📝 About This Recipe
Fromage Fort, literally 'strong cheese,' is the ingenious French solution for those lonely nubs of Brie, Cheddar, and Goat cheese lingering in the back of your refrigerator. By blending these disparate scraps with dry white wine, garlic, and fresh herbs, you transform humble leftovers into a sophisticated, velvety spread that rivals any gourmet pâté. It is a rustic, zero-waste masterpiece that captures the essence of French farmhouse cooking—bold, creamy, and irresistibly pungent.
🥗 Ingredients
The Cheese Base
- 1 pound Assorted Cheese Scraps (a mix of hard and soft cheeses like Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Gruyère, or Goat)
- 2-4 ounces Cream Cheese (softened; use more if your scraps are mostly hard cheeses)
- 2 tablespoons Butter (unsalted and softened to room temperature)
Aromatics and Liquids
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup Dry White Wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or Muscadet)
- 1-2 cloves Garlic (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley (finely chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly cracked)
- 1 pinch Sea Salt (only if needed after tasting)
- 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional, for a hint of heat)
For Serving
- 1 loaf French Baguette (sliced into rounds)
- 1/2 cup Cornichons (for garnish and acidity)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Chives (snipped for garnish)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Begin by gathering all your cheese scraps. Ensure they are at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to facilitate easier blending.
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2
Trim away any excessively dried-out edges or hard rinds from the cheeses. If using Brie or Camembert, you can leave the white bloomy rind on for extra flavor, but remove any thick, waxy rinds from hard cheeses like Gouda.
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3
Cut all the cheeses into small, 1/2-inch cubes. This ensures the food processor can break them down evenly without overworking the motor.
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4
Place the garlic cloves into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely minced.
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5
Add the cubed cheese pieces, the softened cream cheese, and the butter to the food processor.
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6
Pulse the mixture 10-12 times until the cheese is broken down into small, uniform crumbles.
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7
While the processor is running on low speed, slowly pour in 1/4 cup of the dry white wine through the feed tube.
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8
Continue to process for 1-2 minutes until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. If it feels too stiff or grainy, add more wine one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
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9
Add the fresh parsley, cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Pulse 3-4 more times just to incorporate the herbs without turning the spread green.
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10
Taste the Fromage Fort. Depending on the mix of cheeses used, it may or may not need a pinch of salt. Blue cheeses or aged cheddars are often salty enough on their own.
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11
Transfer the spread into a ceramic crock or a glass jar. Smooth the top with a spatula.
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12
For the best flavor development, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, though overnight is even better.
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13
Before serving, let the spread sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to soften slightly. If you prefer it warm, spread it on baguette slices and broil for 1-2 minutes until bubbly.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always aim for a balance of roughly 60% hard cheeses and 40% soft/creamy cheeses for the perfect texture. Avoid using too much blue cheese (more than 15% of the total weight) as it can easily overpower the other flavors. If your mix is very salty, omit the added sea salt entirely and increase the amount of unsalted butter. The spread keeps beautifully in the freezer for up to 3 months; just thaw it in the fridge before serving. Use a crisp, acidic white wine like Sancerre or Pinot Grigio to cut through the richness of the fats.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve alongside a pile of crunchy cornichons and pickled pearl onions to provide a sharp contrast to the rich cheese. Pair with a glass of the same dry white wine used in the recipe for a harmonious tasting experience. Spread generously on thick slices of toasted sourdough or a crusty French baguette. Top with a drizzle of honey and crushed walnuts for a sweet-and-savory variation. Use as a decadent topping for a baked potato or stirred into hot pasta for a quick 'adult' mac and cheese.