Irish Macaroni & Cheese

March 19, 2013

There is always a reason to make macaroni & cheese. This American pasta favorite has always been among my favorite dishes. What better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day then with an Irish take on this American classic.

Around every March 17th, I set out to find new Irish cheeses that have yet to cross my taste buds. There are lot of good options out there, some of which I got back to each year (i.e. Kerrygold Blarney Castle, yum!). This year I found a couple of mature cheddars that I hadn’t tried yet – Wexford Mature Irish Cheddar and Kerrygold Reserve Cheddar. And what is a mature cheddar great for – why mac & cheese of course. Kerrygold Reserve is a two year aged cheddar with a strong, but not obnoxious bite. The Wexford Mature Irish cheddar is strong as well but with a bit of sweetness to it. Add to that the creaminess of the Gouda style Blarney Castle cheese and you have a recipe for a 3-cheese Irish mac & cheese that will deliver the goods. To add even more of the Emerald Isle to this dish – Kerrygold Irish Butter is a rich butter that ups the flavor ante.

To make my Irish mac & cheese, I choose to use 3 different cheeses, 2 cheddar and a Gouda-style cheese. For the butter I used Kerrygold Irish Butter.

Irish Macaroni & Cheese

: Eric Samuelson

Ingredients

10 oz elbow pasta
6 oz Mature Irish cheddar cheese (I used 3 oz of Wexford Mature and 3 oz of Kerrygold Reserve)
3 oz Kerrygold Blarney castle cheese, shredded
2 oz Kerrygold Irish butter, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Bring about 1 gallon of salted water to boil in a large pot.
Add the pasta. Cook until al dente. You want the pasta to have some give to it.
Drain and place into a baking dish.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium sauce pan.
Add the flour, dry mustard, white pepper, and salt. Stir until the flour is mixed in and cooked.
Add the milk. Bring to a simmer. Stir for 1 minute. Stir in the cheese in 3 batches.
Pour the cheese over top the pasta. Place into the oven for 20-25 mintues until the cheese has browned on top.

WordPress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Pasta

My Guide to Irish Cheese

March 13, 2011

by Eric Samuelson 1 comment

It’s March so the countdown to St. Patrick’s Day is almost over. A day dedicated to everything Irish. It’s one of the best culinary days of the year. Cooks and food lovers get to explore some of the great tastes of Ireland. The best of those great tastes has to be the cheese. Really is there any better food than cheese? Below I provide a guide to Irish cheese. By no means is this a complete guide, it’s just the cheeses that Irish cheese I have encountered, a lot of them under the Kerrygold brand. If you are interested in the history of Irish dairy, check out this resource.

Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese | Click here for more info

Named after the largest city in Ireland, this aged cheese has a strong flavor with a touch of sweetness. The texture of the cheese is similar to cheddar. Although it does not melt as good as cheddar, so I would say it for straight up eating, along with a nice plate of fruit.

Where to Buy: A couple local stores, Produce Station and Busch’s carry the cheese. On a nation level, I found it at Trader Joe’s selling for $6.49/lb any time of year. I had one reader report that Sam’s Club is selling it in one pound blocks for $10. Another reader said they paid $5 for a 2 lb block, which seems ridiculously cheap. If anyone can confirm these prices, leave a comment below.

Kerrygold Blarney Castle Cheese | Click here for more info

This one is named after one of the most well known castles in the world, Blarney Castle. The cheese is very much like a young gouda. It has a creamy, smooth texture. It’s a great choice for a fruit and cheese platter.

Where to Buy: Busch’s with several stores in Southeastern Lower Michigan has it on sale around St. Patrick’s Day each year. I don’t know of any national chain that sells it.

Kerrygold Kilaree Cheddar Cheese | Click here for more info

This cheddar has been aged for a minium of 15 months. It’s sharp with a bit of sourness to it. It is recommended to enjoy along side a corned beef sandwich. As for the name “Kilaree” that is a mystery I am still trying to figure out. I believe it’s describing a geographical location.

Where to Buy: Last year, I bought some on sale at Whole Foods Market. They are again carrying it this year.

Tipperary Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
This really, really sharp cheddar has been aged for at least 12 months. It is a rich yellow color and has a creamy texture. Great to use as a melting cheese, maybe even a fondue.

Where to Buy: I just found this cheese for the first time. I purchased it at Western Market in Ferndale, MI.

