Lindsay’s Feast presents Winter: Rosemary & Garlic Baked Camembert

by Lindsday Radcliffe

A couple of years ago, I packed up my frantic London life and set off for the countryside. Along with the move, I launched my blog, The Feast, to document my obsession with food. I’m an unschooled home-cook, with no greater knowledge than other home-cooks across the country. On Lindsay’s Feast, I share my culinary wisdom and (mis)adventures. Whether it’s meeting local producers, swishing across the pond to learn the finer points of wine-tasting, or quite simply battering around my own kitchen attempting to make meringues. I have an excessive sweet-tooth and have never been known to turn down a pudding.

Over the years I’ve lived in Hong Kong, Spain and South Africa, and each place, along with its food, has become a little part of who I am. I now live in a tiny cottage in a bustling Hampshire village. While I may endlessly complain about the rain and threaten to emigrate to the southern hemisphere at least twice a week, this cottage, with its miniscule kitchen and lop-sided stove, is starting to feel very much like home.

Rosemary & Garlic Baked Camembert

The season for entertaining is well and truly upon us and this is one of my go-to recipes for feeding a large crowd with very little effort.
I always keep a wheel of soft cheese, like Camembert, Mont d’or or Tunworth in the fridge, along with a chilled bottle of Mirabeau La Folie, just in case any unexpected festive friends show up demanding to be fed.

The recipe can easily be adapted to what you have on hand and is equally as delicious with thyme or chilli flakes. Adding the rosé or white wine adds a fondue flavour, which is always welcome.

Ingredients

• 1 whole camembert/Mont d’or/Tunworth (in its box)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 2 tbsp rosé or white wine

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Remove any packaging from the cheese and place it back in its box, putting the lid under the base for extra support. Use a sharp knife to score the top of the cheese in a lattice pattern. Push the garlic clove and rosemary into the cheese and pour in the wine.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until the centre is soft.
4. Serve immediately with fresh baguette, biscuits, figs, grapes, cranberry compote and a glass of Mirabeau La Folie.