photo courtesy of Tillamook Cheese
This year Tillamook Cheese from Oregon is celebrating it's 100th anniversary. This family-owned cooperative makes various dairy products including butter, ice cream, and yogurts, but it is most famous for their cheddar cheese. To celebrate its one hundredth anniversary, Tillamook Cheese released a special 100th Anniversary Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar. This cheese comes in a 2-pound wheel, enclosed in black wax, and packed in a cute wooden box. This cheddar is aged for three years, yielding a pleasant cheddar flavor that is predominantly mild despite a hint of flavorful sharpness. Slightly crumbly in texture, for an extra sharp cheddar it remains surprisingly milky with pockets of crisp flavor crystals.
Tillamook's Vintage Cheddar is an accessible cheese with very little of the extra sharpness evident in other such cheeses. It retains a sufficiently creamy texture to also serve admirably in a cheese melt. We especially enjoyed the Tillamook cheddar melted on baguette slices, and proved an excellent ingredient to use in my new recipe for Macaroni & Cheese a la Russe.
This recipe for Macaroni & Cheese a la Russe originated from leftover garnishes of Russian Blini. I had vodka, dill, smoked salmon, and caviar and decided to mix those in with a pasta the next day. The result was a delicious macaroni and cheese that we put on our list of favorite dishes.
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked elbow macaroni
1/2 cup cream
1/3 cup vodka
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt, white pepper to taste
2 cups sharp white cheddar, shredded (such as Tillamook Sharp Cheddar or Vintage White Extra Sharp 3YR. 100th Anniversary Cheddar)
4 ounces smoked wild salmon, thin slices cut into 1 inch squares
1-2 tablespoons dill, finely chopped
Salmon roe caviar (optional)
Directions:
Into a large saucepan pour cream, vodka, and lemon juice. Bring to boil. Season with salt and white pepper, then add white cheddar. Lower the heat and simmer for just a few minutes, stirring until the cheese melts completely. Add macaroni and mix well. At the last minute, before ready to serve, swirl in the 3/4 of the smoked salmon slices. Place macaroni in a large bowl or individual plates, arrange the remaining smoked salmon slices over the top, and sprinkle with dill. Garnish with salmon roe caviar, if available.