Maple Leaf Irish Harp Cheddar Cheese
This is a two-toned cheddar, wrapped in green wax. It looks like the Irish flag in cheese form! A great visual for St. Patrick’s Day cheese board. It has a smooth and firm texture.

Where to Buy: You can find this cheese year round at Meijer stores. Last year you could get this cheese online for just a penny. You can also purchase it online at this website.

Erin Gold Irish Style Cheese
This is a gouda style cheese made from the DCI Cheese Company (Black Diamond is one of their brands). It comes of course in a green wax. It has a melt in your mouth, buttery texture with a pretty bold flavor. I love using half gouda when I make mac & cheese. Using half this cheese and half of the Tipperary Extra Sharp Cheddar would make for an out of this world mac & cheese. This cheese really goes well with anything you want to melt it on or over (grilled cheese and steamed vegetables are good options).

Where to Buy: Meijer is the only store that I know of that carries to. I would look for it where you find Black Diamond cheeses.

Kerrygold Red Leicester
As the name suggest this cheese is as red as cheese gets. It has a flaky texture, and mild flavor at first, but with a tanginess that lingers on the tongue. Another good choice for melting.

Where to Buy: I bought mine at Hiller’s in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I don’t find it as much as other Kerrygold products, but if you do know a source that sells Kerrygold stuff, check their to see if they carry Red Leicester (or you could always recommend it to them if they don’t have.)

Creating an Irish Cheese Board
Whenever making a cheese board there really are no rules. But there are things that you can do to enhance your experience. I would recommend at least 3 different cheeses. You want their to be clear differences in the cheeses. Those difference can come in flavor or texture. For example, having a flaky cheese like a Red Leicester and a buttery cheese like the Erin Gold are two nice contrasts to have on the plate. Or you can try having several of the same type of cheese (like a couple different cheddars) for people to taste the different.

I like to try something a little different each year for my St. Patrick’s Day cheese board. Here are the cheese I selected last year.

1) Irish Harp – the two tone cheese is appealing on the plate
2) Tipperary – a second cheddar to taste side by side with the Irish Harp. It both differs in texture and strength of flavor than the Irish Harp
3) Erin Gold – a nice buttery cheese, provide another textural experience.
4) Dubliner – a cheddar like cheese that a bit of sweetness that makes it stand out from the two cheddars on the plate.

Whether it be March or any other month on the calendar, there is always a good reason to enjoy Irish cheeses!

Cheese

Macaroni & Kerrygold Kilaree Cheddar Cheese Recipe

August 6, 2010

by Eric Samuelson 2 comments

Have you bought yourself some Kerrygold Kilaree Cheddar Cheese and wondered what it would be good for? (besides just slicing and eating, which is good in itself) I think a classic baked macaroni & cheese dish would be a great use of this cheese. If you haven’t bough this cheese before maybe this is a good reason to go out and get it. The following recipe is NOT an official Kerrygold recipe. This is a recipe I have been using for years and I thought this cheese would work well with it.

Ingredients
8 oz pasta of your choice (pasta made with bronze dies are best)
8 oz Kerrygold Kilaree Cheddar Cheese, shredded
2 oz or 1/2 stick butter (Kerrygold butter would be an excellent choice)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon mustard powder
2 cups whole milk
kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour about a gallon of water into a large pot with a couple heavy pinches of kosher salt. Pasta should always be cooked in a large pot that has been heavily salted. Bring to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, dump in the pasta and cook until it is almost al dente, but still a little bit chewy, so it will be perfect when it comes out of the oven. Drain the pasta in a colander and place into your favorite baking dish.

Here are your direction for making the cheese sauce. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. When the butter is completely melted whisk in the flour, black pepper, mustard powder, and a pinch of kosher salt. When the flour is fully incorporated, pour in the milk. Turn your burner to medium, stir often, until the mixture comes to a boil. Let the mixture boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Now slowly pour in the shredded Kilaree cheddar and whisk to combine. Pour the sauce over the pasta, mix to combine. Now place the entire thing into your oven and bake for 25 minutes. This will allow the cheese to thicken and brown. Browning the cheese will bring more flavor to the dish. Remove from the oven, let cool for at least 5 minutes and enjoy!

Cheese| Kerrygold| Recipes

Pasta

FAQ : Where Can You Buy Kerrygold Products in Michigan?

August 6, 2010

by Eric Samuelson 0 comments

Question: Where can you buy Kerrygold products in Michigan?

Answer: Kerrygold makes some of the finest quality cheese and butter on the market. They are an Irish company and their dairy products are made from grass fed cow’s milk. Below are some stores in Michigan that carry Kerrygold products (actual product may differ in each store).

