Auld Alliance Potted French Blue Cheese And Scotch Whisky Pate Recipes

FRENCH GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Melt butter over low heat in small saucepan. Whisk in flour until blended. Continue to stir and cook butter and flour for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add scalded milk, whisking continually, until mixture is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat, stir in salt, garlic salt, 1/2 cup Swiss cheese and all of Parmesan cheese until cheese is melted and set aside.
• Toast bread slices on large baking sheet on both sides under broiler until golden brown. Remove from oven.
• Brush each bread slice with Dijon mustard. Place sliced ham on half of bread slices and top each with 1/2 of remaining Swiss cheese and remaining 1/2 of bread slices. Spread reserved cheese sauce over tops of sandwiches, sprinkle with left over Swiss cheese.
• Bake sandwiches for 5 minutes. Place under broiler for additional 2-4 minutes, or until tops are browned and bubbly. Watch closely to avoid burning tops. Serve immediately.

AULD ALLIANCE: FRENCH ROQUEFORT CHEESE AND SCOTCH WHISKY PATE

Steps:

• Pound the cheese to a thick cream. Add drop by drop as much whisky as it will 'drink' to make a firm cream.
• Pack into small earthenware pots or ramekins and chill in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours.
• Serve the pâté with hot buttered toast, water crackers, or oatcakes, and seasonal fresh fruits or vegetables. Also a great appetizer filling, and a delicious topping for steak!

BEEF IN CLARET

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a frying pan until it is lightly brown.
• Add the onions and cook uncovered for roughly ten minutes.
• Then add the mushrooms, stir, cover and cook gently for a further ten minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 300F/150C/Gas Mark 2.
• Cut the stewing steak into cubes roughly 1½" square.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the cubes of meat.
• Place in a casserole, add the garlic and sprinkle the flour over the meat.
• Place in the oven uncovered for 15 minutes to continue the browning process.
• Stir from time to time.
• Add the wine, light seasoning and herbs.
• Cover and simmer for 3 hours or until the meat is tender.
• Remove from the oven and stir in the trimmings.
• Heat for a further five minutes and serve with boiled potatoes sprinkled with chopped parsley.
• If you have another bottle of Burgundy or Beaujolais to drink with the meal- so much the better!

TOMATO AND WHISKY SAUCE

Steps:

• Chop the tomatoes and place in a saucepan with the other ingredients.
• Simmer for 20 minutes.
• Store refrigerated.

FRENCH ONION SOUP GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• Over a medium-high flame, heat the oil and add the onions. Cook them slowly (make sure the heat is high enough that they don't steam) and allow them to gently caramelize, about 30 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and the butter at the end to season.
• Assemble the sandwich. On a slice of rye, layer cheese, onions, and a second layer of cheese. Cover with the second slice of rye. Place on a panini grill and press. Sandwich is ready when the cheese has melted.

AULD ALLIANCE: POTTED FRENCH BLUE CHEESE AND SCOTCH WHISKY PATE

Steps:

• Add the blue cheese to a pestle and mortar or a large bowl and pound to a smooth paste.
• Now add the whisky drop by drop, and stir into the creamed blue cheese.
• Continue adding whisky for as long as it is still incorporated into the cheese (or as much as the blue cheese can drink!) and it makes a firm cream.
• Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste and pack into ramekins.
• Chill well before serving and serve either as an unusual pâté for a starter or as a savoury dish to end a meal.
• Serve with toast, crackers, water biscuits or oatcakes, and fresh watercress.