Some of us may need a little culinary inspiration to help create some fabulous comforting and inspirational spring dishes for ourselves and for dinner parties. West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers, producers of authentic handmade cheese, have put together these mouth-watering recipes to help make use of their traditionally made, authentic English cheeses.

West Country Soufflé with Keen’s Extra Mature Cheddar

Serves: 4
Prep: 20 minutes
Cooking:15 – 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 50g butter
  
• 150ml milk
  
• 100g West Country Keen’s Extra Mature Cheddar
  
• 60g mixed breadcrumbs
  
• 50g plain flour
  
• 2 egg yolks
  
• 5 egg whites
  
• 40g ground walnuts

Butter four ramekins with soft butter and freeze – repeat three times to ensure a good coating. Coat the inside of each ramekin with breadcrumbs and walnuts mixed together.

Melt butter in saucepan and add flour stirring until the mixture becomes a light coloured roux.

Still stirring, gradually add the milk and then add the grated cheese.
Pour this mixture into a bowl and beat in the egg yolks. Season with salt and pepper.

Whisk the eggs whites to soft peaks and add a little lemon juice. Carefully fold the egg whites into the mixture.

Gently pour the soufflé mixture into each ramekin. Smooth with a spatula and place in baking tray filled with boiling water.

Place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees c and bake for 15 -20 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately with a green salad.

Smoked Haddock and West Country Denhay Mature Cheddar Chowder

Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps olive oil
  
• 40g butter
  
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  
• 1 medium leek, chopped (white part only)
  
• 3 celery stalks finely chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  
• 1 glass white wine
  
• 350g potatoes peeled and chopped
  
• 1 litre vegetable stock
  
• 1 pint milk
  
• Half pint double cream
  
• 500g natural smoked haddock, without skin or bones
  
• 200g grated West Country Denhay Mature Cheddar
  
• 2 tbsps chopped parsley
  
• Salt and pepper to season
  
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Poach the haddock in milk and cream for 5 – 6 minutes, and then flake and leave in cooking liquor. Put to one side and allow to cool.

Melt butter and oil and gently fry onion, celery, leek and garlic until translucent (about 5 mins).

Add the wine and reduce by half.

Add potatoes and stock, season, and cook for 20 mins until potatoes start to break up.

Remove from heat and add the flaked haddock and milk mixture.
Add half of the cheese and taste for seasoning.

Divide between six soup bowls and garnish with the remaining cheese, chopped parsley and a little extra virgin olive oil.

West Country Brue Valley Vintage Cheddar, Spiced Aubergine and Chutney Sandwich

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 5 – 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 50g softened butter
  
• 250g West Country Blue Valley Vintage Cheddar, sliced
  
• 2 medium aubergines, sliced
  
• 4 tbsps olive oil
  
• Pinch of chilli flakes
  
• Pinch cumin seeds
  
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
  
• Juice of 1 lemon
  
• 1 red onion, sliced into rings
  
• Small bag of rocket
  
• 8 slices of thick cut granary bread
  
• 4 tbsps mango chutney

Heat a griddle pan or heavy frying pan.

Lay the aubergines on a baking tray and sprinkle with the cumin, chilli, paprika, salt and pepper, olive oil and lemon juice.

Transfer the aubergine into the griddle pan and grill on both sides for 2 – 3 minutes, until golden brown.

Transfer back into the baking tray and leave to cool.

Butter the bread and spread 4 slices with the mango chutney.

Layer the cheese, onion, aubergine and rocket onto the slice with the mango chutney and place a buttered slice on top.

Cut in half and serve.

Grilled field mushrooms with West Country Belton Red Leicester

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 5 – 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 x soda farls cut in half
  
• 1kg field mushrooms
  
• 250g West Country Belton Red Leicester, sliced
  
• Sprig thyme
  
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
  
• Small bag rocket
  
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 220 degrees c.

Cut stalks out of mushrooms and lay on a baking tray, and sprinkle over lemon zest and juice, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place in top of over for 10 – 15 minutes until mushrooms have halved in size.
Place West Country Belton Red Leicester over the top of the mushrooms and bake in oven until melted.

In the meantime, toast the soda farls and divide between 4 plates.
When mushrooms are cooked, placed on soda farls.

Drizzle any liquid that has collected in the tray onto the mushrooms, finish with rocket, extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.

Warm West Country Salad with Westcombe Mature Cheddar

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 200g West Country Westcombe Mature Cheddar, shaved with potato peeler
  
• 200g fresh porcini mushrooms, sliced (dry mushrooms can be used but should be soaked first in a little warm water for 5 – 10 minutes)
  
• 200g trimmed asparagus
  
• 200g new potatoes, cut length ways
  
• 50g butter
  
• 4 tbsps olive oil
  
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  
• Salt and pepper
  
• White wine vinegar
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 2 tbsps flat leafed parsley, chopped roughly
  
• Juice one lemon

Preheat oven to 220 degrees c.

Mix potatoes with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast the potatoes in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown.

In a frying pan sauté the mushrooms and garlic with half the butter and half the olive oil and season. Set to one side in a warm place.

Sauté the asparagus with the remaining butter, oil and season, and set aside in a warm place.

Bring a pan of water to the boil with enough salt and vinegar to taste. Poach eggs for 2 – 3 minutes until soft boiled. Remove from water and set aside.

Add all remaining ingredients except the eggs in a bowl. Gently mix and divide between 4 plates. Place poached egg on each plate and drizzle with olive oil.

Serve and enjoy!