farmer’s wealth. An unusual cheese in both texture and shape, it is made with skimmed milk and mixed with garlic and peppercorns. The moist interior Sharpham becomes almost runny Made in Devon, England, this is firm and slightly grainy when just beneath the rind. young but gradually softens from the outside in as it ripens. The flavour is slightly salty and creamy with some mushroom character on the finish. Flower Marie Made in East Sussex, England, the sweetness of ewe’s milk gives this artisan cheese a caramel subtlety, while the soft rind has a mushroomy taste and aroma. Spread on a hunk of fresh, crusty bread. Capricorn Goat Eaten young, this cheese from Somerset, England, has a slight nutty flavour; however, as it ripens, it develops a salty sweetness, and becomes softer and creamier. Slice and grill on roast vegetables or simply savour with a glass of white wine or pale ale. Brillat-Savarin Named after a renowned 18th-century gourmand, this triple-cream French cow’s milk cheese has a fat content of 75 per cent for every 100g (31⁄2oz). When young, it has no rind and a texture like thick crème fraîche; if eaten once it has developed its thin, white coat, the texture becomes luscious, creamy, and soft.

SOFT WHITE CHEESES | 391 The curds are sprinkled with black vine ash before the rind starts to grow. When the cheese matures the rind is unpalatably peppery hot. Little Wallop Woodside Edith This English goat’s-milk cheese is washed in Somerset cider Taking its name from the Frenchwoman who brandy and wrapped in vine leaves. When young, it exudes provided the original recipe, this Australian a mild, creamy freshness, which later matures into a nutty, goat’s-milk cheese is deliciously nutty when distinctly goaty complexity with a hint of yeast and fermenting young. It ages gracefully as the chalky centre apples from the cider. It will grace any cheeseboard. gradually breaks down to a smooth, clotted texture. It is ideal on a cheeseboard. Gratte-Paille The white rind of this triple-cream French cheese bears the imprint of the straw mats on which it is ripened. When young the richness is delicious with strawberries. With age it develops a slightly aggressive, lingering tang and is best enjoyed on its own. Chaource AOC The creamy texture and milky, fruity flavour, with a faint aroma of mushrooms, becomes sharper and salty as this French cheese ages. When mature it matches well with its local wine, Champagne. Ragstone Constant Bliss Ragstone Ridge in Kent lends its name to this This is a rarity, because soft raw-milk cheeses are English goat’s-milk cheese. It is creamy yet typically unavailable in the US. Made in Vermont, light on the tongue, with a hint of mushroomy it has a salty, buttery, almost popcorn-like flavour. notes and a lemony tang. As it slices easily With age, it becomes soft and rich, but not runny. into rings, it is ideal for grilling and baking, to be served warm and oozy on a bed of leaves.

