UK's favourite cheese and recipe for cheesy potato gratin
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According to Google Trends, searches for Cheese and Wine Night have tripled (+203 per cent) during lockdown, but what cheeses have we been including in our virtual cheese and wine nights on Zoom?
The nation's favourite cheese:
Red Leicester - +164 per cent more searches during lockdown
Goats Cheese +158 per cent
Cheddar +97 per cent
Camembert +80 per cent
Brie +72 per cent
Blue Cheese +30 per cent
Mozzarella +19 per cent
Parmesan +17 per cent
Stilton -28 per cent
Wensleydale -33 per cent
It seems that our taste in cheeses has changed as a 2017 study by Branston Pickle crowned Cheddar as the UK’s favourite.
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Hide AdFor something cheesy for your dinner Gousto has shared this recipe for cheesy bacon and potato gratin inspired by the tartiflette from the French Alps.
Ingredients:
1 Brown Onion
1 Tomato
1 Garlic Clove
40g Cheddar Cheese
50g Rocket
90g British Dry Cured Smoked Streaky Bacon
15ml Balsamic Vinegar
15ml Chinese Rice Wine
1 White Potato
1 Pot Of Double Cream (100ml)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ 395°F/ Gas 6
Slice the potatoes (skins on) into discs
Add the potato discs to a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and sprinkle them with cold water (this will help the potatoes cook through!)
Put the tray in the oven for 15-20 min or until softened
While the potatoes are cooking, peel and finely dice the brown onion
Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic
Chop the smoked streaky bacon roughly
Heat a large, dry, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium-high heat
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Hide AdOnce hot, add the chopped bacon and diced onion and cook for 4-5 min, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp
Once crisp, add the chopped garlic and cook for 1-2 min further or until fragrant
Meanwhile, grate the cheddar cheese
Once fragrant, add the Chinese rice wine to the pan and cook for 30 secs
Add 1 tsp flour and give it all a good mix up
Gradually add 150ml milk, a little at a time, and stir everything together until the sauce begins to thicken slightly
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Hide AdStir through the double cream and most of the grated cheddar cheese (save some for later!) and give it all a good mix up until the cheese has melted
Season with a generous grind of black pepper – this is your cheesy bacon sauce
Add half the potato discs to an oven-proof dish in a single layer
Pour over half the cheesy bacon sauce
Repeat this process until you have a final layer of sauce and top with any leftover potato discs
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Hide AdSprinkle over the reserved cheese and put the dish in the oven for 15-20 min or until bubbling and golden - this is your cheesy bacon & potato gratin
While the gratin is in the oven, finely dice the tomato
Add the diced tomato to a bowl with the rocket, balsamic vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper
Give everything a good mix up – this is your rocket salad
Serve the cheesy bacon & potato gratin with the rocket salad to the side
Season with a generous grind of black pepper. Enjoy.
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