Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Recipe: Fried cheese

Gouda enough to eat! Photo by Rob Sangster-Poole.

And other tasty fried things, too!

 

Cheese rocks. Unless you’re a vegan. Or really gassy. Or lactose intolerant. I’m also told being “bovine bi-product sensitive” is a thing. Who knew? But anyway, for the rest of us, cheese rocks. And the best way to make an already delicious food better is to deep-fry it! So here’s a really basic guide for how to make homemade deep-fried cheese. Luckily, frying cheese does not require a proper deep fryer.

The most important thing is that you buy a relatively firm cheese. This is just because you don’t want it melting too fast and oozing out of the breading. I usually head down to the farmer’s market and find a nice Gouda (my favourite is one with garlic and chives mixed in). If you can find it (I think Pete’s carries it) Manchego cheese is even better for frying since it’s nice and hard. Whatever your fancy, you’ll only need about 200g worth for one batch.

Start by slicing your block of cheese into pieces (I do isosceles triangles) almost one centimetre thick – as long as the pieces aren’t flimsy, you’re fine. A good knife really helps. When you’re done, set the cheese aside.

Next up is the breading. Combine the flour, bread crumbs and spices in a mixing bowl. You’ll also need to whisk up a couple eggs and a bit of milk in a separate bowl.

Now throw some wax paper or aluminum foil on a plate and you can start coating the cheese. I must’ve been a shop rat in a past life, because I like to start a little production line on the counter: cheese, batter, breading, plate. Yeah, I’m a little OCD.

Dip each slice in the egg batter, then toss it around in the breading until it’s covered. IMPORTANT: You’ll need to repeat this process at least once, if not twice, just to make sure the cheese is well insulated and won’t seep out later.

When all the cheese is ready, heat up the vegetable oil in a frying pan (stainless steel if you have one). You should also get a plate ready with some paper towel for when the cheese is done frying. Once the oil’s nice and hot (about 8 minutes) drop in the battered cheese. It’s not a bad idea to just test one piece first to make sure it’s hot enough. Make sure not to stack any slices; each piece should be face down in the oil. Do two batches if necessary. Once the downsides are golden brown (only takes a minute or two) flip ’em for another minute and then take ’em out. NOTE: Use a metal spatula or tongs, because plastic will melt. I learned this the hard way.

That’s all, folks. Let your fried cheese cool down for a minute and serve it up with your favourite dipping sauce. I recommend sweet chili sauce!

Interesting fact: the breading in this recipe is pretty generic. It works for tons of fried appetizers. So if you’re not into cheese, substitute shrimp or pepperoni or whatever you fancy. And don’t forget to share with friends!

 

Ingredients:

1 block of cheese (150-200g)

2 eggs

4 tbsp milk

3/4 cup flour

1 1/4 cup bread crumbs (I prefer the cheap no name kind)

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

2-3 tsp garlic powder

Salt + pepper to taste

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