A smörgåsbord is perfect for an informal lunch or supper, allowing friends to gather and graze on beautiful cheeses and complementary foods. Slices of bread, crackers and seeded crispbreads can be used as a base before luscious layers of spreads and toppings are added.
At the heart of the perfect smörgåsbord of course is an amazing cheese, which will help you explore the full range of tastes – sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (savoury).
Here, we use Castello Creamy Blue as the star of our smörgåsbord. Its rounded creaminess is perfectly complemented by the sweet and sour flavours of the black cherry and onion chutney (see recipe below).
To introduce the other tastes, serve it with radicchio for a touch of bitterness and a coarse liver pâté and slices of smoked duck breast for umami (savoury) and salty flavours. As a base, try pumpernickel and sourdough breads for wonderful texture and, to drink, choose Belgian black cherry beer – its sweet and sour flavours work with the Creamy Blue in exactly the same way as the chutney.
Black cherry and onion chutney
Serves 4
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 x 440g tin stoneless black cherries
50ml balsamic vinegar
20ml sherry vinegar
3 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
- In a medium-size frying pan, cook the onion in olive oil over a medium heat for 10 mins until slightly caramelised.
- Add the cherries (and their juice), vinegars and sugar. Cook over a medium heat for 10 to 15 mins, until the juices are reduced and slightly thickened.
- Reserve in a bowl and leave to cool. The chutney will keep in the refrigerator for a week.
- To serve, place a spoonful of cherry chutney on a slice of pumpernickel bread and top with a slice of Castello Creamy Blue.
Tip-topping Castello
For more information on the full range of Castello cheeses and a collection of mouthwatering smorging recipes and drink pairings, visit castellocheese.co.uk
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