Volume 10, Issue 086 - May 1, 2006

Hello ,

When it comes to producing delicious, award-winning Cheese and other farm-fresh dairy products, there is no place like Wisconsin. This week the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board will introduce us to five great cheeses. We will learn about their unique characteristics and uses and of course, we will get to see some very tasty recipes. Let's start the week off with a favorite of many...Cheddar.

Cheddar:

Heritage:

Prior to 1850, nearly all the cheese produced in the United States was Cheddar. Cheddar production in Wisconsin began in the mid 1800's and by 1880, more Cheddar was produced in Wisconsin than any other cheese variety. Today it accounts for a large percentage of the cheese made in the state, which makes Wisconsin the leader in U.S. Cheddar production.

Description:

Rich, nutty flavor becomes increasingly sharp with age. Smooth, firm texture becomes more granular and crumbly with age. Usually golden; also available white. Slice for sandwiches, snacks; shred into casseroles, soups, sauces.

Appearance:

Interior:

Usually golden, sometimes creamy white or marbled (combination of golden and white curds)

Exterior:

Clear suggests mild, red suggests medium, black suggests sharp Traditionally, the color of the exterior wax denotes the flavor or age of the cheese; however, cheesemakers are not bound by law to follow this tradition.

Texture:

Smooth, firm, becomes more granular and crumbly as it ages.

Flavor:

Rich, nutty, creamy flavor that becomes increasingly sharp and complex with age.

Source: Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.

Wisconsin Cheese from America's Dairyland, Entertaining, Cheesecyclopedia, Facts, Awards, Cheesemaking, Special Offers and Great Recipes.

Ricotta Gnocchi and Wisconsin 7-Year Cheddar Gratin

Category: Appetizer
Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients:

Gnocchi:

scant 1 cup all-purpose flour
dash of nutmeg
1 cup Wisconsin Ricotta cheese
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
kosher salt to taste
1/2 cup clarified butter

Cheddar Sauce:

3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon grappa, such as Nivole Moscato D'Asti brand
1 pound (4 cups) 7-year Aged Wisconsin Cheddar, shredded
8 ounces (2 cups) Wisconsin Fontina cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Final Preparation:

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped

Preparation:

Gnocchi:

In a mixing bowl, stir flour and nutmeg and salt to mix. Add ricotta, egg and egg yolk. Mix gently with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are just incorporated. (Over mixing will toughen the gnocchi.)

Portion the gnocchi using two teaspoons to form 60 little football-shaped quenelles.

Sauté the gnocchi in a little clarified butter, adding more as needed to prevent sticking. Reserve warm.

Cheddar Sauce:

Heat milk in a heavy-bottom sauce pot. Add garlic and grappa. Blend.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in cheddar and fontina, stirring in one direction. Add a small amount of the cornstarch-water mixture to adjust the mixture to desired consistency.

Final Preparation:

Preheat a sauté pan. Pour in half of the cheddar sauce. Add gnocchi and toss to coat with the sauce.

Arrange 5 gnocchi in center of 12 individual serving bowls and portion remaining sauce over each serving.

Dust with bread crumbs and parsley. Place bowls under broiler to brown for a minute or two.

Source: Chef Rhys Lewis

Recipe © 2006 Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.

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More About Cheddar:

Serving Suggestions:

Add aged cheddar to cream-based soups or sauces for steamed vegetables and baked dishes. Make a traditional toasted cheese sandwich or top a baked potato. Enhance apple pie by serving it with America's favorite cheese or add shredded cheddar to the crust.

Goes Well With:

Apples, pears, onions, tomatoes.
Red wines such as Zinfandel or Merlot.
Pale ales or stout beers

Styles/Varieties:

• Wisconsin Cheddar can be flavored with ingredients such as hot peppers, vegetables or sausage.
• Block: 40-pound block, 10-pound print, 5-pound loaf, random and exact weight in 8-ounce stick or 4-ounce stick.
• Shredded (standard shred, fancy shred, and julienne): 10-pound bag, 5-pound bag, random- and exact-weight bag.
• Cubed (white, colored, and mixed): 10-pound bag, 5-pound bag.
• Cheddar Curds (white or colored): 1-pound bag, random- and exact-weight bag.
• Naturally bandaged (wax and cheesecloth): 12-pound, Longhorn, 1-pound cylinder (horn), 10-pound Midget, 5-pound Favorite, 3-pound Gem, 35-pound Flat, 22-pound.
• Daisy Mammoths: 75-pound, 150-pound, 300-pound, 500-pound, 1000-pound, 2000-pound.

Performance Note:

The traditional golden hue of colored Cheddars comes from the addition of annatto, a tasteless, odorless vegetable dye made from the seed of the annatto plant.

