Mont d'Or is a cow's milk cheese produced in the Jura and very popular throughout France when winter arrives.
It can of course be eaten raw, but it is also very popular when it comes out of the oven.
Indeed, melted Mont d'Or is a comforting dish that can be enjoyed in different ways.
Here are some tips for successful cooking of Mont d'Or.
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How to cook your Mont d'Or in the oven?
Mont d'Or is also known as Vacherin du Haut-Doubs.
It is in this department that it is produced.
This raw milk cheese is excellent once it has been baked.
Even if it is eaten raw, it is a real success when melted.
But there are different ways to cook Mont d'Or.
In the classic recipe, the preparation is simple.
Just preheat the oven to 220°C and meanwhile scoop out the cheese with a spoon after placing the lid under the box.
Indeed, the Mont d'Or is sold in a wooden box.
This is why it is also called "the hot box".
Once the cheese has been dug out, all that remains is to pour in 5 cl of white wine before placing the box in the oven for 25 minutes.
A good cooked Mont d'Or is a Mont d'Or with a golden crust.
An alternative exists and consists of adding a few pieces of garlic to the cheese with the wine before cooking it.
It is also possible to add pepper and put the small hat hollowed on top for the most greedy.
When the Mont d'Or is melted to perfection, it can be eaten with charcuterie or Morteau sausages.
Read alsoOur best recipes for cheese fondue
Which Mont d'Or to choose for baking?
Before moving on to preparing and cooking the dish, it is already very important to choose the right cheese.
Mont d'Or can be found both at the cheese maker and in supermarkets.
However, you have to be careful when choosing your Mont d'Or.
First of all, at first glance, it can be easy to detect which cheese to choose.
Indeed, the crust of Mont d'Or must be pleated and regular.
Cracks should be avoided, as the cheese may be too dry.
Finally, to be sure to choose the right one, just squeeze the box to check that the dough is not too firm.
The ideal is still to go to the local cheese maker to get the best advice and to make sure you have a Mont d'Or that is neither too young nor too old.
The Mont d'Or found in supermarkets may be too young and therefore not tender enough to be cooked in the oven.
Cook the Mont d'Or in a Savoyard fondue version
The Mont d'Or can also be eaten in the "Savoyard fondue" way.
This tasty winter cheese is quick and easy to prepare.
However, you must have a fondue pan.
After taking it out of the cupboard, cut the cheese into small cubes and let them melt over low heat.
20 minutes are enough to cook the Mont d'Or Savoyard fondue style, but to be sure that it is well cooked, it simply has to “spin”.
The last step is to pour a glass of dry white wine into the pan with the cheese before enjoying it all with pieces of bread, potatoes or cold cuts.
To lighten the whole, nothing prevents to propose a good green salad also.
When it comes to wine, the possibilities are numerous.
The ideal white wine to accompany Mont d'Or is of course a white wine from the Jura.
Chardonnay is probably the best known and it goes perfectly with Mont d'Or cooking.
However, a Chardonnay from Burgundy is not excluded to marry with this cheese.
At the table, red wine is also welcome.
It is preferred young, dry and slightly fruity.
For example, a good red wine from Beaujolais or Burgundy is perfect on the table, as is a pinot noir from Alsace or a red Saumur.