Mordon Blue cheese and celery terrine

We’ve discovered some fabulous local produce over the last few years and the closer to the restaurant’s doorstep somehow the better. One such find is from Carol Peacock’s cheese making business in Mordon just of the A1 a little to the south of us. Trading under the Parlour Made name, Carole produces three lovely cheeses: a Farmhouse White which is a bit like a Cheshire cheese, a wonderful camembert-style cheese and, our favourite, a cheese called Mordon Blue. We’ve been using the latter in salads over the summer but the following recipe is for an interesting take on a terrine. You could, of course, use any type of good blue cheese but I’d recommend trying to get hold of Carol’s Parlour Made. This is a local cheese maker who certainly knows what she’s doing.

Serves at least six as a starter

250g of Mordon Blue cheese or other good quality blue cheese

100g unsalted butter

Three sticks of celery

50ml double cream

A handful of chopped parsley

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

First, slice the celery sticks as thinly as possible. Spread out the slices on a plate and sprinkle well with salt to draw out the moisture. Leave for about 30 minutes before tipping the celery into a sieve, rinsing under the tap to remove the salt and then tipping out onto a clean towel to dry.

Place the butter in a food processor and process until fluffed-up somewhat. If you don’t have a food processor you can place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat it with a wooden spoon until, again, fluffed-up. Add the celery and a little salt and pepper; tasting to adjust, remembering that the cheese will be quite salty. Then mix in the chopped parsley.

Line a small terrine mould with clingfilm (or, if you didn’t have a terrine mould, a small bowl would do) and spread the butter and celery mixture around the cover the base.

Process the cheese in the food processor, adding the cream as you do. But watch the consistency; you want it creamy but not too slushy. Spread the cheese and cream mixture on top of the butter, cover with clingfilm. Place a suitably-sized weight on top such as another mould filled with water and place in the refrigerator for an hour or so to set.

This is lovely served in slices, as we do in the restaurant, with hot toast and a few sliced radishes.