The Essential Book of Fermentation (33 page)

6 large eggs, separated

¼ cup heavy cream

½ cup crumbled fresh goat cheese

¼ cup diced country ham

1.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and butter a 2-quart casserole dish.

2.
Place the leeks in a large saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer until very tender, about 10 minutes. Strain the leeks, squeeze out the excess liquid, and set aside.

3.
Combine the milk and half-and-half in the saucepan, scald it over medium heat, and gradually whisk in the sugar, cornmeal, and flour. Stir until thick, smooth, and creamy, about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter until melted.

4.
In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the cream until light and smooth and add to the cornmeal mixture. Lightly beat in the goat cheese, ham, and leeks.

5.
In a separate large bowl, whip the eggs whites until soft peaks form and fold into the cornmeal mixture.

6.
Pour into the prepared casserole and bake until the eggs are set, 45 to 55 minutes. Serve warm with a little sorghum on the side.

Savory Cheddar Polenta with Maple Poached Apples

This recipe is so good, it made my mouth water when I read it over for the first time. It was even more mouthwatering on the plate. It comes from the Grafton Village Cheese Company—the cheesemaking arm of a nonprofit foundation that uses its proceeds to support preservation of the quaint village of Grafton, Vermont, and other charities. So besides doing yourself a good turn when you make this dish, you’ll be doing the beautiful state of Vermont a good turn, too.

Serves 4

2 medium cooking apples, such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith

2 cups apple juice or cider

¾ cup maple syrup

½ lemon, thinly sliced

½ cinnamon stick

5 whole allspice berries

2 tablespoons brandy

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup dried polenta

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Grafton Village Gold cheddar cheese, plus more for topping (optional)

1½ teaspoons fresh thyme, or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme

Mascarpone cheese for topping

¼ cup toasted walnut or pecan halves for garnish

Brown sugar for topping

1.
Peel, halve, and core the apples. Place in a 2-quart saucepan with the apple juice, maple syrup, lemon slices, cinnamon stick, allspice, and brandy. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly and the apples are tender. Remove from the heat; keep warm while you make the polenta.

2.
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat and add the salt. Gradually whisk in the polenta, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 to 35 minutes, until velvety and the polenta pulls away easily from the side of the pan. Stir in the cheese and thyme.

3.
Spoon one-quarter of the polenta into each of 4 shallow bowls or ramekins. Top each with half a poached apple and one-quarter of the poaching juices, followed by a generous tablespoon of mascarpone cheese. Garnish with the toasted walnuts and extra grated cheddar if you like. Finish with a sprinkle of brown sugar on top.

Yankee Doodle Macaroni and Cheese

The Yankee part of this dish would be Shelburne Farms aged cheddar. Like Grafton Village, Shelburne Farms is part of a nonprofit Vermont organization. In this case, it teaches the wise use of our natural and agricultural resources. The farm’s beautiful buildings and grounds host thousands of visitors annually, and its herd of Brown Swiss cows, raised on the farm, produce rich milk that makes one of the world’s finest natural cheeses. It’s good community policy to buy some Grafton Village and Shelburne Farms cheese and thus support their efforts. And it gives you a reason to visit beautiful Vermont, especially during fall foliage time.

Serves 6

¼ pound Shelburne Farms aged cheddar cheese, grated

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

¹
⁄
₃
cup milk

Salt

1½ pounds rigatoni

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1.
Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

2.
Start bringing a pot of salted water for the pasta to a boil.

3.
Meanwhile, combine the cheddar cheese, butter, milk, and a pinch or two of salt in a saucepan large enough to accommodate the rigatoni. Slowly warm over low heat, using a wooden spoon to break apart the cheddar and help it melt until the sauce is dense and creamy in texture, then take it off the heat and set aside.

4.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions.

5.
About halfway through cooking the pasta, add the cream to the cheddar sauce and return it to medium-low heat, stirring and reducing it slightly. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce.

6.
Turn the mac and cheese into a casserole dish and sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until the top bubbles and browns slightly. Don’t overbrown. Serve immediately.

John Ash’s Green Chile and Cheese Rice

John Ash is one of America’s premier chefs; he’s devoted to using organic ingredients because of his commitment to the environment. His book
From the Earth to the Table
won the Book of the Year award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals. John calls for Jack cheese in this recipe. I tried it with Cowgirl Creamery’s all-organic Mount Tam cheese and it was superb. Jack, brick, or Colby would each be excellent. Best would be one of your own well-aged washed-rind cheeses, such as those made with the recipe
here
.

Serves 4

½ pound semi-firm cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes

Fresh cilantro leaves

2 large poblano chiles, roasted, seeded, and cut lengthwise into ½-inch strips

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup minced onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup basmati or long-grain white rice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

1¾ cups rich chicken stock

1.
Make little “presents” that the diners will discover in their rice by wrapping each cube of cheese with a few cilantro leaves held by a strip of the roasted chile. Set aside.

2.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened but not browned. Add the rice, oregano, and fennel seeds and sauté for 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the stock is mostly absorbed but still visible. Test to make sure the rice is just about done. It should be soft through with just a little resistance in the very center of the grain.

3.
Gently poke the chile-wrapped cheese cubes into the rice in various spots. Cover and continue to cook for 5 minutes, or until all the stock is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let stand uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

Goat Cheese and Green Onion Galette

Joanne Weir is a thoroughly organic chef (as she should be, having spent five years cooking at Chez Panisse) who hosts a PBS show,
Weir Cooking in the Wine Country,
and has written a companion book,
Weir Cooking: Recipes from the Wine Country.
I asked Joanne to pick a recipe she particularly loves and pair it with a wine. She says, “This galette has been one of my all-time favorites for years. You’ll see why! Serve it with a full-bodied Chardonnay.” It calls for several kinds of cheeses, plus crème fraîche, some of which, I hope, will be yours.