Stuck for midweek meal inspiration or looking to up your picnic game? Try Orkney Cheese’s vibrant summer recipes
Written by Lidia Molina-Whyte
It’s hard to think of a dish that isn’t improved by the addition of a perfectly sharp cheddar. Melted into sauces, sprinkled over bakes or simply stacked onto an oatcake spread with chutney, it’s a delicious ingredient you can always depend on.
But not every cheddar tastes the same. Orkney Cheddar, made in the breathtaking Orkney Islands, is a well-rounded cheese that makes flavours pop. It’s also an ode to tradition, from only using Orkney-reared cows to carefully hand-salting each delicious batch.
Orkney White Mature Cheddar has a mellow taste, and its sweet notes are undercut with just the right amount of tanginess. Grate it into this bright orzo risotto to make it extra creamy.
Orkney Coloured Mature Cheddar is a deeper shade, with layers of rich flavour. It tastes especially great when sprinkled over these fiery cornbread muffins, which make an excellent picnic snack.
For a more subtle, softer finish, use Orkney Medium Coloured cheddar. It has a creamy, malleable texture, and it’s specially produced to release less oil when melted into gloriously cheesy dishes.
Whatever your cheddar cravings, Orkney Cheese is the perfect ingredient to have in your fridge this summer.
Cheddar & courgette risotto
Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 25 mins | Easy
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 5 spring onions, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 400g orzo pasta
- 2 courgettes, sliced
- 1 litre vegetable stock, hot
- 150g Orkney White Mature Cheddar, grated
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- small bunch fresh basil
- small bunch rocket
Method
1. Heat the olive oil in a large shallow pan. Stir in the spring onion and garlic and sweat for 5 mins. Add the orzo and courgette and stir to coat in the olive oil before pouring over 800ml of the hot stock.
2. Simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking. Add the remaining stock if needed.
3. Take off the heat and sprinkle over 100g of the Orkney cheddar. Stir until the cheese melts. Squeeze over the lemon juice and add the lemon zest along with the basil and rocket. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and the remaining cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 5 spring onions, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 400g orzo pasta
- 2 courgettes, sliced
- 1 litre vegetable stock, hot
- 150g Orkney White Mature Cheddar, grated
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- small bunch fresh basil
- small bunch rocket
Method
1. Heat the olive oil in a large shallow pan. Stir in the spring onion and garlic and sweat for 5 mins. Add the orzo and courgette and stir to coat in the olive oil before pouring over 800ml of the hot stock.
2. Simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking. Add the remaining stock if needed.
3. Take off the heat and sprinkle over 100g of the Orkney cheddar. Stir until the cheese melts. Squeeze over the lemon juice and add the lemon zest along with the basil and rocket. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and the remaining cheese.
Cornbread muffins with cheddar, jalapeño & courgette
Makes 12 muffins | Prep 20 mins | Cook 15-20 mins | Easy
Ingredients
- 325g can sweetcorn, drained
- 250g polenta
- 130g Orkney Coloured Mature Cheddar
- 100g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 courgette, grated
- 250ml milk
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 80g unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large jalapeños, finely sliced
Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-cup muffin tray with cases.
2. Add 30g each of sweetcorn, polenta and Orkney cheddar to a food processor bowl. Pulse until a rough crumb and set aside.
3. Place the remaining polenta in a large mixing bowl along with the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk until combined.
4. Stir in the remaining sweetcorn followed by the grated courgette, milk, eggs and melted butter, then fold in the remaining cheese plus the jalapeños.
5. Divide the batter between the 12 muffin holes and sprinkle over the cheesy crumb you set aside earlier.
6. Bake for 15-20 mins, until the muffins turn golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
Ingredients
- 325g can sweetcorn, drained
- 250g polenta
- 130g Orkney Coloured Mature Cheddar
- 100g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 courgette, grated
- 250ml milk
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 80g unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large jalapeños, finely sliced
Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-cup muffin tray with cases.
2. Add 30g each of sweetcorn, polenta and Orkney cheddar to a food processor bowl. Pulse until a rough crumb and set aside.
3. Place the remaining polenta in a large mixing bowl along with the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk until combined.
4. Stir in the remaining sweetcorn followed by the grated courgette, milk, eggs and melted butter, then fold in the remaining cheese plus the jalapeños.
5. Divide the batter between the 12 muffin holes and sprinkle over the cheesy crumb you set aside earlier.
6. Bake for 15-20 mins, until the muffins turn golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
Cheesy baked gnocchi with kale & mushrooms
Makes 12 muffins | Prep 20 mins | Cook 15-20 mins | Easy
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 300ml milk
- 150g Orkney Mature Coloured Cheddar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 200g chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
- 500g store-bought fresh gnocchi
- 75g kale, roughly sliced and tough stems removed
- 15g breadcrumbs
- small bunch rocket
Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Make a béchamel sauce by melting the butter in a small pan. Add the flour and combine until smooth. Stir in the milk then add 100g of the Orkney cheddar and combine until you have a smooth, creamy sauce – this should take around 10 mins.
2. Heat the olive oil in another pan. Add the mushrooms, garlic and parsley and fry for 10 mins, until golden. Transfer to a baking dish.
3. Cook the gnocchi according to packet instructions. Boil the kale in the same water as the gnocchi. Drain and add to the baking dish, mixing with the mushrooms.
4. Pour over the béchamel and give it a good stir to coat everything. Top with breadcrumbs and the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 mins until bubbly and golden, then sprinkle over the parsley and serve with a rocket salad on the side.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 300ml milk
- 150g Orkney Mature Coloured Cheddar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 200g chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
- 500g store-bought fresh gnocchi
- 75g kale, roughly sliced and tough stems removed
- 15g breadcrumbs
- small bunch rocket
Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Make a béchamel sauce by melting the butter in a small pan. Add the flour and combine until smooth. Stir in the milk then add 100g of the Orkney cheddar and combine until you have a smooth, creamy sauce – this should take around 10 mins.
2. Heat the olive oil in another pan. Add the mushrooms, garlic and parsley and fry for 10 mins, until golden. Transfer to a baking dish.
3. Cook the gnocchi according to packet instructions. Boil the kale in the same water as the gnocchi. Drain and add to the baking dish, mixing with the mushrooms.
4. Pour over the béchamel and give it a good stir to coat everything. Top with breadcrumbs and the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 mins until bubbly and golden, then sprinkle over the parsley and serve with a rocket salad on the side.