Recipe for: Mountain cheese board with grilled pear and cranberry jam - photo 1
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Recipe for: Mountain cheese board with grilled pear and cranberry jam

Valentine's Day Snacks 60 min Medium 0 views ~64.26 PLN * - (0)
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Description

A composition inspired by the highlander cheese-making tradition: several local cheeses (oscypek, bryndza, twaróg) served with a summer touch — grilled pear and homemade cranberry jam. The dish contrasts the smoky, salty cheese with the tart-sweet jam and caramelized pear, creating a warming winter mood despite the summer season. Perfect as an appetizer or a romantic snack for Valentine's Day; it pairs wonderfully with dark honey, walnuts, and slices of rustic bread. Aesthetically presented board with various textures (creamy twaróg, soft bryndza, springy oscypek) offers a full sensory and visual experience.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (15)

Servings:
4
  • Oscypek 2 pcs (~200 g)
  • Bryndza 120 g
  • Cottage cheese 150 g
  • Pear 2.2 pcs (~400 g)
  • Cranberry 300 g
  • Sugar 150 g
  • Lemon 1.3 pcs (~100 g)
  • Honey 40 ml
  • Butter 20 g
  • Country bread 200 g
  • Rapeseed oil 15 g
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Salt 1 g
  • Black pepper 2 pinch (~1 g)
  • ✨ Optional
  • Walnuts 50 g
  • Thyme 30 g
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~64.26 PLN (16.06 PLN/serving)
* Prices missing for some ingredients

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Cranberry Jam

1

Prepare the ingredients: wash the cranberries under cold water and drain. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries (300 g), sugar (150 g), and 50 ml of water (optional, if the cranberries are very dry). Grate the zest of the lemon (only the yellow part) and squeeze the juice from the whole lemon (100 g). Add the zest and juice to the saucepan along with a pinch of salt (1 g).

Ingredients: cranberry, Sugar, Lemon, Salt
Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to prevent burning. A microplane grater can make it easier to zest the lemon.
2

Cook over medium heat for 12–18 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Initially, the cranberries will start to burst (after 5–8 minutes), and the juice will become glossy. When most of the fruit has burst and the mixture thickens (leaving a sticky trace on the spoon and a gentle 'blatt' when the spoon is drawn through), season with lemon juice and set aside to cool slightly.

Ingredients: cranberry, Sugar, Lemon
Cook over medium heat, stirring every 1–2 minutes to prevent sticking. You can check the consistency: the jam should coat the spoon and leave a clear line when you drag through it.
3

Prepare the jars: wash the jar and lid in hot water, you can also sterilize them for 10 minutes in the oven at 120°C or place them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Transfer the hot jam to the warm jar, screw on the lid, and place it upside down for 10 minutes, then let it cool completely.

Ingredients: cranberry
Sterilization will prevent mold. Use a metal jar with a seal or a regular jar — it is important that it is clean and warm before adding the hot jam.

Grilling the pear

4

Cut the pears (400 g, 2 pieces) in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Brush the cut side with rapeseed oil (15 g) and a bit of melted butter (20 g), then spread a thin layer of honey (40 g) — you can use a kitchen brush.

Ingredients: Pear, Rapeseed oil, Butter, Honey
Use a sharp knife to cut the pears and a small spoon to scoop out the core. A silicone brush makes it easier to evenly apply the honey.
5

Preheat the grill or grill pan over medium-high heat (about 200–220°C). Place the pears cut side down, grill for 3–4 minutes until well-defined grill marks appear and the sugars caramelize. Flip and grill for 1–2 minutes on the skin side to soften slightly. The pear is ready when it is soft to the touch of a fork but not falling apart.

Ingredients: Pear, Rapeseed oil, Butter, Honey
The best is a cast iron or grill pan. Use kitchen tongs to avoid damaging the fruit. Do not grill for too long, as the pear will fall apart.

Preparation of cheeses and toppings

6

Take the cheeses (oscypek 200 g, bryndza 120 g, twaróg 150 g) out of the fridge 25–30 minutes before serving to allow them to warm up to room temperature — this enhances their aromas. Cut the oscypek into slices about 1 cm thick. You can shape the bryndza into small balls or leave it in the dish. Crumble the twaróg with a fork or shape it into small portions.

Ingredients: Oscypek, Bryndza, Cottage cheese
Use a sharp knife for the oscypek and a spoon for shaping the bryndza/cheese. Room temperature changes the flavor of the cheese much more than the aging time.
7

Slice the country bread (200 g) into thin slices and lightly toast in a dry skillet or in the oven for 3–4 minutes on each side until crispy. Optionally, toast the walnuts (50 g) in a dry skillet for 2–3 minutes until fragrant — shake the skillet to prevent burning.

Ingredients: country bread
Be careful when toasting nuts — they can burn quickly. A heavy-bottomed pan is best for toasting bread.

Assembly of the board

8

On a large wooden board, place the cheeses: slices of oscypek on one side, bryndza in a small bowl, and portions of cottage cheese next to it. Between the cheeses, arrange halves of grilled pear. In the center, place a jar of cranberry jam and a small spoon for scooping. Lay out slices of bread and sprinkle black pepper (1 g) on the cottage cheese or bryndza for flavor. Scatter toasted walnuts around the board and garnish with fresh thyme (30 g) — the leaves can be sprinkled on the pear or cheeses.

Ingredients: Oscypek, Bryndza, Cottage cheese, Pear, cranberry, country bread, Thyme, Black pepper, Honey
Place the elements in groups, not in a pile; maintain contrast in colors and textures. Use small bowls for jam and honey, this prevents spills and makes serving easier.

Serving

9

Serve the boards immediately after assembling, while the pears are still slightly warm and the cheeses are at room temperature. Provide guests with small cheese knives and spoons for the jam. You can also serve honey in a small bowl for drizzling.

Ingredients: Honey, cranberry, Oscypek, Bryndza, Cottage cheese
If you prepare in advance, keep the cheeses at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving. It's best to prepare the jam ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until serving.

Fun Fact

💡

Oscypek is a traditional smoked sheep cheese from the mountains, with a history in the Polish mountains that dates back centuries. The combination of smoked cheese with sour cranberries has a long tradition in the kitchens of Northern and Central Europe as a way to balance the richness of the cheeses.

Best for

Walentynki Romantyczna kolacja Letni grill

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the boards on a large wooden tray, warm the pears just before serving, and keep the cheeses at room temperature for at least 20–30 minutes to enhance their aroma. Additionally, you can offer a glass of red wine with moderate tannins or a dark craft beer.

🥡 Storage

Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a tightly sealed jar. Cheeses are best stored separately wrapped in parchment paper in the refrigerator for 3–5 days; take them out 20–30 minutes before serving. Grilled pears are best consumed the same day; heat them in a pan for 1–2 minutes before serving.

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