392 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE SEMI-SOFT CHEESES stretches but holds its shape; Caciotta conversely, for this reason they do not Made throughout Italy, using every type Semi-soft cheeses vary in appearance work well in sauces. Washed-rind of milk, Caciotta is sold as a fresh and texture more than any other cheeses, however, melt superbly in cheese or semi-soft. Mild and sweet cheese type but they can be divided sauces. When they are baked whole, when made using cow’s milk, into two broad styles: dry rind and they become sweeter and more savoury, it is intense, buttery, and washed rind. Dry-rind cheeses are which makes them an amazing starter. mushroomy when made typically washed in brine once or twice, FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Sweet-pickled with ewe’s or goat’s and range from springy, mild, sweet, onions and cornichons, sweet chutneys, milk, or a mix. and nutty with barely formed rinds to dried fruit. rubbery, floral, and pungent with thick, CLASSIC RECIPES Raclette; fonduta. leathery rinds. Washed-rind cheeses are dipped frequently in baths of brine Havarti and as a result they have wet, sticky, Probably Denmark’s most famous cheese, pale orange to russet-red rinds; the Havarti is sweet, mellow, and very creamy. more they are washed, the softer, Some contain caraway seeds. This great stickier, and smellier the rind. The snacking cheese is ideal for open sandwiches, cheeses are softer than the dry-rind slicing and grilling, or adding to salads. style and have a pungent, savoury, smoky, even meaty taste and aroma. The texture tends to be grainy, with a softening just under the rind when the cheese is young, becoming soft, supple, or even runny with age. The washed- rind type includes those cheeses known as Trappist or monastery-style. 1 BUY Once cut semi-soft cheeses do not continue to ripen so buy them when they have reached the degree of ripeness you prefer and eat promptly. 2 STORE Dry-rind cheese keep well in the fridge, but those with washed rinds will dry out and become bitter if kept too cold for too long. 3 EAT Fresh: Mild semi-soft cheeses such as Edam or Havarti are classic breakfast cheeses, while the stronger varieties are essential on any cheeseboard. Cooked: Dry-rind cheeses are superb when grilled because their rubbery texture Azeitão DOP Azeitão is moulded Epoisses de Bourgogne AOC This rustic-looking ewe’s-milk cheese hails in cloth before being This great French washed-rind cheese was created from Portugal. It has a very delicate sweet, washed in brine. in the 16th century. Young Epoisses Frais is firm, slightly acidic taste, with fatty spice on the moist, and slightly grainy with a mild savoury tang, finish. Cut open the top, scoop out the runny while Epoisses Affiné has an intense flavour, cheese, dollop into mini pastry shells, and a pungent spicy aroma, and a velvety texture. sprinkle with oregano to serve with an Cooking brings out its sweeter side. apéritif, or eat with nutty bread. Torta Extremeñas Ardrahan Lush Spanish tortas, with their near liquid interiors, have a distinctive One of Ireland’s best-loved earthy flavour. There are three versions from Extremadura: Torta de washed-rind cheeses, this is Barros (pictured), Torta del Casar, and Torta La Serena. It is delicious supple, dense, and creamy served warm from the oven, with breadsticks for scooping out the interior. with a sweet–savoury taste that intensifies with age. It melts superbly.

SEMI-SOFT CHEESES | 393 Jarlsberg is recognizable by its large, round holes and lemon-yellow colour. Jarlsberg Chimay à la Bière Norwegian Jarlsberg was modelled on This is made by Cistercian monks in Belgium who also Emmental but is more supple, sweeter, and make the Chimay Trappist beer in which it is washed. The less nutty. It is a very versatile cheese – great firm, leathery rind has a heady aroma of hops, while the in sandwiches and salads, or melted like creamy, supple interior is fruity, with a distinct taste of raclette and served with crudités. toasted hops. A superb melting cheese. The attractive sticky Edam has a thin rind rind gives the cheese beneath the distinctive a smoky-bacon tang. red waxed coat. Carré de l’Est Edam As its name suggests (it means “square of the east”), Familiar the world over, Edam has this French washed-rind cheese is square in shape. Soft a smooth, supple, elastic texture and and grainy when young, it becomes almost liquid when sweet, buttery flavour, becoming more mature. It has a pleasantly salty flavour. flavoursome and firmer with age. It is equally at home as a snack, in sandwiches, grilled, grated, or served at breakfast with chocolate and eggs, as they do in the Netherlands. Fontina PDO Chevrotin This exceptional Italian cheese has a sticky washed Washed-rind French Chevrotin is similar to Reblochon, except that it is made rind and a supple interior with a mild, nutty with goat’s milk. Chevrotin des Aravis AOC (pictured) has a subtle, aromatic flavour. It is famously used in a fonduta, a dish in goaty flavour. Creamy, sweet farmhouse Chevrotin des Bauges AOC has which the cheese is whipped with eggs and cream. a thick, rustic rind and a smooth, melting interior with small, irregular eyes.

394 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE Tomme de Savoie The many cheeses or “tommes” of Savoie in SEMI-SOFT CHEESES (CONTINUED) the French Alps range in flavour from mild and milky to nutty with a savoury tang, and have a The rind is washed herbaceous or farmyard aroma. Some are flavoured regularly with brine with herbs or spices. and finally with the local brandy, marc de Bourgogne. Ami du Chambertin Created in France in 1950 to accompany the famous wine, Gevrey-Chambertin, made close by, this has a powerful meaty, piquant taste and a creamy texture. Langres AOC This strong-smelling French cheese tastes a little spicy when young. The texture changes with age, starting grainy and becoming very creamy, sticky, and melt-in-the-mouth. Livarot’s nickname, “the Colonel”, comes from the five strips of sedge grass, or tape, around the cheese: they resemble the stripes on military uniforms that denote rank. Livarot AOC One of the ancient cheeses of Normandy, a good Livarot should have a firm, slightly sticky rind, a strong, very pungent aroma, and a savoury, spicy flavour. Reblochon de Savoie AOC Monterey Jack When young, this supple French cheese has the sweetness Known colloquially as “Jack”, this is one of the best-loved North of stolen fruit; as it matures it is no longer sweet but American cheeses. When young it is very mild with a lactic taste, and tastes of freshly pickled walnuts with a hint of mountain is sometimes flavoured with spices, pimientoes, or jalapeños peppers. flowers. It is traditionally served with crusty pain de campagne, local charcuterie, and pickled gherkins.