As Cheddar ages, its texture, flavor and performance change:

• Mild Cheddar has a firm, elastic texture. It slices, shreds and melts well.
• Medium Cheddar has a texture that is slightly creamier than mild, with a fuller Cheddar flavor often described as brothy. It slices, shreds, melts and blends well into sauces.
• Aged Cheddar has a texture both crumbly and creamy, with a flavor often described as beefy. It shreds and melts well. Of all Cheddars, Aged Cheddar also incorporates best in sauce applications.

All Cheddar produced in Wisconsin has a grade stamp on the wax, plastic wrap or carton, your assurance of quality. Naturally bandaged Cheddars are wrapped in cheesecloth and dipped in wax. Before vapor barrier film, this method provided the only way to preserve Cheddar cheese for storage and shipping.

The best tool for cutting blocks of Cheddar is a stationary wire platform cutter or fish line cutter. A double-handled cheese knife or a chef's knife works best for smaller pieces.

Federal Standards of Identity:

• Maximum Moisture: 39%
• Minimum Milkfat in Solids: 50%

Source: Cheesecyclopedia™ © 2006 Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.

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Cascadian Wild Mushroom and Rabbit Ballotine

Category: Entrée
Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds fresh rabbit loins, trimmed, silver skin removed, divided
3 ounces bacon, chopped
2 egg whites
1 to 2 tablespoons clarified butter or vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon garlic, chopped
3/4 cup sliced fresh morels, divided
1/2 cup carrot, finely diced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
12 ounces fresh spinach leaves
1 1/2 ounces Wisconsin Kasseri cheese, grated
3 ounces caul fat or cheese cloth
1 1/2 cups prepared demi-glaze
1/2 cup poached or canned wild cranberries or lingonberries
Wisconsin Blue Cheese Polenta

Wisconsin Blue Cheese Polenta:

1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 ounces yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 ounces Wisconsin Blue cheese, crumbled

Crispy Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Cornucopia:

1 large carrot, peeled
1 large zucchini
1 turnip
1 tablespoon Butter
6 slices Wisconsin Cheddar cheese (4x4-inch)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation:

To Make: Cut 1/2 pound rabbit loin into small dices and chill well. Chill a bowl and steel blade for food processor. Combine diced rabbit, bacon and egg whites in food processor and process until a relatively smooth purée is formed. Do not allow the forcemeat to become warm. Place mixture in a chilled bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed. In sauté pan, heat butter over medium heat, add garlic and 1/4 cup morels and sauté 1 1/2 minutes. Add carrots, pine nuts and parsley and all but 2 ounces spinach (a good handful) and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is slightly wilted and dry. Remove from heat. Stir in grated Kasseri and cool. Refrigerate until completely chilled. Fold into forcemeat mixture and return to refrigeration. Blanch reserved spinach leaves briefly in boiling, salted water, refresh and drain well.

To Assemble: Cut a piece of plastic wrap about 12 inches long. Spread a 1/4 inch think layer of forcemeat on plastic and top with blanched spinach leaves. Center the remaining rabbit loins on top of the spinach. Use the plastic to wrap the forcemeat completely around the rabbit, but do not catch the plastic inside the cylinder of forcemeat. Wrap the caul fat (or cheese cloth) around the rabbit ballotine, overlapping slightly at the seam.

Bake the ballotine in 375 degrees F oven for 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F. Remove from heat and allow to rest. In sauce pan bring demi-glaze, remaining morels and berries to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.

To Serve: Slice ballotine and serve with sauce on side, accompanied by Wisconsin Blue Cheese Polenta and Crispy Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Cornucopia.

Wisconsin Blue Cheese Polenta: In small, heavy saucepan, combine stock and cream and bring to a boil. Whisk in cornmeal and continue to cook about 20 minutes, whisking occasionally until polenta thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove polenta from heat and stir in pepper and Blue cheese. Pour polenta onto a lightly greased baking sheet and spread it into a 1 inch think, even layer. Cool completely and chill in refrigerator.

To Serve: When ready to serve, cut the firmed polenta into desired shape (diamonds, squares, triangles, circles, crescents) and grill, bake, or sauté to reheat. Serve with sliced ballotine as directed.

Crispy Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Cornucopia: Using a small melon baller, cut balls (or dices) of carrots, zucchini and turnip (about 1-1/2 cups of vegetables). Blanch vegetables until tender, drain and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Heat a griddle to 350 degrees F (over medium heat if using the stovetop). Cook cheese slices until they appear lacy, golden and shape into cornucopias (horns).

To Serve: Sauté vegetables in Butter until hot. Season to taste. Fill cornucopias with vegetables (1/4 cup per horn), allowing vegetables to flow freely from the cornucopia onto the plate.

Source: Chef Leif Eric Benson

Recipe © 2006 Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.