Frederic Melton
Blue cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to burgers, and even desserts. Its strong flavour means that a little goes a long way, and it can be used to add depth to both sweet and savoury dishes. So, what does blue cheese go with?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Meat | Beef steak, veal scallopini, chicken, beef burger, bacon, beef Wellington, steak pie, steak frites, grilled burger, buffalo wings, beef pasta |
| Salad | Chicken salad, BLT salad, spinach, lettuce, roasted onions and squash, nuts, grains, watercress, rocket, candied walnuts, pears, persimmons, olives, tomatoes, zucchini, squash |
| Fruit | Pears, persimmons, figs, walnuts |
| Pasta | Spinach-based lasagna, macaroni and cheese, pasta with walnuts, spinach and leeks |
| Bread | Flatbread, baguette, crackers, pretzel bun, rosemary crackers, crostini, polenta, quesadillas, puff pastry |
| Alcohol | Whiskey, port, red wine |
| Dessert | Dark chocolate, truffles, drinking chocolate, honey |
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Salads
Blue cheese is a great ingredient to add to a salad, providing a salty, pungent style of cheese that goes well with ingredients that provide contrast to its strong flavour and creamy texture. Blue cheese is often paired with sweet ingredients like fruit, including apples, pears, figs, beets, raisins, dates, honey, and candied nuts. It is also commonly paired with vegetables that provide a bitter crunch, such as radicchio, endive, and other kinds of chicories.
A classic wedge salad with blue cheese is a popular choice, often including ingredients such as iceberg lettuce, bacon, diced tomato, red onion, blue cheese crumbles, and blue cheese dressing. You can also add avocado, grilled chicken, or boiled eggs to make it a Cobb salad. Another option is to make a chopped blue cheese salad, which includes a mix of salty and sweet, and creamy and crunchy ingredients. For this type of salad, you can use a variety of lettuces such as little gem, curly lettuce, radicchio, rocket lettuce (arugula), romaine, spinach, or kale. Radishes or bell peppers can also be added for colour and flavour.
To make a blue cheese dressing for your salad, you can blend oil, sugar, salt, vinegar, and blue cheese. This dressing can be used right away but tastes better if it sits overnight. You can also make a honey and mustard dressing or a maple dijon dressing to pair with the blue cheese. If you want to add some crunch to your salad, you can include sourdough croutons, or serve it with a slice of white bread or a bagel.
Some people like to maximise the blue cheese flavour by whisking some cheese into the vinaigrette and then sprinkling more on top of the completed dish before serving. This can be done by making a dressing with shallots, dijon mustard, sherry vinegar, olive oil, and blue cheese, and then tossing it with the salad before topping with more blue cheese crumbles. You can also experiment with different types of blue cheese, such as Stilton, Danish blue cheese, dolcelatte, Roquefort, cambozola, or Gorgonzola.
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Burgers
Blue cheese is a versatile ingredient that can add a punch of flavour to your burgers. Here are some tips and tricks to elevate your blue cheese burger experience:
Choosing the Right Blue Cheese
The first step to a delicious blue cheese burger is selecting the perfect blue cheese. There are many varieties of blue cheese available, each with its unique flavour and texture. Some popular options include:
- Roquefort: This French blue cheese is known for its strong, pungent flavour and creamy texture. It pairs exceptionally well with sweet accompaniments like honey or poached pears.
- Gorgonzola: This Italian blue cheese has a creamy texture and a slightly milder flavour compared to other blue cheeses. It melts beautifully, making it ideal for burgers.
- Stilton: A classic English blue cheese with a strong, tangy flavour. It pairs well with sweet and savoury ingredients, adding depth to your burger.
- Cabrales: This Spanish blue cheese is known for its intense, pungent flavour and creamy texture. It can add a bold twist to your burger creation.
Preparing the Blue Cheese
Blue cheese can be prepared in various ways to enhance your burger:
- Crumbles: Crumbling blue cheese over your cooked patty is a classic way to incorporate it into your burger. The cheese will slightly melt from the heat of the burger, creating a creamy texture.
- Melted Topping: For a more indulgent option, try melting blue cheese on top of your burger. This method works well with milder blue cheeses, like Gorgonzola, to create a rich, oozy topping.
- Sauce: Create a creamy blue cheese sauce to spread on your burger bun or drizzle over your patty. This technique adds moisture and a tangy kick to your burger.
Burger Build and Accompaniments
The key to a harmonious blue cheese burger is balancing the strong flavour of the cheese with complementary ingredients:
- Meat: Blue cheese pairs exceptionally well with beef. Opt for a juicy beef patty or a thick steak slice to create a hearty, indulgent burger.
- Vegetables: Caramelised onions are a classic pairing with blue cheese, providing a sweet contrast to the salty cheese. Sautéed greens, such as spinach, or grilled zucchini add a healthy touch and a slight bitterness that complements the blue cheese.
- Condiments: Honey is a perfect counterpart to blue cheese, with its sweetness balancing the saltiness of the cheese. A drizzle of honey on your burger can create a symphony of flavours. Alternatively, a tangy barbecue sauce or a creamy garlic mayonnaise can also work well.
- Bun: A pretzel bun or a soft brioche bun can provide a neutral base for your blue cheese burger, allowing the flavour of the cheese to shine.
Side Dishes
Complete your blue cheese burger experience with some mouth-watering side dishes:
- Salad: A fresh, crispy side salad can help balance the richness of the burger. Opt for a simple mix of lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, or get creative with roasted squash, walnuts, and grains.
- Fries: Crispy, golden fries are a classic accompaniment to any burger. Dip them in a blue cheese sauce for an extra indulgent treat.
