The thrifty French way to turn the leftover ends of a cheese board into a sharp, garlicky spread, so nothing goes to waste. Make it a day ahead and pack it into little covered pots. From The Clean Table: An Herbalist's Kitchen in the Creuse.
225gleftover cheese endsa mix: mostly mild or medium cheese (tomme, Brie, Comté), a little goat, only a small piece of blue
1garlic clove
60mldry white wineor chicken broth
1tbspsalted buttersoftened; optional, for a creamier spread
1/4tspblack pepperfreshly ground
1tspfresh thyme or parsley leavesoptional
Instructions
Cut off any hard, waxy or very dry rinds from the cheese. Soft white rinds (Brie, Camembert) and the rind of a goat cheese can stay in. Cut everything into rough chunks about the size of a walnut.
Put the garlic in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Add the cheese, butter if using, pepper and herbs. Pulse to break it up, then pour in the wine and blend for about 30 seconds, until creamy but not completely smooth. Add a splash more wine if it is too stiff. Taste before adding any salt: the cheeses are usually salty enough.
Spoon into small covered pots or ramekins, smooth the tops, put the lids on and refrigerate overnight so the garlic and wine mellow into the cheese.
Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving so it softens. Spread it on slices of baguette, or put it under the grill for a minute or two until it bubbles.
Notes
Where it comes from. Fromage fort, "strong cheese," is an old farmhouse habit from Lyon, Burgundy and the Beaujolais: the odds and ends of the cheese board went into a crock with wine or broth and garlic, and nothing was thrown away.For a holiday table. Make it up to three days ahead. Covered in the fridge it keeps about a week.No food processor? Grate the hard cheese, mash everything with a fork, and beat in the wine a little at a time.The Vegetarian Way. Use the wine, or a vegetable broth, and cheeses made with vegetable or microbial rennet.Galenic note. Galen counted aged cheese warm, dry and heavy. Thyme and parsley lighten it, and the old cheese course came at the end of the meal for good reason: a small amount is enough.Nutrition is an estimate for a mixed board of cheeses with the butter included.