Lyonnais Strong Cheese
A paste of aged cheeses kneaded with leek, broth, and white wine, which matures and grows stronger over the days: the savory anti-waste of Lyonnais farms.
A paste of aged cheeses kneaded with leek, broth, and white wine, which matures and grows stronger over the days: the savory anti-waste of Lyonnais farms.
In our Mont-d'Or countryside, nothing was wasted: the too-dry cheese ends were pounded with a little leek and white wine to make this strong paste that keeps in a pot. The longer it waits, the more character it has—like certain truths that only reveal themselves through patience. Spread it on a crust of bread, and you will hold there all the spirit of our terroir.
- •Leftover aged cheeses — whatever you have (base)
- •Leek (white part) — one, cooked in butter (binder/flavor)
- •White wine — a dash (fermentation/flavor)
- •Broth — a little (softness)
- •Butter — a knob (binder)
Lyonnais Strong Cheese
A paste of aged cheeses kneaded with leek, broth, and white wine, which matures and grows stronger over the days: the savory anti-waste of Lyonnais farms.
Why this dish? A peasant specialty of Mont-d'Or, very close to Poleymieux where Ampère spent his childhood, strong cheese is born of domestic economy: nothing was thrown away, leftover cheeses were transformed into a powerful paste for keeping.
In our Mont-d'Or countryside, nothing was wasted: the too-dry cheese ends were pounded with a little leek and white wine to make this strong paste that keeps in a pot. The longer it waits, the more character it has—like certain truths that only reveal themselves through patience. Spread it on a crust of bread, and you will hold there all the spirit of our terroir.
Ingredients (period version)
- Leftover aged cheeses — whatever you have (base)
- Leek (white part) — one, cooked in butter (binder/flavor)
- White wine — a dash (fermentation/flavor)
- Broth — a little (softness)
- Butter — a knob (binder)
Ingredients
- Assorted cheeses (dry goat, Comté, Tomme, blue) — 300 g (base)
- Leek white — 1, cooked in butter (binder/flavor)
- Dry white wine — 80 ml (fermentation/flavor)
- Chicken broth — 50 ml (softness)
- Butter — 30 g (binder)
- Pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Gently cook the leek white in butter without browning, let cool slightly.
- Mash or blend the cheeses with the leek, white wine, and a little broth until a homogeneous paste forms; season with pepper.
- Pack into a closed pot and let mature in a cool place for 1 to 2 weeks (the flavor intensifies).
- Serve at room temperature on toasted bread, optionally passed briefly under the broiler to make it frothy.
How it was made : Strong cheese was made in every farm in the Lyonnais and Mont-d'Or regions: leftovers were accumulated in a pot, revived with broth and wine, and slow fermentation gave a powerful condiment that kept for months.
The contemporary twist : Served warm and frothy on a slice of rye bread, like a Lyonnais "welsh" for appetizers.
André-Marie Ampère · Charactorium