WE are eating more cheese than ever – as a treat while languishing at home.
The French are being urged to do the same, to save their struggling dairy farmers.
But over here, seven in ten of us already regularly scoff cheese at lunch.
It is a delight at any time of day, though, and is also a source of bone-building calcium, as well as vitamins A and B12.
This week at Morrisons, there are half-price deals on favourites Cheddar, Edam and Wyke.
So here’s how to please the whole family with cheese, at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
DINNER: Lasagne
Serves 4 – £3.42 per serving
Preparation time: 25 mins
Cooking time: 1hr 35mins
YOU NEED:
- 1 drizzle of olive oil
- 3 white onions, two diced, one sliced
- 750g beef mince
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 50g butter
- 50g plain flour
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 litre milk
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 16 lasagne sheets
- 150g spinach leaves, washed
- 75g Cheddar cheese, grated
- 25g Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper for seasoning.
METHOD: To make the beef ragu, drizzle the olive oil in a large pan, add the diced onion and sauté for five minutes over high heat.
Add the minced beef and garlic and cook for five minutes.
Add the tomato purée, mix and cook for one minute.
Add the tinned tomatoes and stock, mix well.
Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes uncovered.
To make béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a large pan.
Add the sliced onion, plain flour and bay leaf. Cook for one minute.
Add milk to the pan in small amounts.
Each time, allow the milk to warm, then whisk to combine.
This will avoid lumps.
Once you have added all the milk, bring to the boil and cook for two minutes to thicken.
Strain into a large bowl and remove the onion and bay leaf with spoon and fork.
Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Set to one side. To assemble the lasagne, preheat oven to 180C fan/200C/gas 6.
Spoon two ladles (approx. 280ml) of beef ragu on to the base of a large lasagne dish approx. 28x28cm. Top with four lasagne sheets.
Spoon over one and a half ladles (approx. 210ml) of béchamel and top with half of the spinach leaves.
Top with four more lasagne sheets.
Repeat with another layer of beef ragu and four more lasagne sheets.
Top with the remaining beef ragu and béchamel.
Sprinkle over the grated cheeses and place the lasagne dish on a baking tray.
Cook in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes then allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
BREAKFAST: Crustless quiches
Serves 4 – £1.50 per serving
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
YOU NEED:
- Fry Light or similar cooking spray or 1 roll of greaseproof paper
- 6 mushrooms
- 3 fresh vine tomatoes
- 200g grated cheddar
- 6 large eggs
- 6 large egg yolks
- 160ml milk
METHOD: Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.
Lightly spray a muffin tray with cooking spray or line with greaseproof paper.
Spray a non-stick frying pan and cook the mushrooms and the tomatoes together for approximately three minutes, then set aside.
Whisk together the eggs, yolks and milk in a bowl.
Add seasoning if required. In the muffin tray, place mushrooms and tomatoes and cheddar cheese.
Pour over the egg mixture, so it is just below the rim, and add more cheese if desired.
Place in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Turn out and serve hot or cold with the garnish of your choice.
LUNCH: New York-style pastrami bagels
Serves 6 – £1.56 per serving
Preparation time: 10 mins
YOU NEED:
- 6 whole bagels
- 4 tbsp cream cheese
- 4 tbsp piccalilli
- 1 bag of spinach, rocket and red chard
- 4 slices of Edam cheese
- 12 slices of pastrami
- 1 small cucumber, sliced
- 1 small red onion, sliced
METHOD: Cut the bagels in half and toast them lightly under the grill.
Spread the bottom half of each bagel with cream cheese.
Top with piccalilli and a handful of salad leaves.
Lay a slice of Edam cheese over the salad and top with plenty of pastrami, some cucumber and onion.
Season lightly and finish by adding the bagel lid.
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