Gorgonzola is a noble cheese of soft texture with greenish-blue veins. Due to its specific smell and not entirely pleasant aftertaste, it has not become as popular as Parmesan. That is why blue cheese lingered on the holiday table for so long as part of a cheese platter.
Skillful housewives are looking for new dish recipes, passing by blue cheese, although even a small piece can add sophisticated notes to an everyday salad. What foods are best to eat French cheese with?
Gorgonzola sauce composition No. 1
- Heat 100 grams of cream over low heat (you can do this in a small saucepan).
- Divide Gorgonzola (200 g) into pieces and gently mash with a fork. Dip the cheese into well-heated cream and leave it there to simmer. 8-10 minutes will be enough. It is necessary to bring it to bubbles, stirring constantly. Then you can turn it off.
- Remove the Gorgonzola sauce from the stove and add the juice from half a lemon. While stirring, add nutmeg and pepper. Let the seasoning brew. You can serve it to the table!
Production
The description of the technology for the production of Gorgonzola cheese, which is quite complex, can be characterized by several stages:
- pasteurization of cow's, fresh milk at a temperature of 75C for 20 seconds;
- the milk is cooled to 30 - 35C and lactic acid bacteria are added (such as, for example, Bulgarian thermophilic bacillus - streptococcus);
- pennicillum spores are introduced into the mass. Rennet extracted from the stomach of a calf is added, which causes coagulation within 20 minutes;
- the already thickened mass is broken into large pieces, rubbed with salt, cooled on tables, then laid out in layers in molds to allow moisture to drain for approximately 24 hours;
- cheese molds are stored indoors at a temperature of about 5C and 90% humidity (traditionally this was done in caves). After about 20 days, the cheese is pierced with brass steel needles, through which air enters, giving an excellent opportunity for blue mold to spread inside the mold;
- after 20 days, the cheese is turned over again and punctures are made on the other side. The more punctures, the richer the taste and marbling of Gorgonzola;
- ripening lasts 2 - 3 months (minimum 50 days).
The finished cheese should be supplied in the form of a cylinder, weighing from 6 to 13 kg, with a diameter of 20 - 30 cm.
You will learn all the details about the production of Gorgonzola cheese from the video:
The interesting thing is that to produce this one form, you will need almost a hundredweight of fresh cow's milk.
How to make gorgonzola at home?
Due to recent events, namely sanctions, it would not be out of place to present a recipe for making Gorgonzola cheese at home. This process will require the following steps:
- pour cow's milk into a large container;
- heat in a water bath, stirring constantly, at a temperature of no more than 33C;
- add rennet starter and calcium chloride there, leave for half an hour;
- cut the resulting cottage cheese into small pieces;
- place the curd in cheesecloth and hang until the whey is completely separated;
- Place half of the squeezed cottage cheese into a bowl with fabric already laid on the bottom;
- add special mold spores for Gorgonzola cheese (or for all types of blue cheeses) to the curd mass, place the second half of the curd on top. It is possible to buy spores, without which the cheese cannot even remotely resemble Gorgonzola, in online stores, for example;
- remove the resulting product by tying the ends of the material, place it under a press, and turn it over for 3 days;
- the next step is to rub the compressed cottage cheese with salt, place it in a container, drain the resulting whey every day for 3 days;
- replace the material with clean and dry one, turning the cheese product over every day, store in this way for 2 months;
- For the next month, at a temperature of 7 degrees, store the cheese until fully ripened.
Properly prepared Gorgonzola at home is not inferior to the original cheese in taste.
Gorgonzola sauce: recipe No. 2
You will need the following ingredients: about 60-70 grams of melted butter, half a glass of grated Gorgonzola (Dor Blue can be substituted), fresh herbs, onions, finely chopped garlic (several cloves), chopped freshly ground pepper. The steps are simple:
- Melt the butter in a small container over low heat.
- Dip the cheese into it, and then, stirring constantly, add the herbs, garlic and pepper. Heat slowly for several minutes, stirring and shaking, until the whole mass becomes homogeneous and melts. Cool slightly and serve.
