Very hard cheese, long-forgotten in the fridge: What to do with it?

[pastrygirl]

I'd try wrapping it in a damp towel then in plastic for a day.

[gfweb]

26 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

I'd try wrapping it in a damp towel then in plastic for a day.

That and warming it

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

Thanks--I'll try that. I did think about warming it but was afraid it would begin to melt. Probably unlikely given how hard this chunk of cheese is.

[rotuts]

@Nancy in Pátzcuaro

 

that a very interesting problem.

 

my guess is that if you wrap it in a damp towel, + plastic bag 

 

it will take some time for the moisture to penetrate to a depth that helps you turn it into something softer

 

you can then process ' as usual '    during that time ,  the normal flora on the surface  ( cheese yeast or cheese bacteria )

 

will be having a very tasty time  .  this might enhance or be problematic when eating 

 

I have no idea at what temp this cheese would melt.   

 

Id try this  :  seal the cheese in a plastic bag  ( SV VacBag , or freezer zip-lock ) with very little to no air

 

SV or similar  130.1 F    it then might be soft enough to do something with .  or add a little water to a similar bag system

 

and see.   it its getting soft , but not soft enough @ 130.1 F  , increase the heat

 

then chop it up , and put it in something , like a casserole .

 

nothing sacred about 130.1 F   

 

at some temp , > or < than 130.1 F  the cheese will ' split '

 

use it all in a casserole.

Edited Monday at 10:39 PM by rotuts (log)

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

A bit out of left field but here's my $0.02.

If that brick of parm was mine I would put it into a large ziplock bag, wrap that in an old towel as to not damage the bag, and take a hammer, or preferably a mallet, and slowly and methodically smash it into powder and chunks. 

Keep at it until you're happy with what you have. You'll have powder, to use as is, and chunks that can be used to flavour soups, sauces and stews. Chunks can go in the freezer for future use.

 

 

[rotuts]

@Senior Sea Kayaker

 

interesting idea.  

 

freeze it first , as low as you can go.

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

Only if you want to make it more difficult and a harder workout.

 

[rotuts]

@Senior Sea Kayaker

 

I was hoping you could get it so cold it would shatter.

[liuzhou]

I have successfully soften over-hard cheese 🧀 by wrapping it in damp paper towels and leaving it overnight in the fridge. 

 

I'm a little surprised you consider 7 oz to be such a great amount. That's around 200 grams, the smallest amount I can buy. You could buy a whole cheese - only 35 kilos or 77 lbs!

 

Image: taobao.com China's largest online shopping service

 

 

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

Well, it was too much to just throw away, and I didn't have any other parmesan in the fridge, which meant I had to change my plans. So I guess when we go to Morelia, aka the big city, I'll have to resupply.

[Shel_B]

Fromage Fort:  Here are my files including techniques, suggestions, and a recipe or two. Info is kind of random as I just pulled the files together for this post ... no editing, etc.

 

What Is Fromage Fort?

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/fromage-fort

Fromage fort is a spread made from leftover pieces of cheese mixed with white wine, garlic, and herbs. You can serve it chilled or at room temperature as a spread with crackers or vegetables, or smear it on slices of bread and bake or broil it. While the origins of fromage fort are unclear, it is believed to have been created in the French countryside as a way to repurpose leftover cheese into a delicious, spreadable treat.

 

Jacques Pépin says that when he was young, his father made fromage fort with leftover pieces of Camembert, Brie, Swiss, blue cheese and goat cheese, mixed with his mother's leek broth, some white wine, and crushed garlic. He would let the ingredients marinate in a cold cellar for a week or so (he liked the flavor to be really strong). Pépin’s recipe here is more of a guide, calling for half a pound of mixed cheeses to be blended with garlic, white wine, salt, and pepper. His wife Gloria encouraged him to blend the cheeses in a food processor to make it easier.