A band of spruce bark SEMI-SOFT CHEESES | 395 encircles the cheese inside its round box. Palet de Bourgogne The rind of this strongly scented Burgundian Mont d’Or AOC cheese is washed every two days with brine and Made in the mountains that lie Marc de Bourgogne. Smooth and creamy, it has on the French–Swiss border, this a flavour that is not unlike Epoisses and Ami du has the most voluptuous texture Chambertin, but not as powerful or penetrating. of almost any cheese and can be spooned straight from the box in Munster AOC The dark line was once soot from which it is sold. Just roll back the When properly matured, this washed-rind cheese wood fires, separating curds from thick rind and enjoy the sweet, from Alsace and Lorraine has a strong, penetrating morning and evening milking. earthy flavour. farmyardy smell and the flavour of rich milk. There Today, wood ash is used. is also a version flavoured with cumin. Pont-l’Evêque AOC This washed-rind Normandy cheese Morbier AOC is one of the oldest French cheeses Made by the cheesemakers of Comté, this recorded. When young it has a lingering, washed-rind French cheese has a soft and sweet taste; older cheeses have a stronger, delicate texture, a rather pronounced flavour, more meaty or savoury flavour. and a mild, milky aroma. The more it ages, the sweeter and stronger the taste. Gubbeen This washed-rind farmhouse cheese made in Ireland is smooth and creamy and has gentle herb and floral notes with a meaty finish. It melts well for pizzas and omelettes. The supple texture Saint-Nectaire AOC makes it perfect for One of the great cheeses of France. At maturity, the thick rind grilling, snacking, and gives off a subtle, slightly pungent aroma of the farmyard, straw, Mexican-style dishes. and mushrooms, while the soft, supple interior has a pronounced taste of nuts, milk, and lush pastures. Eat with crusty bread.

396 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE Milleens Probably Ireland’s first modern artisan cheese, this has SEMI-SOFT CHEESES (CONTINUED) an inviting soft texture that becomes unctuously runny. The flavour is full-bodied and complex, with farmyardy Tetilla DO aromas. Serve with good bread, preferably Irish soda. This popular cheese from northwestern Spain is ready to eat after only seven The distinctive shape of days, when the interior is sweet, clean, Tetilla gives it its name, buttery, and unctuous; with maturity, which means “small Tetilla becomes firmer and more breast” in Spanish. resilient, with a slight acidity on the finish. Delicious served at the end of a meal, with quince paste or a sharp apple purée. Stinking Bishop The crust is a little Named after an old variety of pear used gritty, so cut it off before to make the perry (pear cider) in which eating or cooking. the cheese is washed, the English cheese Stinking Bishop is milder than the name suggests. It is rich and meaty, with a hint of sweetness, and has an almost runny, supple texture. Taleggio PDO Made in an area of Italy famous for other great cheeses, Taleggio is soft and voluptuous, almost liquid. Eat with fruit, or use in dishes such as pasta and risotto; take care to heat slowly, stirring well, or it will form into a clump rather than melt.

