Selection Of I.j Mellis Cheeses Recipe

Bring cheeses to temperature

Remove all cheeses from refrigeration 30–45 minutes before serving so they come to room temperature; this enhances flavour and texture.

Prepare fruit and nuts

Wash grapes and leave on small stems if possible. Core and thinly slice the apple (leave skin on for color) and toss the slices immediately in a small bowl with a few drops of lemon juice if desired to prevent browning. Lightly toast walnuts in a small dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant; cool.

Arrange cheeses

Place the three cheeses on a wooden board or plate with space between each. For the hard cheddar, cut a few slices and leave a wedge with a knife for guests; for the soft sheep's cheese, place whole or cut into quarters; for the blue, present a small wedge and crumble a little for texture. Label or note the cheeses if desired.

Add accompaniments

Spoon 150 g of the homemade chutney into a small ramekin and place on the board. Add Arran oatcakes and, if guests require gluten-free, provide the GF oatcakes in a separate stack. Scatter grapes, apple slices, toasted walnuts and a few seeded crackers around the cheeses. Garnish with rosemary sprigs for aroma.

Serve

Provide a separate cheese knife for each cheese to avoid mixing flavors. Serve with small spoons for chutney. Suggest guests taste cheeses from mildest to strongest (sheep's/soft, cheddar, blue).

Prepare ingredients: peel, core and dice the cooking apples; finely chop the red onion; grate the ginger and crush the garlic.

Combine: in a medium saucepan add the diced apples, chopped onion, raisins, brown sugar, cider vinegar, water, grated ginger, crushed garlic, Dijon mustard, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.

Cook: bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and cook gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30–40 minutes until the fruit is soft and the chutney has thickened to a jammy consistency. If it becomes too dry, add small amounts of water (1–2 tbsp) to adjust.

Finish and cool: taste and adjust seasoning, adding more sugar or vinegar to balance sweetness and acidity as needed. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. The chutney will thicken further as it cools.

Store: transfer to a sterilized jar and refrigerate. Use within 2–3 weeks. For immediate use, spoon 150 g onto the cheese board as indicated above.