Gouda Cheese ... and a LCHF recipe suggestion

Gouda, or "How-da" as the locals say, is a Dutch cheese named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands. It is one of the most popular cheeses in the world, accounting for 50 to 60 percent of the world's cheese consumption. There are seven different types of Gouda cheese, categorized depending on age. Each cheese gets increasingly firmer in texture and richer in flavour than earlier classification. The waxed rind of the cheese also changes by the age as soft, younger Dutch Gouda cheese are identified by yellow, orange, or red wax rinds white mature cheese have black wax coverings. Gouda cheese may be grated, sliced, cubed or melted. It may be used as a table cheese or dessert cheese. 

Gouda is similar in character to another Dutch cheese, Edam. Gouda is a firm cows’ milk cheese with a mild, slightly salty flavour and an elastic texture. It is sometimes flavoured with cumin, or dried in the oven to concentrate its flavour. Gouda can be kept for several years, although aged examples are not widely available outside the Netherlands. Gouda from south Holland is protected, but imitations are produced all over the world. Farmhouse Goudas, made on a small scale, have a fruitier flavour, but are not often exported. Goudas from the traditional region of production will be labelled ‘Noord-Hollandse Gouda’. Young Goudas are eaten fresh, or melted into cooked food; older, drier cheeses can be grated as a garnish. (You can click on the green linked words in the article to find out more). 

If you are looking for a tasty recipe that uses Gouda, this one may fit the bill! It's for a LCHF dish, Courgette/Zucchini, Tomato and Cheese Carpaccio. The recipe suggestion comes from Pascale Naessens, on Diet Doctor site. This courgette/zucchini, tomato and cheese carpaccio, makes a very good vegetarian type twist on the Italian classic. It may be served either as a main course or appetizer, and is quite delicious when the cheese slowly melts over the warm vegetables. 

Ingredients:

Serves Two

2 tomatoes
1 courgette/zucchini
2 tbsp. capers, drained
3½ oz. (100g) gouda cheese, in slices
2 tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
2 tsp balsamic vinegar, syrup
1 tbsp. olive oil
Full instructions:
for this recipe can be found here

Tip!
If you cannot find balsamic syrup, you can make it yourself with regular balsamic vinegar. Boil the vinegar in a saucepan and let it reduce until you get a thick syrup.

Another Tip!
If you are not too bothered about presentation, don't bother with putting it in a ring mold! Just melt the gouda on the veggies in the frying pan and slide it out onto a plate. Yum!

Toasted sesame seeds!
You can use natural sesame seeds but if you have some more time and want that extra flavour, Pascale recommends toasting them. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking dish with parchment paper. Spread the sesame seeds on the prepared baking dish and bake for 6-10 minutes. Check the seeds frequently to make sure they're not burning. Let them become crispy. They should not become dark brown; take them out when they are lightly browned. If necessary, reduce the oven temperature and let them roast a little bit more. Make extras as you can keep them for a few days on a piece of waxed paper in a cool place and use them in other dishes. If they lose their crunch, put them back in the oven for a few minutes.

You will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas 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