Challenge Ingredient: Swiss Cheese

Although we are discussing changing the day we start new challenges, I figured I'd go ahead and post our challenge ingredient for this week today, and we can adjust things as needed later.


Our ingredient this week is SWISS CHEESE. I found out some interesting things about Swiss on About.com. It said,

"The two most famous original Swiss cheeses are Emmental and Gruyére, both of which are highly prized in fondues. There are some excellent American cheesemakers who closely follow Swiss traditons and make very tasty facsimiles of Emmentaler and Gruyére cheeses."

In the article she also listed some great cooking tips.

• When melting Swiss cheese, avoid high heat which can cause the cheese to become rubbery. This is a special concern for low-fat versions.
• If necessary, shredded Monterey Jack cheese may be substituted for shredded Swiss cheese in equal measures. The taste won't be the same, but it should be quite palatable.
• Gruyére, Emmentaler, Swiss cheese, and raclette may be used interchangably in recipes.
• 4 ounces Swiss cheese = 1 cup shredded.
• Avoid any Swiss cheese with a gray rind. It's an indication of age and/or poor packaging.
• When serving block Swiss cheese as an appetizer or dessert, give it about 30 minutes at room temperature to get the full benefit of the flavor.
• On the other hand, if you need to grate Swiss cheese, be sure it is cold.
(By Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, About.com)

It was nice to learn a little bit more about Swiss cheese. One of my favorite things to make using Swiss is Chicken Parmesan. And, it is a recipe which can be made very easily if you are strapped for time.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
Breaded chicken breasts
Spaghetti Sauce
Swiss Cheese
Spaghetti

Directions:
1. Bake chicken breasts according to package directions.
2. Cook spaghetti
3. After the chicken is done, cover the top of each piece with spaghetti sauce, then place a piece of Swiss cheese on top.
4. Broil for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
5. Serve with spaghetti and a nice veggie, like green beans or corn.

If you want to be more fancy about it, you can bread the chicken breasts yourself, as well as make the spaghetti sauce from scratch. But, if you're looking for a nice looking and tasting meal on the fly, this way to prepare it is a winner.