Nakládaný Hermelín (Czech Marinated Cheese)

Then prep

• Wash a wide-mouth glass jar or lidded container (about 1 quart, wide enough for the cheeses) in hot soapy water. Dry it fully.
• Crush the 4 cloves garlic.
• Slice the onion into thin rings. Set them aside on a plate.
• If using a fresh chili instead of pickled hot peppers, slice it.
• Cut each of the 4 cheeses in half horizontally, like a burger bun.
• Mix the crushed garlic with the 2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a small bowl. This is the paste.
• Put the 3 bay leaves, 5 allspice berries and 10 peppercorns in another small bowl. These are the jar spices.
• Set the oil, about 2 cups, next to the jar.
• Everything is ready. Wash the board and put the knife away.

Ingredients

• 4 smallcamembert-style cheeses, about 4 oz each, firm rather than runny (Czech Hermelín if available)
• 4 clovesgarlic, crushed
• 2 tspsweet paprika
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 1/4 tspblack pepper
• 1 largeonion, sliced into thin rings
• 3bay leaves
• 5allspice berries
• 10black peppercorns
• 2-4pickled hot peppers, or 1 fresh chili, sliced
• about 2 cupsneutral oil (sunflower or canola)
• rye bread, to serve

Steps

1. Spread the paste over the cut sides of the 4 cheeses.
2. Put each cheese back together.
3. Layer the cheeses in the jar with the onion rings, the jar spices and the hot peppers.
4. Pour in the oil, about 2 cups, until the cheeses are fully covered.
5. Close the jar. Refrigerate 5-7 days.
6. On serving day, take the jar out 30 minutes before serving so the oil loosens and the cheese softens. Set a timer for 30 minutes. While it sits: slice the rye bread and set out plates.
7. When the timer goes, serve each cheese with some of the onions and peppers, and rye bread to mop up the oil.
8. Put the jar straight back in the fridge.

Notes

Keep it in the fridge the whole time, never on the counter. Garlic stored in oil at room temperature is a botulism risk. Eat within 2 weeks. Use neutral oil, because olive oil sets solid in the fridge. Two 8 oz wheels cut into half-moons work if you cannot find small ones. Untested. Written by Claude from the standard method, not from a tested source, and not yet cooked.