ENGLISH BACKED CHEESE, TRUFFLE CAVIAR & MICRO LEAVE SALAD
ENGLISH BACKED CHEESE, TRUFFLE CAVIAR & MICRO LEAVE SALAD
By Chef Ivonne Barillari
A dish that plays with luxury without appearing ostentatious, achieving a sophisticated, intelligent character.
The English baked cheese arrives at the table warm, featuring a lightly golden crust that yields to the spoon, revealing a rich, molten, and enveloping center. The flavor is full-bodied, milky, and comforting, instantly elevated by balsamic vinegar truffle caviar; these tiny dark pearls burst in the mouth, offering aromatic depth and releasing a profound sweet-and-sour note that cuts through and precisely balances the richness of the cheese. The truffle complements rather than overpowers, intertwining with the sweetness of the balsamic to create an elegant, lingering finish. A micro-leaf salad completes the experience with herbaceous notes and a fresh, pleasantly crisp texture that restores balance and rhythm, cleansing the palate and providing a necessary vegetal contrast. The warmth of the cheese, the intensity of the truffle, the freshness of the greens.
The result is a contemporary, finely tuned dish: comfort food elevated to a refined culinary statement, capable of surprising the diner without sacrificing authenticity.
Serves 4
· Micro leaves salad
· TRUFFITALY Pearls with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena & Truffle
For the British Baked Cheese
30 g butter
30 g flour
300 ml milk
300 g mixed cheeses in equal proportions (Cheddar, Double Gloucester, Cheshire)
1 tbsp dry cider
Nutmeg, to taste
Method
Melt the butter, add the flour, and cook for 1 minute without allowing it to colour. Add the cider, warm milk, and nutmeg, then bring to a boil, stirring continuously to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Add the grated cheeses and stir off the heat until completely melted.
Pour the mixture into a buttered ceramic baking dish and bake at 180°C for approximately 20 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown.
Allow to cool slightly, then portion the British Baked Cheese onto serving plates. Garnish with the micro leaves salad and the TRUFFITALY Pearls with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena & Truffle.
Created by Guest Chef Ivonne Barillari
Fine-Dining Culinary Specialist
