Monday, December 17, 2012

Holiday Cheese Spread (Fromage Fort)

Homemade Cheese Spread

I’m going to give you a really nice gift! 

This spread recipe is one that I’ve enjoyed since 2004.  It uses all those little bits of cheese and wine (or flat Champagne) leftover after holiday parties and turns them into something really special.

I do have one caution: use a light hand with raw garlic, because serving this to the people you love is only cool if you’re certain everyone will partake.

Once, after one too many gatherings, I had to roll down the windows of the car because my garlic breath was too intense for enclosed space.

And, I had to sleep on the couch that night.

If you have any spread left over, it can be frozen and used for making croutons, compound butters, tossed with pasta, or topping a kickin’ cheesy garlic bread.

Fromage Fort
Cheese Spread (Fromage Fort)
Adapted from a recipe by Alton Brown
Makes about 2 cups

1/4 Cup Dry White Wine
1 LB Shredded Cheese, at room temperature. (Cheddar, Aged Tomme, Camembert, Parmesan, Cream Cheese, lower salt Blue.)
3 TB Unsalted Butter, at room temperture
1 Clove Garlic, minced

Place garlic, butter and cheese in a processor fitted with a blade.  

Whiz, and gradually add wine until it becomes a smooth paste.  

Adjust to your liking.  (I add more garlic, and sometimes more wine or butter for a creamier consistency).

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  Keeps one week.  Enjoy!