Recipe: Warm yourself up with a delicious baked Camembert

Cheese in France is an institution and camembert is a pillar of this institution. This recipe is fairly easy and is sure to give your guests a delicious, heart, warming dinner. 

The recipe is intended for four people. It will require 15 minutes of active time, 30 minutes of cooking time and 30 minutes of chilling time. 

Ingredients

1kg small, waxy potatoes (such as new or fingerling potatoes, Yukon gold, or Charlotte)

2 × 250g raw-milk Camembert wheels in their wooden boxes (or 1 Camembert per person for larger appetites)

2 cloves garlic

1 large sprig rosemary, cut into pieces

4 small handfuls shelled walnuts, hazelnuts, or other nuts of your choice

1 red endive (or radicchio or another slightly bitter salad green)

4tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp vinegar of your choice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Wash the potatoes and cook them in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 20 minutes, or until tender.

2. Drain, peel, and keep warm.

3. Preheat the oven to 170°C.

4. Take each Camembert wheel out of its wooden box and remove the wrapper, then return the cheese to the box. 

Set the box lids aside for baking. 

Using the tip of a paring knife, cut a circle around the top of each Camembert and peel off the top layer of rind.

5. Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves. Stick garlic slices and a few pieces of rosemary sprig into each cheese, then put the lids on the boxes and bake for 10 minutes.

6. As the cheese bakes, roughly chop the nuts and place them in a bowl. 

Place the endive leaves in a separate bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar. 

Remove the Camemberts from the oven, carefully remove the lids, and season with a few grinds of fresh pepper.

7. Serve immediately, accompanied by the warm potatoes in a shallow dish and the endive leaves on the side. 

Dip the potatoes first in the melted cheese and then in the chopped nuts to coat.

Enjoy!