Cheesegiving

What do you make for Thanksgiving when you’re a cheesemonger? Why, something wonderfully cheesy, of course! Here are four takes on Thanksgiving classics— starring Wisconsin artisan cheese—from four top mongers.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Dunbarton Blue

Recipe By: Benjamin Roberts St. Paul Cheese Shop St. Paul, Minnesota

“Every year, I am crazy busy slinging cheese the day before Thanksgiving and I have almost no energy left to cook once my shift is done. I can’t show up at dinner empty handed so I need something relatively quick and easy. I’ve been bringing Brussels sprouts to Thanksgiving dinner for the past 10 years and was beginning to grow bored of the straight up Brussels sprouts and bacon route. Grating the Dunbarton Blue on top actually adds a sweet, earthy dimension that compliments both the sprouts and the shallots. ”

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, cleaned and outer leaves removed

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Salt

• ½ pound (8 ounces) thick-cut bacon (about 8 slices)

• 4 shallots, peeled and chopped

• 2 cups (8 ounces) Wisconsin Dunbarton Blue cheese or other Wisconsin cheddar blue cheese, shredded

• Black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Halve Brussels sprouts and toss with olive oil in mixing bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Spread sprouts evenly on baking sheet and roast 30 to 35 minutes. Do not crowd. Shake occasionally while roasting so they brown evenly.

Meanwhile, chop bacon into 1-inch pieces and cook in large pan over medium-low heat until crisp. Remove from fat with slotted spoon and reserve on paper towel. Increase heat to medium high and add shallots. Sauté shallots until translucent, about 5 minutes, and reserve with bacon.

Combine warm roasted Brussels sprouts, bacon and shallots in large bowl. Add Dunbarton Blue to bowl and lightly toss. Season to taste with pepper and serve.

Cheese Stuffed Pumpkin

Recipe By: Greg Upward Fromagination Madison, Wisconsin

Greg developed this recipe 20 years ago when catering a reception to honor the late artist Hollis Sigler. The menu was designed to honor her through taste and visuals. It makes an excellent alternative main dish for a Thanksgiving menu.

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

• Large loaf of country bread, cubed

• 2-3 garlic cloves

• 1 medium heirloom pumpkin

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 3 pounds mixed mushrooms (button, portobello, oyster, etc.), roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 cups heavy cream, plus more depending on pumpkin size

• 1-2 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

• Pinch cayenne pepper 4 cups (1 pound)

• Wisconsin Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese or other Wisconsin alpine-style cheese, shredded

• 2 cups (8 ounces) Wisconsin emmantaler cheese, shredded

• 2 cups (8 ounces) Wisconsin Grand Cru ® cheese or other alpine-style cheese, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Toast bread cubes in shallow baking pan for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and rub bread cubes with garlic cloves; set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Using serrated knife, remove top of pumpkin (like carving a traditional pumpkin). Scrape top and inside of pumpkin, removing seeds and fibers. Season inside of pumpkin with salt and pepper and set on prepared baking sheet.

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms begin to release juices. Set aside to cool slightly.

In separate saucepan, warm cream over medium-heat, add bay leaves, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Bring to gentle simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place all three shredded cheeses in bowl and mix to combine.

Place single layer of bread cubes in bottom of pumpkin; top with layer of mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle handful of cheese over top and drizzle with about 1/3 cup heavy cream. Gently pack layer down using back of spoon. Repeat layers until pumpkin is filled to about 1/2-inch below top. Number of layers will depend on size of pumpkin.

Place top on stuffed pumpkin and bake for 1 hour, depending on size, until filling is hot and cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven and let sit about 10 minutes before serving.

Carefully transfer pumpkin to plate and serve. Scoop out a bit of pumpkin with stuffing for each serving.* Wisconsin makes several styles of alpine cheeses, including Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Grand Cru ® , and swiss.

Sweet Potato Gratin

Recipe By: Tracy Kellner Provenance Food and Wine Chicago, Illinois

“I fell in love with this dish when I worked at Barcelona restaurant in the ’90s in Columbus, Ohio. Chef Brian Hinshaw served this alongside a fontina-stuffed pork chop with sautéed baby spinach. I make this at home for Thanksgiving dinner, but it’s so rich and delicious, I crave it every season. To lighten some of the sweetness, I add an aged alpine-style cheese like Wisconsin Grand Cru® . ”

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

• Butter for baking dish, softened

• 2 cups heavy cream or half & half*, divided

• 3 large or 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise on a mandoline to about 1/8-inch thickness, divided

• 2 cups (8 ounces) Wisconsin Grand Cru ® cheese or other Wisconsin alpine-style cheese, shredded, divided

• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 6-8 sage leaves for garnish, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Lightly butter 2-quart casserole dish. Pour 1/4 cup cream or half & half into dish.

Begin layering sweet potatoes over cream so they overlap. You will be making 4 layers.

Top with about 1/2 cup cheese and salt and pepper to taste; add second layer of potatoes; top with about 1/2 cup cheese and salt and pepper to taste. After second layer, pour 1/2 of remaining cream over potatoes. Top with third potato layer, 1/2 cup cheese and fourth potato layer. Pour remaining cream over top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. If using sage leaves, arrange them in pretty pattern over top.

Cover casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake about 45 minutes; remove foil and bake additional 30 to 40 minutes, until cream has been absorbed and potatoes are tender to knife blade. Remove casserole from oven and let sit, covered, for at least 20 minutes to set. Cut into squares and serve.

* For additional flavor, whisk in 1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg, grated, and ground cloves into cream, if desired.

The Cheesemonger’s Macaroni

Recipe By: Kathleen Cotter The Bloomy Rind Nashville, Tennessee

“As a cheese lover, I think the key to great mac and cheese is using two or three different styles of cheese. This creates a lot more depth of flavor instead of just a single note that, let’s be honest, can be a little less than amazing. And you deserve nothing less than amazing mac and cheese! In this recipe, I’ve selected Snowfields™ cheese for its richness and slightly sweet notes, Hook’s 4-year sharp cheddar for its punchy sharpness and Marieke ® Gouda for that incredible butterscotchy, brothy flavor of a great aged gouda. If you have another favorite Wisconsin Cheese, by all means, make the dish your own. ”

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Snowfields™ cheese or butterkäse cheese, shredded

• 1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Hook’s 4-year cheddar cheese, shredded

• 1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Marieke ® Gouda cheese, shredded

• 8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Warm milk in small saucepan on the stove or in a bowl in microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes.

In large skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly.

Gradually add warm milk, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened.

Add salt and black pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup of each cheese; set aside. Add remaining cheese to skillet, mixing well. Add cooked pasta to pan. Spoon pasta mixture into lightly buttered 2-quart baking dish; top with reserved cheese.

Bake 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Want to customize your mac and cheese? Try one or more of these optional add-ins: cayenne, thyme, ground red pepper, sriracha, bacon, bread crumb topping.