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Hard Cheese

post #1 of 14
4/26/10 at 7:10pm
Thread Starter 
I'm looking for a hard cheese that can be shredded and baked into a crunchy chip like is often done with parmesan.  The catch is that I'm looking for delicate flavor, bland even.  Any cheese experts out there who can send me in the right direction?
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post #2 of 14
4/26/10 at 9:01pm
try Asiago


Gypsy
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post #3 of 14
4/26/10 at 9:45pm
You could try smoked mozzarella, which is a bit stiff but still relatively soft/mild. Depending on how large you are allowing your grating to be it could work. I would think that if you are looking for a hard cheese, you must have a reason, what is it? Do you wish that you can bake it and not have it melt? Generally speaking a hard cheese is one that has been aged, and also had the flavor concentrated as moisture is removed. I find it a bit of an oxymoron to ask for a mild/delicate hard cheese. I do speak with limited experience, so I hope someone can come along and either correct or validate what I've said.
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post #4 of 14
4/27/10 at 6:18am
Thread Starter 
Asiago isn't as sharp as parmesan but I'm hoping for something even more neutral.

The reason is hinted at above--I want to bake it into a chip but with a neutral flavor.  I don't know of a hard cheese like this but I'm hoping someone else does.
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post #5 of 14
4/27/10 at 7:25am
You can buy the cheapest brand of parmigiano, the equivalent of kraft american cheese.  It's sure to have a very bland flavor.  Just stay away from words like "aged" and "Reggiano".

Why may I ask are you shooting for "bland" flavor in your chips?  I've never tried to achieve a bland flavor in my cooking.  God forbid someone says "wow, what a wonderfully bland chip you've made!"
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post #6 of 14
4/27/10 at 8:01am
Manchego has a milder flavor then parm. more later.
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post #7 of 14
4/27/10 at 8:02am
You can make a frico from most any cheese. Even the semi-hard cheeses are good for this. Emmentaler is fairly mild and still makes a pleasant nutty frico. And while I've not used Mozzarella for a frico, I would think you could use that too.
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post #8 of 14
4/27/10 at 8:53am
Thread Starter 
Koukouvagia, thanks for responding.  I'm looking for blandness because I'm really just interested in using the technique to glue other things together into a crunchy chip.  I hope the final product won't be bland but I wish the cheese to be.

Gunnar, manchego was my first idea as well and is so far the only one I've attempted my dish with.  My issue with manchego is just how discernable its taste is.  Its fairly easy to pick out and is distracting from what I wish the eater to taste.  If you have a certain variety in mind please share.

Phatch, thanks for the tip but thanks even more for the technical term "frico."  I guess I've got some experimenting to do.
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post #9 of 14
4/27/10 at 9:05am
There are filled fricos too. Grated cheese in the pan, top with a filling (thin sliced cooked potatoes, onions, a little bacon or....)(Some sliced apples, or pears...) Add some more cheese. on top. Flip when the bottom  cheese releases from pan and cook some more.
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post #10 of 14
4/27/10 at 10:46am
no, i don't have a particular brand or flavor of Manchego to suggest.  the most bland cheese I could think of is processed mozz, it's hard enough and really bland compared to fresh mozz.  I suppose you could try a dry or aged pecorino they get pretty hard, not sure how well they melt though. Gruyere can be nice and hard but has a more distinctive flavor then Manchego. stay away from Muenster, I don't ever recall a hard one per se but they have all kinds of in your face flavor. Maybe a Gouda? non smoked as the smoky flavor pervades anything. best of luck.

edit: just looked at   www.cheese.com  ... um ....wow...
Edited by Gunnar - 4/27/10 at 1:06pm
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post #11 of 14
4/27/10 at 1:59pm
Perhaps something like a Jarlsberg?
Or an Emmenthal?

Or, if you want to use something more cheddar-y try something like a Wensleydale or Lancashire.

Scottish Dunlop cheese is a bit 'rubbery' - so maybe something you could try?
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post #12 of 14
4/27/10 at 2:23pm
Jack cheese. Or colby, both are pretty blah
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post #13 of 14
4/27/10 at 2:51pm
    If you're looking for bland and tasteless, I'd stick with a young, cheap parmigiano.  Something nice and soft that you would find in the normal grocery store section.   

   All the rest of the cheeses are nice, and have their own character...but I don't think I'd spend money on a good manchengo, gruyère, etc just to melt.   Of course...the nice depth and saltiness of a decent parmigiano could compliment quite a range of flavors.

    What do you plan to do?  

  dan
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post #14 of 14
4/27/10 at 6:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaryB View Post

Jack cheese. Or colby, both are pretty blah
 

Aged Jack may be worth considering ....
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