Fromage Fort
From Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/12/fromage-fort/#more-9503
You know that thing that happens when you have friends over? No, I don’t mean the Santa Baby sing-along or red-wine-on-the-white-sofa thing or the ow-my-head-hurts thing the next day, though all of those are grand too. What I mean is, what we usually do is stop by a cheese store or counter and pick up a bunch of wedges of this and that and put them out with wine and bread and at the end of the night, there’s always one sorry little glass left of wine left and a few nubs of cheese. Maybe they end up in the trash. They shouldn’t. And they won’t anymore because let me introduce you to (drumroll, Oprah voice, please)… fromage fort! Translated as “strong cheese,†it’s a delightfully economical blend of whatever odds and ends of cheese you have around, some wine, garlic, salt, pepper and herbs, if you’re feeling it. Softer cheeses make it creamier. Harder cheeses can benefit from a pat of butter. You can use it right away or “age†it a little more, up to a week is safest. For a treat, you can run your slice of bread spread with the fromage fort under the broiler. If it’s on the softer side, dip things like grissini or other seedy breadsticks in it. But beyond that, there are no rules. There are few recipes, just outlines. But the main thing, the salient bit, is that you just wing it. Fromage fort is forgiving. It accepts all kinds — your tired old gruyere scraps, your poor white wine choices, your huddled masses of brie, yearning to breathe free (I’m so sorry, America.), and blends them together into something infinitely greater than its parts. Plus, there’s always a little snowflake specialness to it, as no two batches will ever be exactly alike.
- Preparing Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Served Person: 1
vegetarian
white meat free
tree nut free
nut free
gluten free
red meat free
shellfish free
contains dairy
pescatarian
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 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
- Carbohydrate 0.9918 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.015 g
- Fiber 0.0629999971389771 g
- Protein 0.1908 g
- Saturated Fat 0.00267 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (457g)
- Sodium 155.542 mg
- Sugar 0.928800002861023 g
- Trans Fat 0.00453 g
- Calories 4 calories
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.
