Blue Cheese in oil

It never fails that when I love a product either the manufacturer stops making it, or the store stops selling it. I don't know which is the answer this time around, but I love, love this jar of blue cheese packed in oil that I have been buying for a year or so. Just a little nibble spread on a cracker or with a pretzel and a glass of lovely red wine while I cook dinner is a real treat. Just a nibble is all I really want because it is to packed with flavor.

Alas, my grocer no longer carries it. And I will not spend $10 to have it shipped.

I was at my butcher shop on Saturday and since they are an Italian gourmet shop and have a large selection of cheeses, I asked if they carried it. The young employee I asked had no idea what I was talking about so he went and got someone else. That man told me that they don't carry it but that is was simple to make. He was so right.

I didn't find the product on the internet until this morning so I did not know it is normally packed in canola oil, but good to know for the future. I bought two largish pieces of Danish blue cheese. I had 100% extra virgin olive oil, peppercorns and crushed red pepper at home. I did not know it contained juniper berries, bay leaves or garlic, but I'm not sure I would have added them anyway. Maybe a little garlic.

 I used a warm knife and sliced the blue cheese into small cubes. I poured a small quantity of oil (see note below) in a clean old pickle jar (rinsed with boiling water first and dried with a clean towel or paper towel) and added a palmful of black peppercorns and crushed red pepper. I added about half the cheese and then another quantity of oil. More cheese, more oil and a repeat of the peppercorns and red pepper, plus a small palm of coarse sea salt. I put the lid on an rolled it around in my hands -- don't shake it.

We used it last night with our Bonefish Grill salad and it was heavenly. If you like blue cheese, you are sure to like this treat. It would be wonderful with some fruit and crackers, or as part of an antipasta. Or stuff your favorite olives. Yum.

NOTE: Olive oil solidifies at cold temps (I should have remembered that) so for future preparations I will be using canola oil. If you already used olive oil, just warm it a little (or let it sit at room temp) and it will come back to liquid state.

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