Jacques Pépin's Fromage Fort Cheese Spread

As cheese is expensive, Jacques says you shouldn't waste it and shares this easy recipe that uses up leftover bits.

Jacques says: "A specialty of my father, fromage fort ('strong cheese') is made of leftover pieces of cheese — any kind — that are puréed in a food processor and seasoned with garlic and white wine. It's best on bread or toast. As a child, I would spread the cheese mixture on a thick slab of country bread, impale the bread on a fork and then hold it in the fireplace with the cheese side as close as possible to the fire. When the cheese bubbled and a nice glaze formed, I would rub the crusty cheese with a piece of butter and eat it piping hot. Although I have a strong attachment to that early memory, I find that the toasts glaze just as well when placed under the broiler for a few minutes. Refrigerated, this original and economical cheese combination will keep for a week or two. If you use only unsalted cheeses, or a large amount of unsalted farmer's cheese, for example, you may want to add a little salt. Usually, however, the cheese itself is salty enough so that additional salt is not needed."

Pro Tip: This spread can be frozen and defrosted once ready to serve.

And not only is Jacques a culinary legend, but he's also an amazing artist — and his book Menus: A Book for Your Meals and Memories combines the two. (It made the 2018 list of Oprah's Favorite Things!)

Recipe adapted from Essential Pépin by Jacques Pépin. Copyright © 2011 by Jacques Pépin. Used with permission by Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.