Two Favorite Pairings: Kimchi and Cheese

We recently co-hosted an event called KimCheese, a magical evening celebrating two of our favorite fermented foods. Though they come from different continents and cultures, kimchi and cheese from Switzerland are a star-crossed pair. Now we love rich, melted, oozy cheese probably much more than the average person, but when you add tangy, bright, spicy kimchi, it’s truly next level. The blend of textures and flavors adds up to a culinary experience that we want to repeat all winter long. Lucky for you, for our event, we developed some easy recipes to do just that. Try them out and have your own KimCheese dinner party!

Kimchi “Bokkeum” Tuna Melt

Bokkeum is a category of Korean stir-fried dishes. Give kimchi and tuna the stir-fry treatment and add it to a crusty sandwich with an outrageous amount of cheese, if you’re serious like us. Broil and melt and die happy.

Ingredients:

• Bread of your choice
• Kimchi
• Butter
• Good quality tuna
• Raclette, sliced
• Gruyère, shredded

Slowly caramelize kimchi over medium heat. Add tuna at the very end and mix well.

Butter both sides of the bread. Add slices of Raclette, Gruyère, and layer on the kimchi/tuna bokkeum.

Broil open face until the cheese has melted. Sandwich the two sides together and eat with more kimchi.

Brussels Sprouts with Kimchi, Honey, and Caramelized Walnuts

Need a side for your tuna melt or for Thanksgiving dinner? Try these spicy and sweet roasted brussels sprouts – it’s an easy recipe with a huge flavor payoff.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Brussels Sprouts
• 2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 1/3 cup Kimchi paste (we used Mama O’s)
• 2 tsp Mitica® Acacia Honey
• ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Lemon
• 4 Green Onions, chopped
• 1 minitub Mitica® Caramelized Walnuts

To make:

Toss brussels sprouts with olive oil and season with salt. Roast at 425° for 30 minutes until browned.

Stir together kimchi paste, acacia honey, and apple cider vinegar.

Once the brussels sprouts are roasted, toss with the sauce. Squeeze the lemon over the top and garnish with green onions and a heaping pile of caramelized walnuts.

Tête de Moine and Pears Dessert

Okay, there’s no kimchi in our dessert, but it does feature Korean pears (Bae). The crisp and juicy flesh is delicate, just like the rosettes made from Tête de Moine cheese. Yes, you need a special tool, the girolle, to make the cheese flowers, but we have a soft spot for cheese gadgets when they create something so tempting.

Ingredients:

• Korean pear
• Tête de Moine rosettes
• Mitica® Acacia Honey

Drizzle honey on rosettes, serve with sliced pears on the side.