Product Review: Boursin Cheese

As someone that loves cheese, I was very excited to receive a special package from the lovely people at Boursin a couple of weeks ago. Being new to their products, I was intrigued to see what they tasted like, and was keen to explore how they could be used in different dishes.

With a creamy texture and delicious garlic flavour, I found that the cheese can easily be used to enhance the taste of a number of dishes. So why not test out the recipes below and see how Boursin can work for you?!

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Savoury Scones

Perfect for a savoury afternoon tea, picnic feast, or lunchtime treat, savoury scones can easily be tailored to suit your taste preferences. The recipe below uses Boursin cheese and red onion, however you could add other ingredients for extra texture and flavour, or appreciate the taste of Boursin on its own.


Ingredients (makes 6-12, depending on cutter size)

• 250g self-raising flour
• 50g butter or margarine
• 1 egg
• 2-3 tablespoons milk
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 60g Boursin Minis (half a tub), cut into smaller chunks

 

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C, and place a sheet of baking parchment on a baking tray.

2. In a bowl, rub the butter / margarine into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Add the onion and Boursin cheese, and mix through.

4. In a small jug or cup, beat the milk and egg together with a fork. Add this to the breadcrumb mixture and mix in using a knife until a dough is formed.



Boursin and Red Onion Scones

5. Turn the scone dough onto a lightly flour work surface, and gently flatten it using the palms of your hands until the mixture is 1 inch thick.

6. Cut out the scones using a cutter and space them out on the lined baking tray.

7. Place the scones in the oven, and bake for 12-15 minutes.

8. When risen and golden brown, remove the scones from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

 

 

For sweet scones, along with hints and tips, click here.

 

 

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Risotto

Risotto is a very versatile dish, and the following recipe uses a limited number of ingredients so that the flavour from the cheese can be fully appreciated.
 

Sundried Tomato & Basil Boursin Risotto

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 150g Arborio risotto rice
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 litre vegetable stock 
• 1-2 tablespoons Sundried Tomato & Basil Boursin
• Tomatoes

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.

2. Place the tomatoes on a lightly greased baking tray and place in the oven for 30 minutes.

3. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for two minutes. Add the rice and mix with the onion to coat the grains in oil.

4. Gradually add the stock, stirring so that the rice cooks evenly and does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

5. When all of the stock has been absorbed, test the consistency of the rice. If the rice is not quite cooked, add a little extra water, and test again when it has been absorbed.

6. When the rice is cooked, add the Boursin cheese and mix through until a creamy appearance is achieved.

7. Plate up the risotto, and finish off with the tomatoes.

For more risotto recipes, click here.

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Enchiladas

 

Enchiladas are a favourite of mine, and although the following recipe is suitable for vegetarians, you could easily add some meat to bulk up the dish.

The Boursin used here adds a subtle garlic flavour and creaminess throughout the filling, which is really scrummy.

Ingredients (serves 2-4)

• 1 carton chopped tomatoes
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 courgette, cut into small, even-sized cubes
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into small, even-sized cubes
• 1 pepper, chopped into small, even-sized cubes
• 50g rice
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• Pinch of salt
• Black Pepper
• ½-1 tablespoon Light Garlic & Herbs Boursin
• 2 tortilla wraps
• 40g cheese, grated

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C and put the rice on to cook.

2. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion for 2 minutes until softened.

3. Spoon some of the onions into another pan and add the chopped tomatoes. Allow to simmer and cook down into a thicker sauce. Season to taste.

5. Add the rest of the vegetables to the onions and cook for two minutes before adding 3 tablespoons of the chopped tomatoes mixture, 2 tablespoons of water, and the chilli powder. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the vegetables cook and soften.

6. Add the Boursin cheese to the vegetable mixture, then drain the cooked rice and stir this in as well. Remove the pan from the heat.

7. Spoon 2-3 heaped tablespoons of the vegetable mixture into the middle of each wrap. Fold opposite ends in and then roll the tortilla up neatly.

8. Place the wraps into an ovenproof dish and evenly spread the tomato sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cheese, and place in the oven for 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the visible parts of the wraps are a light golden brown.

 

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Fishcakes

Some people may be deterred from making fishcakes, assuming that they are too complicated and messy. When you taste them freshly made however, the effort will be worth while, and I am sure that you will want to make them again and again.

I developed the following recipe when I was studying for my A level in Food Technology, and I hope that once you have tried the end result, you will be inspired to modify the list of ingredients to create your own unique fishcakes.

Ingredients (makes 4)

• 170g Cod, skinned and boned
• 170g Smoked Cod, skinned and boned
• 340g potatoes
• 10g parsley
• 1 egg
• 115g bread
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 115g Garlic & Herbs Boursin

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

2. Peel, chop and boil the potatoes until soft. Once cooked, drain and mash to remove all lumps.

3. Beat the egg in a bowl/dish. Blitz bread in a food processor to form breadcrumbs, and place in another bowl/dish.

4. Finely chop the parsley, and chop the fish into small cubes.

5. In a bowl, mix the fish, potato and parsley together until fully combined.

6. Divide the mixture into 8-12 portions, depending on how big you want your fishcakes to be.

7. Dust a work surface and your hands with flour. Shape each portion into round balls, and then flatten them so that they are all evenly sized, but not too thin!

Smoked Cod and Boursin Fishcake

8. Spoon Boursin cheese onto the centre of half of the portions, and then place the other halves on top. Shape the fishcakes so that they are rounded, and ensure the two halves are sandwiched together.

9. Coat the fishcakes in the egg, and then the breadcrumbs until all are fully coated.

10. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and gently fry the fishcakes until golden brown on both sides (this will take 5-10 minutes). Then, place the fishcakes on a baking tray, and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until crisp and golden brown all over.

You could substitute the cod in this recipe for haddock. You could also use 340g of smoked or 340g of unsmoked cod, instead of splitting the quantity 50/50.

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So what are you waiting for? It's time to start cooking! And, when you do, please feel free to share any photos via Facebook or Twitter so that I can see your cheesy creations.

 

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You can find Boursin products in leading supermarket retailers, but for more information about the brand, visit their website. You can also follow them on Twitter @BoursinCheese.