Valdeon Cheese
Valdeon is a Spanish blue cheese that is made from a mixture of cow, goat and sheep milk. The slightly salty, creamy cheese is excellent paired with red wine or sherry, sliced on a fruit plate or served with crackers. But that's not all—you can add special flavor to side dishes, eggs and even mashed potatoes with this gourmet cheese.The cheese is sold in wheels that are wrapped in leaves, which keeps the product flavorful and adds to the rustic appearance.Valdeon cheese is available at upscale grocers and in some delis. At about $16 a pound, it’s a splurge, but a little of the potent cheese goes a long way. Here are some suggestions for cooking with this zesty Spanish cheese.
Instructions
1. For an appetizer:Serve it with sliced salami, grapes and wheat crackers.In the bread basket:Accompany crusty French bread or rolls with crumbled Valdeon instead of butter.
2. As a main dish:Add 1/4 cup of crumbled cheese to beef tenderloin or sirloin filets in the last few minutes of grilling, just long enough to melt.Enhance the flavor of a quesadilla (cheese crisp) by mixing a few crumbles of Valdeon with cheddar cheese before popping it under the broiler.
3. As a side dish using potatoes:Mix ½ cup of crumbled Valdeon cheese into boiled potatoes before mashing.Serve ramekins of butter, chives and Valdeon cheese along with baked potatoes
4. For flavorful scalloped potatoes:Slice raw potatoes (scrub and leave peel on, if desired) and arrange in buttered baking dish. Top with enough milk just to cover and add ½ stick butter, ½ cup cheddar or swiss cheese, shredded, along with salt and pepper. Bake it at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from the oven, sprinkle 1/4 cup of Valdeon crumbles atop and serve.
5. Make a great salad:Toss 1/4 cup Valdeon cheese into a salad of butter lettuce and spinach. Add 1/2 cup sugared walnuts and a chopped pear. Toss with vinaigrette dressing.
Tags: along with, cheese into, crumbled Valdeon, Valdeon cheese, Valdeon cheese
