Savoury Cheese Custard for all Seasons
If a sauce can be ‘quiet luxury’, this is definitely it. Kept low and slow on the hob, cream, egg yolks and cheese are coaxed together into a silky emulsion. Success depends on gentle heat and patience; rush it, and you’ll get scrambled eggs. Choose your cheese according to mood and frankly, this is my modus operandi for most things. Go to Gruyère for nutty depth, pecorino for a salty tang, or Comté for rich sweetness.
Spoon it over whatever vegetables the season is currently offering: asparagus spears in spring, grilled zucchini in summer, sautéed mushrooms come autumn, or sweet roasted beetroot in winter. You might want to double the quantity as I’m sure you’ll keep finding excuses to eat this, it’s that good.
ingredients
- 125ml cream
- 2 egg yolks
- 100g semi-hard or hard cheese such as Gruyere, pecorino etc
- salt/white pepper optional depending on the flavour profile of your cheese
- seasonal vegetables of choice
Warm the cream gently over low heat until it just begins to simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour the warmed cream over the yolks, whisking constantly.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over very low heat, stirring continuously with a spatula. Do not be tempted to raise the heat or you may end up with scrambled eggs instead.
When the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency (a line drawn on the spatula holds without closing), remove from the heat. Gradually stir in the cheese until fully melted and smooth; the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Taste and decide if you need to season with salt, pepper, or white balsamic vinegar.
Strain through a fine sieve for a silky texture, cover with cling film pressed to the surface, and set aside to cool. If not using within an hour, refrigerate until needed then allow to come to room temperature to serve.
Serve with your favourite vegetables of the season. It’s delightful with blanched asparagus in spring, grilled zucchini spears in summer, sauteed mushrooms in autumn and wedges of roasted golden beetroot in winter.