old cheese rinds from the back of the fridge - what to do with them?

Cleaning out the fridge today and found some very well aged cheese rinds. One year old (aka, been in the fridge a year) stilton rind and one even older half a wheel of brie.

There must be something yummy I can do with these? Something that can be kept at room temperature that can be used a little at a time. I love cheese, but can't eat a lot of aged cheese in one sitting. A dip perhaps?

I'll put some in sourdough crackers, but there's way more cheese here than I need for that.

What do you think?

ps, yes, it's still good to eat. The cheeses were made with traditional methods, not chemically aged, and there is no wrong mould on them. In fact, they smell lovely... well lovely to someone who loves stinky cheese.

trampledbygeese
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11 Comments

trampledbygeese May 22, 2014
What great ideas. I'll remember them for next time, though maybe with some milder cheese.

I don't think I expressed the true nature as to how stinky these are. I think I'll need to make a 200 gallon soup if I'm going to add a shaving of rind to it, or learn how to extract a micro-sample with microscope and lasers. And that's coming from someone who loves stinky cheese.

In the end I went with this old recipe I had written down long ago. I don't know where the recipe came from, but it looked sensible: shred the rinds, then cover with alcohol - brandy in my case. Stir daily until becomes a spreadable cheese, then put at the back of the pantry 'till needed. I'll have to 'water' it down quite a lot, but apparently between the brandy and the good mould in the cheese, it's impossible for nasties to grow in there, so it should keep well at room temp for a few decades.
 
Diana B. May 22, 2014
How could I have forgotten this??? http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/toasted_parmesan_rinds/
 
Elizabeth W. May 20, 2014
I added them to my parmasan rinds and a cheese rind broth. My first use was to use the broth to cook asparagus. I put asparagus in a single layer in a frying plan and added the broth up to 1/3 the height of the asparagus as per Patricia Wells Food 52. The best ever!!
 
Diane May 20, 2014
How timely - I'm making Marcella Hazan's genius tomato sauce, and just threw my parmesan rind in the pot. I've heard parmesan is a natural source of MSG, so I think it will take it to a new level of "unami". It certainly smells delicious!
 
petitbleu May 19, 2014
I love fromage fort. Blend up the cheese bits with garlic, dry white wine, salt (if needed) and pepper to make a paste. It's like grown up (and infinitely tastier) cheez whiz!
 
Diana B. May 18, 2014
Don't forget Jacques Pepin's 'fromage fort:' http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/fromage-fort
 
mickle May 18, 2014
It is not necessary to go to the extra trouble of making Parmesan broth; just freeze clean rinds until you are ready to use them and toss them into soups, risotto, stews, etc. during the simmering or braising process.
 
Pegeen May 18, 2014
For rinds, just follow these instructions to make cheese broth to add to soup, pasta, risotto, etc.
https://food52.com/blog/10334-how-to-make-parmesan-broth-6-ways-to-use-it
 
mickle May 18, 2014
In the future freeze them. I love to add to soups !
 
George H. May 18, 2014
Two tips I learned from TV, despite food TV shows have gone from bad to worse, like those reality shows.

First from Alton Brown. Simply put all the grinds into a (powerful) blender, go. You have a delicious cheese spread. Haven't tried it. But figure if they ended up too dry, you may have to add some olive oil to provide some liquid.

Second from Giada De Laurentiis. Simply use all your grinds when you make a large pot of spaghetti. Or macaroni and cheese for that matter. The combination of flavors is usually a plus, and, not a lot of people can tell at the end.

 
Sam1148 May 18, 2014
I'd put a big warning about grinding them with a blender. I put some parmesan reggiano rinds in a Vitamix thinking it would pulverize them.

It snapped off the blade.
 
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