Torta de Cañarejal SEMI-SOFT CHEESES | 397 Made with ewe’s milk and thistle rennet, which gives it its typical CLASSIC RECIPE slightly bitter finish, this artisan cheese is the creamiest of all the RACLETTE Spanish tortas and is very aromatic, with soft, earthy flavours. Like fondue, this is a traditional Swiss/French dish. The name comes Scoop out the silky interior with from the French racler, “to scrape”. a spoon or breadsticks. Or melt on SERVES 4 a grilled steak and serve it with caramelized onions. 20–24 small waxy potatoes, scrubbed Raclette 400g (14oz) sliced Raclette cheese The leathery, washed rind of this (20 slices) well-known mountain cheese made in both France and Switzerland encases about 28 thin slices mixed charcuterie a smooth, supple interior with a rich, (e.g. salami, garlic sausage, dry-cured fruity–savoury flavour. Traditionally raw ham, and cooked ham) a large wheel of cheese is cut in half and placed in front of an open fire. accompaniments: cornichons, sliced or As the cut surface bubbles the cheese is pickled shallots, cherry tomatoes, and scraped on to bowls of piping-hot potato. dressed green salad Provolone French bread and butter (optional) An Italian pasta filata, or “stretched curd” cheese, this was traditionally the cheese of 1 Cook the potatoes in lightly salted the poor because just a little piece gave a lot boiling water for 15–20 minutes, or of flavour. The dolce variety, which is mild, until tender; drain and return to the sweet, and milky, can be grilled when young; pan (or tip into a heatproof dish). use aged Dolce or the denser, more strongly flavoured provolone piccante in risottos. 2 While the potatoes are cooking, arrange the cheese slices on one platter, the charcuterie on another. Place these on the table with the accompaniments (some people like butter on their potatoes, too). 3 Lay the table with a raclette cheese tray at each place. Put the raclette grill in the centre and switch on. Put the covered pan or dish of potatoes on the top of the grill to keep warm. 4 To serve, set a slice of cheese on a grill tray and place it under the grill; put one or two potatoes and some accompaniments on your plate. When the cheese has melted slide it over the potatoes and eat with the meats and accompaniments. Repeat as desired. 5 If you don’t have a raclette grill, you can put all the potatoes in a shallow flameproof dish, lay the cheese slices over them, and place under a low grill until the cheese has melted. Serve with the accompaniments. Bourrée From Vermont, this North American washed-rind cheese has a relatively mild and floral aroma. The texture is smooth, rich, and somewhat sticky on the palate, with a peanut-like flavour that grows more intense as it finishes. It is best served simply with some chutney.

398 | DAIRY AND EGGS | CHEESE HARD CHEESES 2 STORE Wrap firmly in cling film Beaufort AOC (if possible leave the rind uncovered, One of the great cheeses of the world, All traditional cheesemaking countries especially if it is covered in obvious Beaufort is made in the French Alps. Cheese produce hard cheeses made from mould, or its aroma may taint the produced in the lush summer pastures is known cow’s, goat’s, or ewe’s milks. There are flavour) and store in the fridge. as Beaufort d’alpage; paler winter cheese is two basic types: pressed uncooked 3 EAT Fresh: The most versatile of called Beaufort d’hiver. Young Beaufort is firm cheeses, which are eaten when they any cheese type, hard cheeses can be but melts in the mouth, and has a full-bodied, are still mild and springy, and cooked used in salads, dips, dressings and complex, savoury–fruity flavour. Best served pressed cheeses, which are heated sandwiches. They are also essential simply, as part of a cheeseboard. before they are compressed and on any cheeseboard. Cooked: Hard shaped. Hard cheeses vary greatly in cheeses such as Gruyère and Beaufort appearance, in shape from drums become stretchy when heated, making or tall cylinders to large wheels or them perfect for grilling or fondues barrels, and with rinds ranging from rather than in sauces. Other hard smooth and polished to rough and cheeses melt completely, while those pockmarked. When they are young, that are very hard, such as Parmigiano- hard cheeses may be creamy and Reggiano, simply dissolve, which makes flexible, and slightly sharp or buttery both of these latter types excellent for sweet in flavour. With age they dry out sauces, soups, quiches, and gratins. and become dense; the taste intensifies FLAVOUR PAIRINGS Dried and fresh and grows more complex. fruit, fruit cheeses, nuts. 1 BUY Once cut, hard cheeses will CLASSIC RECIPES Cheese soufflé; dry out even when tightly wrapped, cheese straws; cheese sauce; Swiss so buy big rather than small chunks cheese fondue; Welsh rarebit; gnocchi and use as soon as possible. Very hard alla romana; macaroni cheese; gougère; grating cheeses like Parmesan are best ploughman’s lunch; pommes bought in smallish pieces and used dauphinoise; cauliflower gratin. within a few days, or they will start to lose their wonderful flavour. Caerphilly Welsh Caerphilly is crumbly with a mild, lemony, fresh taste; with age, it becomes softer, creamier, and more complex. It can be used in sweet or savoury dishes, especially Welsh rarebit.