Tip: butter in the recipe can be safely replaced with cream or sour cream. And now - a few recipes with this magical Gorgonzola sauce.
Creamy sauce with blue gorgonzola cheese
Heat the 18% cream in a saucepan and add a small piece of Gorgonzola cheese, which will completely dissolve in a few minutes. To prevent the bottom of the dish from burning, the sauce must be stirred constantly, and its consistency depends on the duration of the heat treatment.
In essence, the creamy sauce is ready to use, but what the final taste will be depends on the imagination of the cook. To create a masterpiece you need to add several ingredients:
- strained fresh citrus juice (boil separately so that the cream does not curdle);
- turmeric or saffron (for color);
- white or red wine, after boiling;
- add cardamom, cinnamon stick at the beginning of cooking (for dessert dishes);
- nutmeg, paprika, ground red pepper and other spices.
This versatile gorgonzola sauce can be poured over a main dish, served separately in a gravy boat, or used as a fondue for fruits and vegetables. It goes well with pork, chicken and even fish that has a neutral taste (hake, pike perch, pollock). You can make any pasta (spaghetti, linguine, penne), but it will be especially delicious with sun-dried tomatoes. The cooled sauce is very viscous, so it must be thoroughly reheated before serving. To do this, add boiled water so that it does not burn and maintains the desired consistency.
Let's cook simply!
- Mix Dijon mustard, olive oil and thyme in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle pork tenderloins with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet to high heat.
- Add the pork and fry until brown, about 5 minutes on each side.
- Transfer pork to prepared baking sheet. Spread a mixture of Dijon mustard and spices on all sides of the meat.
- Preheat the oven to 200 Celsius. Roast in the oven for about half an hour. Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. To do this, we will use one of the above recipes.
- Cut pork and transfer to serving plates. Place a little sauce on the pulp. Serve an additional portion of Gorgonzola separately in a small container.
Pork chop with prosciutto, apple and gorgonzola, served with asparagus and pea risotto
Ingredients:
- 24cm piece of pork rind
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Salt, for seasoning
- 4 pork loin chops, scored
- 8 sage leaves
- 1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
- 40 g gorgonzola, sliced
- 4 slices prosciutto
Risotto:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 35 g butter, chopped
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
- 150 g arborio rice
- 125 ml dry white wine
- 600 ml boiling chicken broth
- Salt and pepper, for dressing
- 1/2 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 cm pieces
- 65 g frozen peas
- 40 g grated parmesan
- Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Preparation: 1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Brush the pork rind with oil and season with salt, then place skin side down on a rack in a roasting pan and cook for 50 to 60 minutes, or until fine bubbles appear on the surface, and the skin is golden and crisp 2. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over high heat. lightly oiled. Cook the pork chops in two batches, 2 minutes per side or until browned. Transfer to a baking sheet. 3. Place two sage leaves, three apple slices and 10 grams of gorgonzola on each chop. Wrap each chop with a slice of prosciutto. Set aside.
4. To make the risotto, heat the olive oil and 10g butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, for 15 minutes or until soft. Stir in the rice and add the wine. Cook, stirring, until the wine evaporates. Add chicken stock, a half cup at a time, stirring constantly until absorbed. This should take about 20-25 minutes. The rice should be tender and creamy, but not thick. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir in asparagus and peas 10 minutes before the rice is done. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, and remaining butter. 5. Place the pork in the oven and cook for 10 minutes or until the prosciutto is crisp and the meat is cooked through. Let the meat stand covered for 5 minutes. Serve pork with cracklings and risotto.
Tips: - To make chicken stock, place 1 large, washed, raw chicken in a stock pot. Add 4 chopped celery stalks, 1 coarsely chopped onion, 3 chopped carrots, 1 bunch of chopped parsley stalks, 1 tablespoon salt and enough water to cover all ingredients (about 4.5 quarts). Let simmer uncovered for 1 ½ hours, skimming off any foam. Cool slightly, remove chicken. Strain the broth and discard the vegetables. Use cooked chicken in salads and sandwiches. — To make the cracklings even crispier, sprinkle the skins with salt and leave them in the refrigerator overnight, uncovered. This will draw moisture out of it. Dry before cooking.