Busch’s stores
Hiller’s stores
Whole Foods Market
The Produce Station (Ann Arbor, MI)
…more to be added

I have reviewed several Kerrygold products on my site, click on the product to read my review.
1. Pure Irish Butter
2. Blarney Castle Cheese
3. Kilaree Cheddar Cheese
4. Dubliner Cheese

Ann Arbor| Cheese| Kerrygold| Whole Foods

FAQ

Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese

March 17, 2010

by Eric Samuelson 7 comments

Dublin is the largest city in Ireland. It is also it’s capital. Over half a million people call it home and it’s one of the fastest growing cities in all of Europe. So naturally why not name a cheese after it. That is what the people at Kerrygold did with their Dubliner cheese. The package let us know that Dubliner is an “aged cheese with a distinctive taste and a natural hint of sweetness”. It is a hard cheese, similar to cheddar in texture. I found a 7 oz bar of it on sale just in time for St. Patrick’s Day at Busch’s in Saline, Michigan. It will be a great choice to serve your guests as your prepare to bring the St. Patrick’s Day feast to the table. As with all Kerrygold products, the milk that made this cheese comes from cows that eat a grass diet, which produces an excellent tasting milk.

Dubliner cheese has a bold flavor that will work in many recipes. If you are looking for some recipes for dubliner cheese are a few directly from Kerrygold.
Dubliner Cheese Steak with Grilled Vegetable Top Hats
Dubliner Chicken with Pasta, Pancetta and Arugula
Dubliner Stuffed Chicken Breast

Cheese| Irish| Kerrygold| Recipes| St. Patrick's Day

Cheese

Cheese Review: Kerrygold Blarney Castle Cheese

March 17, 2010

by Eric Samuelson 0 comments

If you are looking for a cheese with some history behind it, then this is the cheese. Kerrygold Blarney Castle Cheese is named after Blarney Castle in Ireland. Blarney Castle was first built sometime before 1200 AD. A stone fortification was built in 1210. The castle was destroyed but rebuilt in 1446. The castle was built to protect the herds in a fertile land. Today, the castle is a popular tourist spot. The Blarney stone is there. People come to kiss the stone in hopes of getting the “gift of gab”. Imagine the germs on that stone!

Now onto the cheese. The cheese resembles Gouda. It is smooth and creamy. It is mild in taste. I purchased my 7 oz block from Busch’s in Saline, Michigan. As with all Kerrygold products, this cheese is made from milk from cows who are grass fed.

Cheese| Irish| Kerrygold

Cheese

Kerrygold Kilaree Cheddar Cheese

March 17, 2010

by Eric Samuelson 1 comment

Since today is St. Patrick’s Day, we are looking at products from Ireland. Next up, is Kilaree cheddar cheese from the good people at Kerrygold. I picked up this cheese on sale at Whole Foods in Ann Arbor, MI. The outside of the package let us know that this cheese has been aged a minimum of 15 months. I could not find much out about the history or name of the cheese. Is Kilaree a place or a person? I do know that as with all Kerrygold products, the milk is from grass-fed cows. As for the flavor of the cheese it is sharp and rich. Whole Foods claims that it is a perfect cheese to go along with a corned beef sandwich.

Cheddar| Cheese| Irish| Kerrygold| Whole Foods

Cheese

Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter

March 17, 2010

by Eric Samuelson 0 comments

In planning for my St. Patrick’s Day feast, I was looking for ways to make the meal more authentic. I found a way to do that with the brand Kerrygold. They offer numerous dairy items imported from Ireland and packaged here in the states. I picked up some of their pure Irish butter as the perfect way to top some Irish soda bread.

Kerrygold produces a couple kinds of butter. You have salted, which I bought, along with unsalted, and garlic & herb. The milk that is used to produce this butter is from cows that eat grass year long. A more natural diet, produce a better milk, and then better butter. It has a richer taste than the butter most people buy in this country. It is also creamier. But it comes with a higher price tag, which is ok for a special occasions like St. Patrick’s Day. The color of the butter is more of a bright yellow than the average butter.

Where to Buy Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter
Check out their website, it has a search on where you can find their butter. The week of St Patrick’s Day, most grocery stores that carry it will have it on sale, so it’s a good time to stock up on this outstanding butter. If you can’t find it in a store in your area, you can also purchase it online

Butter| Dairy| Kerrygold| St. Patrick's Day

Products I Like