The perfect end to a meal, just a little taste of cheese with some kind of biscuit is a must for me. So, each supper club I put on has a
cheese course, and I get great advice as well as a different British artisan cheese each supper club from my local cheesemonger, Little Mouse, in South Norwood. For September, I featured a brand new cheese on the market, made by some favourite cheesemakers of mine, Glastonbury-based White Lake Cheese. This is a pre-drained firmer goats cheese, inspired by the French Crottin, which is softer in its immature state (as we had it) and can be grated when it reaches maturity. This super creamy cheese was named ‘Shilling’ by the cheesemaker, Roger, because it resembled a £2 coin from the top. The more romantic name of the older currency was preferred, for obvious reasons. I paired my shilling with some mini fennel oatcakes and a green tomato chutney (it’s been a bad year for our tomato plants, to put it likely – unless you want a totally green crop of tomatoes…).
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Green tomato chutney
Makes approx. 1.5kg
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1kg green tomatoes
3 apples, cored and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
400g caster sugar
400ml balsamic vinegar
1 tsp pink peppercorns
sea salt and pepper
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Mix together all the ingredients in a very large saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 mins, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then keep on a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 30-35 mins. Transfer the hot chutney to sterilised jars and seal with a lid. The chutney will keep for 6 months when kept in a dark, cool place. Once opened, keep the chutney in the fridge and eat within two weeks.
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Fennel oatcakes
Makes 12
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70g oats
35g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of sugar
35g unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp fennel seeds
35ml boiling water
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Preheat the oven to 190°C and line the baking tray with baking paper. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, baking powder, sugar, butter and fennel seeds. Pour in the boiling water into the mixture and stir until you have a thick dough. Make a tablespoon-sized ball of the mixture in your hands, then place on the prepared tray and press down flat make a biscuit about 5cm across. Continue to do this with the rest of the mixture until you have 12 oatcakes.
Bake for 10-12 mins, until golden and firm. Allow to cool completely on the tray, and then serve with 30g of the Shilling cheese each and a spoonful of chutney.