Let's cook simply!
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a container. Then add flour and beat. Cook until the flour is light brown in color, about 5 minutes.
- Slowly add milk. When all the milk is added, it should thicken, but not completely. Turn the heat to low and continue cooking for about 4-5 minutes.
- Add Gorgonzola cheese and stir until thick. And for taste add salt and pepper. This may be required individually.
- Fry the mushrooms separately in oil over low heat for 10-15 minutes and add to the paste.
- Serve pasta with mushrooms on top and garnish with fresh rosemary. Bon appetit everyone!
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When we think about Italy, in most cases we remember juicy pizza with tomato sauce, delicious pasta flavored with Parmesan... then delicious Italian desserts alternate in our heads... And it’s unlikely that many of us break into a satisfied smile at the thought of Italian polenta. But in vain... After all, this is an amazing dish that deserves attention no less than pizza, pasta and even Tiramisu.
Polenta, like most Italian dishes, was popular mainly among poor working people. They prepared “porridge” from simple grains (usually millet, later from barley), mixing it with water. During the Roman Empire, polenta occupied a leading place in the diet of Roman soldiers. The soldiers cooked it on hot stones, ate it in the form of “porridge” or, almost like we do today, in the form of “pies”.
Even during the period of active distribution of bread in Ancient Rome, legionnaires, and even ordinary poor people, preferred the simple, but tasty and well-known polenta. For several centuries, peasants ate their usual polenta, until the Saracens discovered buckwheat for them. To this day, polenta is made from buckwheat in Tuscany. Around the 15th-16th centuries, with the advent of corn in Italy, this cereal began to be used as a basis for preparing polenta. Perhaps this cereal was inferior in its nutritional properties to its predecessors, but it gained enormous popularity, especially in the northern part of Italy.
Nowadays, polenta is an exquisite dish, a delicacy for gourmets. There are hundreds of recipes for its preparation. Famous chefs flavor polenta with delicious sauces and serve it with legumes, meat and vegetables. If you are not yet familiar with this Italian dish, I suggest you take a closer look. This is a great alternative to pasta, risotto and pizza!
This time I decided to cook “hard” polenta with mushrooms with a gentle gorgonzola sauce. I honestly admit that this option seems to me one of the most exquisite, but the taste... The taste cannot be described in words - it’s worth trying! In addition, the dish is beautiful and looks very elegant - I think you can prepare it for some kind of celebration.
Fried polenta with mushrooms and Gorgonzola sauce
Ingredients:
500 g corn flour for polenta 2 liters of water 20 g salt 2 tbsp. olive oil for frying
Sequencing:
1. Boil water and add salt (at the rate of 10 g of salt per liter of water). 2. Pour water over the flour and bring to a boil, stirring continuously with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming. 3. After boiling, cook for about 30 minutes over low heat, stirring the polenta with a wooden spoon. The finished polenta should come away from the edges of the pan.
Polenta is a very interesting dish. You can make it thinner (about the same as mashed potatoes) by adding 2.5 liters of water, or thicker by reducing the amount of water. I chose to make a roll out of it. To do this, I laid the finished polenta on cooking paper and formed a “log” out of it, cooled it and cut it into pieces about 1 cm thick. Then I fried each circle in olive oil on both sides.
Again, polenta sauces can be completely different. This time I prepared mushroom sauce with gorgonzola. Sauce
Ingredients:
100 g dried shiitake 400 g fresh champignons 1 onion 2 cloves garlic 1 tbsp. butter + 1 tbsp. olive oil for frying 250 g sour cream 150 ml milk 100 g Gorgonzola salt, pepper to taste a handful of walnuts
Sequencing:
1. Soak the shiitake in advance. 2. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Fry in a mixture of oils until golden brown. 3. Drain the water from the shiitake, fry along with the champignons cut into plates. 4. Boil milk in a small saucepan and add cheese. When the cheese is completely melted, add sour cream. Salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and pour the prepared sauce over the mushrooms. Mix. 5. Serve the polenta with a generous amount of sauce and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
PS. I wish you a delicious meal and the most bon appetit!
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