Chaource smoked with blackcurrant stems by Laurent Mariotte

Ingredients

6 servings

• 1 Chaource AOP not too ripe
• 4 blackcurrant sprigs
• 300 g blackcurrants, destemmed
• 2 red onions
• 50 cl aged red wine vinegar
• 10 cl blackcurrant liqueur
• 1 tablespoon wildflower honey
• 30 g butter
• fine grey salt
• freshly ground pepper

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the barbecue to high heat.

2. 2

   Take a tablespoon of blackcurrants. Peel and dice the red onions. Melt the butter in a sauté pan and add the onions. Season with salt and add the honey.

3. 3

   Let it sweat for 5 minutes. Add the remaining blackcurrants; stir and deglaze with the red wine vinegar, then pour in the crème de cassis. Let it compote for 15 minutes over low heat.

4. 4

   Remove the top rind of the Chaource and pierce it with the reserved blackcurrants. Pepper it and slide the cheese into a gratin dish. Open the barbecue lid and slide the cheese onto the grill. Close it and cook for 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Lift the lid again; move the dish with the cheese, remove a grill rack, and toss the blackcurrant stems onto the flame. Immediately close the lid again and let it infuse for 10 minutes.