- Onion Rings: Sweet, crispy onion rings can provide a delicious contrast in texture and flavour to the blue cheese burger.
Remember, when it comes to creating the ultimate blue cheese burger, feel free to experiment and find the perfect combination of ingredients that delights your taste buds!
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Pasta
Blue cheese is a great ingredient to use in pasta dishes, and it can be adapted to suit your tastes. The soft texture of blue cheese means it melts easily into hot pasta, leaving a bold, salty flavour.
A popular blue cheese pasta recipe is made with gorgonzola, a soft and creamy Italian blue cheese, and walnuts. This recipe is indulgent, rich, and loaded with flavour. It can be adapted to include meat, such as ground beef or shredded chicken, or topped with bacon crumbles. You can also add in extra diced veggies, like mushrooms, bell peppers, or spinach.
To make the sauce, heat butter and oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add in diced onion and garlic and cook until soft. Then, add in salt and pepper, and pour in the cream. Crumble in the gorgonzola and simmer on a very low heat until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened. You can also add cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it more quickly.
When the sauce is ready, stir in the cooked pasta and walnuts. This dish is best served immediately, and it is unlikely that you will have leftovers! However, if you do, it will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
You can also customise the sauce to make it lighter by using creme fraiche instead of cream, and adding in some pasta water to thin out the sauce. You can also add in some lemon zest and juice for a fresh, tangy flavour.
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Steak
Blue cheese and steak are a classic combination, with the bold, salty flavour of the cheese complementing the rich taste of the meat. A blue cheese sauce can be served with steak, or the cheese can be crumbled over the top.
Blue Cheese Sauce
A blue cheese sauce is a popular choice to serve with steak. The sauce is rich and creamy, and a little goes a long way. The sauce is easy to make, and the steak juices add a lot of flavour. To make the sauce, start by melting butter in a pan, then add in shallots, salt, pepper, and heavy cream. Finally, stir in the blue cheese until the sauce is thick and creamy.
Blue Cheese Crumbles
An alternative to a sauce is to scatter blue cheese crumbles over the steak while it is grilling. The cheese should be added in the final 2-3 minutes of cooking, so it melts slightly but still retains some structure. The cheese can also be served on the side, as a salad dressing, or with oven-roasted potato wedges or whole baked potatoes.
Choosing a Blue Cheese
There are many varieties of blue cheese to choose from, each with its own unique flavour and texture. Popular options include Gorgonzola, which is creamy and melts well; Cashel blue; buttermilk blue; and Maytag blue. It is worth experimenting with different types to find your preference.
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Desserts
Blue cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes, including desserts. While it may seem like an unusual choice for a sweet course, blue cheese can add a tangy, salty, and creamy contrast to fruity and sweet flavours. Here are some ideas for how to incorporate blue cheese into desserts:
Blue Cheese and Fruit Pairings
Blue cheese pairs well with fruits that have a natural sweetness, such as pears, figs, blackberries, and cherries. You can create a fruit compote with these fruits and serve it alongside blue cheese on a dessert cheese board. Fresh apples are another great option, especially in the form of an apple tart or poached pears, which can complement the salty and tangy notes of the cheese.
Blue Cheese and Dessert Recipes
For a unique twist on traditional desserts, consider incorporating blue cheese into your recipe. You can make a vanilla bean custard base and mix in small crumbles of blue cheese, or completely melt the cheese into the base for a more homogeneous flavour. This combination can be used in various desserts, such as ice cream or cheesecake, adding a savoury kick to the sweetness of the dessert.
Blue Cheese and Cookies
Pairing blue cheese with cookies is another unexpected but delicious option. The contrast between the salty, creamy cheese and the sweet, crisp cookies creates an interesting flavour and texture combination. You can serve blue cheese alongside cookies, such as Tagalong Girl Scout cookies, or incorporate the cheese into the cookie dough itself. For a fruity twist, add a thin layer of blue cheese under the jam in thumbprint cookies, or mix in some Roquefort and candied nuts into madeleines for a cakelike option.
Blue Cheese and Other Sweet Accompaniments
When creating a dessert cheese board, consider pairing blue cheese with other sweet accompaniments such as honey, jams, mostardas, toffee, and crisp cookies. Dried fruits, crunchy crackers, and chocolate can also be included to provide a variety of textures and flavours that will complement the saltiness of the blue cheese.
Blue Cheese and Wine
In the French tradition of enjoying cheese for dessert, blue cheese can be paired with sweet wines, such as tannic red wines or cream sherry. A small scoop of blue cheese ice cream drizzled with sherry and honey can make for an indulgent and unique dessert.
With its strong flavour and creamy texture, blue cheese can be a surprising yet delightful addition to desserts. Experimenting with different combinations of sweet and salty ingredients can lead to some truly delicious and unexpected dessert creations.
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Frequently asked questions
Blue cheese can be used in a variety of dishes, including salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, and pastas. It can also be melted on top of dishes like grilled cheese or baked figs and walnut.
Some specific blue cheese recipes include:
- Blue Cheese, Bacon, and Candied Pecan Puff Pastry Bites
- Buttermilk Blue® Melt (with zucchini and tomatoes)
- Chicken BLT Salad
- Blue Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
- Blue Cheese and Spinach Pasta
Blue cheese pairs well with a variety of foods, including honey, meat (especially beef), walnuts, fruits like pears and persimmons, and dark chocolate.
Blue cheese can be used as a topping on a variety of dishes, including burgers, salads, pizzas, and pastas. It can also be crumbled on top of dishes like grilled cheese or flatbread.
Alcoholic drinks like whiskey and wine (especially red wine) pair well with blue cheese.
