Archive for the ‘Swiss Cheese’ Category

After-Party Surprise: Fritata Gruyere

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

I’ve always loved cheese as part of the ingredients in any dish such as quiches, omelettes or just an entree. Even if it’s just for a quick meal or breakfast, having combination cheeses just makes your palate plaok cge2y while identifying the other elements in the dish.

After every party or celebration, are leftovers. And usually it is from the oversupply of purchases or it’s those garnishes you use to liven up your gustatory fares. But whatever it is, creativeness creeps in when the stomach starts to grumble. And today, I would want to share with you a Gruyere fritata dish. Fritata comes from the Italian word meaning a dish made with eggs and other meat or vegetables.

Enjoy your Fritata with Roasted peppers and Gruyere

  • 8 eggs
  • 2 tablespoon cream (you can use half and half)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 2 pcs roasted peppers (if bottled strain from oil)
  • ¼ cup grated gruyere cheese
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • garnishes such as chives or parsley (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Chop the roasted peppers. Add spinach, peppers and cheese with the eggs. Mix until well blended.

Preheat the broiler. Place an 8 inch ovenproof frying pan on top of stove over medium heat. Melt butter with olive oil. When butter foams, add the onion and sauté until onion looks translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic for 1 minute longer. Pour in the egg and vegetable mixture, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the eggs are just firm around the edges for about 4-5 minutes. Using a spatula, lift the edges and tilt the pan to let the uncooked eggs run beneath. Continue cooking until the eggs are nearly set, 4 minutes longer.

Slip the pan under the broiler about 4 inches (10 cm) from the heat source and broil until the top sets and browns lightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the broiler and slide onto a flat serving plate. Sprinkle with the chives and parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature and cut into wedges.

This dish is so easy to make that you would want to repeat and repeat with whatever left over vegetable or meat you might have in your fridge. But always remember that the cheese you get must be from the best cheese place– the Ideal Cheese Shop. And you can be guaranteed that the meal you will prepare will always be delicious, economical and a sure hit to those gourmands.

Oh, just so you know that the fritata’s main ingredient is really egg, but there’s a quote by Clifton Fadiman which he says,”Cheese – milk’s leap toward immortality”. And the best cheese can be found in the only authentic gourmet cheese shop in town. So if you take the cheese out of any dish, you’re as good as demised. And we wouldn’t want that from happening…Life is just so great to enjoy and there’s so little time for everything, right? Have an awesome day!

A Gruyere Starter – Making Dinners Exciting

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

Have you ever had the problem where your family just rushes at dinner, gobbles up food on the table and then rushes back to where they came from, and all in the span of 5 minutes? The verse “you are what you eat” is better replaced by the phrase “you are HOW you eat” by this kind of behavior. (more…)

The Kid Friendly Cheese – The Gruyere

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

As parents, we are responsible for the kind of food we give our children. Thus it is always best to know which best alternative is as against the many ‘junk’ fast foods that are being offered in the market today. The quick fixes of greasy french fries and fattening cheesy burgers may calm down a hungry child, but will not necessarily produce a healthy combination for a snack.

With tremendous choices of cheeses in the market, like the Gruyere Cheese as my favorite for example, it is no excuse to limit children into those that are regularly offered in the forms of various snacks which sometimes have high contents of fat or salt and could lead to obesity.

It is always best to educate ourselves to the nutritional value of the cheeses as well as it’s pleasantness to our palate. And what best way to do them is to start them young. So here are some suggestions:

Kids meals with cheese

  • Non stick cooking spray
  • ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 4 tablespoons grated Grueyere cheese divided
  • ¾ tsp diced rosemary
  • ¼ tsp. Paprika
  • 3 egg whites
  • 4 skinless boneless chicken breast

sauce:

  • ¾ c tomato sauce
  • 1 glove garlic, minced
  • ¼ tsp fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp. Basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with nonstick cooking spray

On a large plate combine bread crumbs, 2 tablespoon gruyere cheese, rosemaryu and paprika. Blend well.

In a shallow dish lightly beat the egg whites.

Dip each piece of chicken into egg whites, then into bread crumb mixture. Coat both sides of chicken. Place chicken on baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes on one side and then turn chicken. Bake for another 10 minutes or so, unit chicken is cooked through and crisp on the outside

While chicken is baking, prepare sauce. In a small saucepan, combine tomato sauce, garlic, parsley and basil over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat.

Place chicken on a serving plate, and top with tomato sauce and remaining 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese.

Never give a child under two years old any food that is low fat, nonfat low sugar, or sugar free. Do not limit their calories or fat intake until they are older than two years old.

Oh, don’t think ‘tapas’ are for adults only to enjoy at cocktails or as appetizers, kids can enjoy their own as well such as the suggested snack below:

Kid’s Happy Hour Tapas:

1) Cut gruyere cheese into strips and place in plastic sandwich bags with a few crackers.

2) Cut up veggies such as celery or place baby carrots in plastic bags or the Cheese and Fruit platter for kids

3) Cut gruyere into squares and place pretzels in plastic sandwich bags.

4) Place in a plastic sandwich bag an assortment of fruits: red and green grapes plus some fresh strawberries.

I can assure you, your kid would love these. They are not only delicious but nutritious as well. And the only way to get the best gruyere cheese is when you get them at the best cheese shop in town, the Ideal Cheese Shop.