Sitting at my computer last night I saw the date given as 1st May 2017! Where have the first four months of the year gone to? Is it me or is this year going even quicker than last? So, I thought to myself why not go with the theme of 'M' for a post ... so I did!
May is Spring-time, the countryside is looking good and there are some great foods available in the shops ... Manchego cheese may not be everybody's go to cheese, but it can make a pleasant change. Here is a little about it and then have a look at the recipe suggestion. It's for asparagus, toasted almonds & Manchego cheese, a wonderful Spring-time starter, or light lunch. For those of our readers who live in the Southern Hemisphere, maybe you could consider it a great Autumn dish!
"Manchego (pronounced man-chey-go) is a popular, rich, creamy sheep's milk cheese that comes from the La Mancha region of Spain. The Manchego sheep graze on the shrubs of the vast plateaus of the Dehesa and produce a thick milk that gives the cheese its unique character.
It is a semi-firm cheese that is a rich golden colour and a distinct nutty flavour ranging from mild to sharp depending on how long it has been aged.
The distinctive zigzag pattern on the wax rind of the cheese proves that the cheese is Manchego and guarantees the exclusive use of milk only from Manchega sheep and that the cheese has been aged for a minimum of two months.
Availability:
Manchego is available in three different stages: Fresh (fresco), 2-4 months old (curado), or matured for one year (viejo)."
See the above words, picture and more at article here
Asparagus, toasted almonds & Manchego cheese
Ingredients:
Serves Six
36 asparagus spears
140g unsalted butter
100g whole blanched almonds (or toasted pine nuts if preferred)
juice of 1 lemon
50g best-quality Manchego cheese (or a vegetarian hard cheese could be used)
Method:
1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and plunge in the asparagus. Cook for 2-3 minutes, drain, then leave them to sit somewhere warm.
2. Next, put the butter into a cold pan with the almonds. Carefully heat it up, watching that the butter doesn’t get too dark. When it just turns golden brown and is beginning to foam, remove from the heat and pour in the lemon juice to stop the cooking.
3. Arrange the asparagus onto 6 serving plates and spoon over some of the brown butter and almonds. Shave the cheese with a peeler, scatter over and serve.
From an original BBC Food recipe here
A variety of articles and recipe ideas are within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.
All the best Jan
All the best Jan
...time flys when you are having fun.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of manchego cheese but I've never tried it. I agree, this year is flying by.
ReplyDeleteThis cheese looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteI'll look for that when we shop at Earth Fare. We love a variety of cheeses and they are good for me to nibble on when I feel a bit low. Thanks for the suggestion! Happy May!
ReplyDeleteWe love Manchego, though what we get here in the States is not nearly as good as what we've had in Spain.
ReplyDeleteHubby is the one that I must cook for and he is not into cheese of any kind nor asparagus but they are two of my favorites and I count, too :)
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of that cheese before. I don't think I've seen it in my grocery store.
ReplyDeleteI've not had that cheese before but I'm sure I'd like it. Love cheese.
ReplyDeleteYes, it sure is hard to believe it is May already.
It sounds like an interesting cheese and the recipe looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteI love all these ingredients, just had never thought about them together. Wrote it down and will do it! Thank you! (Will have to do goat's cheese on my husband's plate.)
ReplyDeleteI will be sure to look for this cheese next time I'm at the grocery, Jan. I love cheese and I'm sure I will probably love Manchego. Have a great week Jan. ♥
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Manchego cheese but it sounds like something I'd like. I'll have to check for it the next time I'm at the market. I'm so curious now!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cheese, I haven't of this one, I'll try to find some, cheers Jan.
ReplyDeleteThis looks wonderful, Jan, with the asparagus and almonds. Thank you for your kind comments on my wildlife blog - always appreciated!
ReplyDeleteI don't think that I have heard of that cheese
ReplyDeleteDecent asparagus can sometimes be hard to find even when it's in season.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of this type of cheese! Thank you for sharing! Sounds so good! Big Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I have tried this when we've been to Spain. Maybe I need to look in the supermarket next time I'm shopping.
ReplyDeleteLisa x