Saturday 25 September 2010

British Cheese Week

I can't keep up with all the national and international "Days" and "Weeks". On any given day it seems we are supposed to be aware of three diseases, two other worthy causes and a handful of professions, local foodstuffs and indigenous trees. It's too much, so they usually pass in a blur for me. But just today I discovered that it is British Cheese Week. As cheese is something I hold very dear to my heart (well, all my arteries really. And my thighs), I thought I really had to mark the week appropriately.

I happened on the British Cheese Board website while looking for a savoury muffin recipe. I decided that this recipe for cheese & sweetcorn muffins was just the thing. Although I did use fresh corn kernels, rather than frozen. And I replaced 80g of the flour with fine polenta. And I reduced the amount of butter because I added some crumbled, cooked chorizo. But essentially I followed the recipe! And they are delicious. The flavour is very well balanced between the corn and cheese, and the bits of onion and chorizo add interesting flavour and texture. They aren't too heavy either. Paul's taken some fishing with him and I am hoping that a couple will survive long enough for me to have them with a bowl of soup for dinner during the week.


I also felt that I should make something to show that British apples are coming into season now, and that they go so very well with cheese. The Egremont Russet is a very good apple for this sort of thing, because the flesh is fairly dry so you don't end up with a soggy quesadilla, or juice running down your arm.

Cheddar and Egremont Russet Quesadillas

2 flour tortillas
1/4 Egremont Russet apple, thinly sliced
Handful British cheddar cheese
A couple of thin slices of onion
Freshly ground black pepper

Place one tortilla in a dry pan, add the thinly sliced apple, then the onion and freshly ground pepper, then top with a handful of grated cheese. Top with a second quesadilla. Cook gently on both sides until the cheese melts and the tortillas are browned and crisp. Slice into wedges and eat immediately. I think a glass of beer is the right thing with these!

15 comments:

Andrea the Kitchen Witch said...

Apples and cheese are delightful together! I think your quesadilla will be on my lunch plate this week. thanks for the great idea!

Nora said...

I think that's a fine idea - pick and choose the "days"/"weeks" that are of interest. :D
Those scones look lovely. I'm going to have to investigate the British Cheese Board website, seeing as how it's British cheese week and all!
And I love the idea of apple in a quesadilla - especially with a beer. Genius.

Kavey said...

"cheese is something I hold very dear to my heart (well, all my arteries really. And my thighs)"

ME TOO ME TOO!

:)

Alicia Foodycat said...

Andrea - cheese and apple quesadillas are lovely! They work really well with smoked cheese and gouda as well. I hope you like them.

Nora - some of the recipes on the site are a bit strange-sounding, but these muffins definitely work!

Kavey - kindred spirit!

Bettina Douglas said...

Great muffin recipe. How many fluid oz's does 5oz butter melt into?
I've got corn, cheese & some ham to use up...

Simona Carini said...

Both recipes look great. And thanks for the pointer to the British Cheese Board site. I like reading about the origin of cheeses and there are also nice recipes.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Mother - I used 120g butter, because of the chorizo and it was enough.

Simona - there are so many cheeses over here, they deserve to be better known.

Sam said...

I had no idea it waqs British cheese week, now I have a good excuse to eat more cheese, as if I need an excuse!

The muffins sound sound brilliant, adding to chorizo is a great idea. I like the quesadillas too, I've been looking out for russet apples but haven't seen them in the shops yet.

Heather S-G said...

LMAO!! If you're gonna celebrate one...you picked the perfect one, for sure! Happy Cheese Week! Everything looks cheese-a-licious ;)

Alicia Foodycat said...

Sam - I got mine in my Abel & Cole box. Not my choice of apple for eating out of hand, but excellent for cooking!

Heather - how could I go past cheese week?

Jude said...

Yummo!

Foodjunkie said...

He, he! I tweak recipes alot as well. These look gorgeous, but the sweetcorn in my fridge will be made into the corn chowder you posted. I made it last week and it was AMAZING.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Jude - thanks! I blame Wahaca for my new passion for quesadillas!

Jo - glad you liked it!

Heather said...

In the southern US, they use all cornmeal, and no white flour in their corn bread. I like mine more cakey, though, so I always use a bit of white flour.

Apples and cheese are really great together! Never put apples in a quesadilla, but I have used nectarines (with blue cheese), so this makes perfect sense!

hungryandfrozen said...

Yum cheese and apples is SUCH a good combination.

Just to add to your busy calendar, it was Vegetarian Day here in NZ today :)

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