Nakládaný Hermelín: Pickled Cheese

by Megan Liao

Pickled cheese. No, it is not cheese that tastes like pickle, nor is it cheese that is pickled in vinegar like actual pickles. It is a lovely type of Brie-like cheese that marinates in a mixture of oil and spices for about a week, and is then served with bread! This amazing Czech appetizer was part of the Culinary Week where the RAs taught us how to make some traditional Czech food. I had an amazing time chatting with friends while learning how to pickle cheese and I highly recommend participating in Culinary Week to get a chance to make your own Czech food.

Tip: Pay close attention during the last few steps so you don’t overflow your jar; I recommend doing a bit at a time while watching carefully!

You Will Need:

• resealable glass jar

• Hermelín (soft cheese similar to Brie)

• pick size and amount according to the size of your jar

• needs enough space so that the oil and spices get all the way through to the inside

• less is more! Otherwise, it will take longer for it to sit in the fridge before it’s just right

• Salt

• Paprika

• 1 yellow onion

• Chili peppers or pickled “beraní rohy” (special type of pickled jalapeno-like pepper that is not spicy)

• 1 clove of garlic – pressed/ minced

• 1 bay leaf

• approx. 5 dried allspice berries

• couple black peppercorns

• (optional – juniper berries)

• sunflower/vegetable oil (about 1 cup at most)

 

Method

1. Take your hermelín(s) and split lengthwise so that you’re left with two equal round halves.

2. Split the cheese and season the insides with salt, paprika, and garlic to taste. Put the two halves back together.

3. Cut the onion into rings and place some at the bottom of the jar. Place the cheese on top and then add the remaining onion on top of the cheese. (If you are placing more than one cheese into the same jar, alternate between onion and cheese.)

4. Add remaining ingredients into the jar: peppers, bay leaf, allspice, peppercorns, and (optional) juniper berries.

5. Pour oil into the jar until the brim. If your jar has a suction lid like mine, make sure you leave some room for the lid so the oil doesn’t spill (trial and error is the key!). The cheese should be completely submerged. Close the lid and shake it a little to get the air out; this may also allow the oil to sink further down, if the cheese is no longer submerged, add more oil and repeat steps.

6. Seal the jar and store in the fridge for about a week. A week and a half is okay, but two weeks is pushing it!

7. Take the cheese out from the jar, along with some onion and jalapeno. Serve together with slices of Czech sourdough and a glass of cold beer (non-alcoholic if you are in the dorm of course!)