For cheeseboard use, take Stilton out of the fridge up to 2 hours before serving to reach room temperature; this really allows the flavours to develop. Serve with crackers or plum bread and a mango chutney for a change. Sweet wines go especially well with Stilton – Port being the favoured choice of many; try a dessert wine for a change or a full bodied robust red wine. Stilton freezes beautifully. Simply cut into easy to handle portions, wrap in cling film or foil and freeze for up to 3 months. De-frost slowly – preferably in the fridge overnight. Allow to reach room temperature before serving. Stilton crumbles effortlessly for use in salads, soups and dips. If taken straight from the fridge it slices easily for sandwich use. Grating straight from the freezer is also possible and a boon for last minute recipes. Blue Stilton goes well with any wine –simply experiment. We do have some suggestions below.
As the Christmas and New Year celebrations wind down, you may find yourself with some left over Stilton. Don’t waste it – with a little care you can enjoy the rest of the cheese over the coming months. Here are some useful tips: Always keep Stilton well wrapped in the refrigerator and preferably in an air tight container. This prevents the Stilton tainting any other foods in the fridge and stops Stilton being tainted by them. Properly wrapped Stilton will keep perfectly well in the fridge for a couple of weeks after opening. During this period, it will continue to mature and will become creamier in texture and develop a more mellow flavour. You don’t have to reserve your Stilton for entertaining. It can turn almost any standard snack or dish into something special – see our 12 quick tips on the right.
Our palates are unique and what is a great pairing for one of us may be awful for somebody else. So you cannot be prescriptive, but we can learn from what others have tried and we can experiment. As a general rule, if you are eating Stilton with biscuits and you are looking for a wine, then Stilton needs one with a depth of flavour. Whether it is a robust red or a sweet dessert wine or fine Port, the Stilton and the wine should balance one another. Firm favourites are: Tawny Port Any dessert or pudding wine – Sauterne, Gewurztraminer, Muscat Sweet dark Olorosso Sherry. A full bodied, robust red wine such as a Shiraz. Bon Appetit!
Stilton dip or salad dressing – crumble Stilton into a bowl and mix with plain yogurt, fromage frais or soured cream. Add lemon juice and seasoning to taste.
Stilton in Soup – Crumble Stilton into your favourite soup. Stilton Summer Salad – Crumble Stilton over rocket or lettuce with watercress and drizzle with a light dressing.
Stilton pate – Beat some Stilton with half its weight of butter, a little milk, a pinch of mace and some sherry to a smooth paste. Press into individual pots, chill well and serve!
Stilton avocado starter – mix Stilton with a little mayonnaise a few chopped, seeded grapes or fresh pineapple and use to fill a halved avocado for a delicious starter.
Stilton rarebit – blend Stilton with a little cider and diced apple. Spread on fingers of toast and grill. Stilton filo parcels – Place slices of Stilton on 3 or 4 layers of filo pastry. Fold into neat parcels and bake in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes – perfect party food!
Stilton jackets – Instead of butter, mix a little Stilton with potato scooped from a halved jacket potato and put back into the skins and cook until melted. Stilton and Beans on Toast – Melt Stilton on top of the beans. Stilton Mash – Melt crumbled Stilton into mashed potato and serve with sausages and onion gravy. Stilton Quiche – Replace your cheese with Stilton in quiches.
Stilton Pizza – Top pizza with crumbled Stilton. Or for “Quick Stilton pizza”, slice a portion of a French loaf lengthways, spread each cut face with a tomato base, top with a mixture of finely chopped onions, mushrooms and stilton cheese. Place under grill for 5 minutes.
Visit our Recipe Page for more Stilton inspiration.