 

Feel free to experiment by using different combinations of cheese, and adding herbs, spices, and other aromatics. Start by taking an inventory of what you have on hand. Hard cheeses may need to be chopped up before they are mixed with the other ingredients in the food processor. You want a mix of hard and soft cheeses, but if you only have hard cheese, just add a little more butter, a scoop of ricotta or yogurt, or a little extra wine or cream so that it still comes together as a spread when processed. Go easy on the amount of blue cheese in the mix, as it can overpower the flavors of the rest of the cheeses. The end result will vary with each combination of cheese, but it’s almost impossible to make a fromage fort that isn’t delicious.

 

Ingredients

½ pound cheese pieces

1 garlic clove

¼ cup dry white wine

Black pepper

Salt

 

Directions

Put cheese pieces in the bowl of a food processor. Add garlic clove and dry white wine and a big grinding of black pepper.

 

Process mixture for 30 seconds or so, until it is creamy but not too soft. Taste, and add salt if needed. Transfer fromage fort to a serving dish, or to an airtight container to store until you are ready to eat. You can also spread it on bread and broil it for a few minutes until brown and bubbly.

 

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Fromage Fort

You may use any left‑over cheese you wish, such as Cheddar, Parmesan, Provolone, Fontina, Mozzarella, Camembert, or St. Andre. Make sure that you use a combination that is not too salty.

 

1 pound left‑over cheese*, at room temperature

1/4 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves

1 small clove garlic

 

Remove any rinds from hard cheeses. Grate hard cheeses and cut others into 1/2‑inch cubes. Place cheese, wine, butter, herbs, and garlic in a food processor and blend until smooth, approximately 2 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 1 hour for a firmer consistency. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

 

 

===========================

 

Fromage Fort

This is a good recipe to use up leftover cheese. Mix all types (the more the better!) of cheeses that you have left over. Keep in mind that adding a lot of blue cheese will result in a dominant blue flavor.

Ingredients

1 lb cheese (hard rinds and mold trimmed) at room temperature, roughly cubed

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp black pepper, ground

2 Tbsp brandy (optional)

 

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth and creamy (if the mixture is a little dry add additional wine until desired consistency is achieved). You can serve it immediately or store it in a covered container for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serve with crusty bread, crackers or toasted baguette.

*You can also add herbs, olive oil, tomatoes, shallots or olives to this recipe. This is a great way to tap into your creative side!

 

Fromage Fort

 

As observed above, there are no rules as to how you put this together. Maybe you want more wine, or less. Maybe you want a heavy hand with salt and pepper, or you want the natural flavors of the cheese to shine through. If you’re using a lot of hard cheeses, a pat or two of butter will help smooth things out. Personally, I go easy on the garlic (one tiny clove) because it really blooms as the cheese sits, and I don’t want it to take over, but maybe you would like that. The only thing I think is important to keep in mind is that even a small amount of blue cheese tends to dominate. With 25% of the weight in blue the result was essentially a blue cheese spread. If that’s not your thing, limit it to just a small spoonful or a few crumbles.

 

If you’re curious, a recent formula was one part each of blue, brie, goat cheese and gruyere, a handful of chives and a full cup of wine.

 

1 pound mix leftover cheese, harder cheeses grated, softer ones cut into chunks

A couple pats of butter, if using mostly firm cheese varieties

1 small clove garlic, minced, or more to taste

1/2 to 1 cup leftover white wine

1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary or chives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Blend cheese, butter (if using) and garlic in food processer until combined. Drizzle in wine with the motor running until you get your desired consistency — some like it completely smooth, others prefer chunks. Add herbs, pulsing the machine until just combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

Fromage fort can be used right away, or kept in the fridge until needed. In the fridge, it will thicken and age a little; the flavors will mingle and deepen.

 

 

 

Edited 26 minutes ago by Shel_B (log)

[MaryIsobel]

I make fromage fort every year after Christmas because that is the only time that we have leftover cheese. I love it - I put it in ramekins and freeze. Great to pull out of the freezer and serve with baguette slices or crackers. I use Jaque's recipe.