The Spring 2024 issue of the LCBO’s Food & Drink is out. A banner day for us foodies who anticipate any issue of the mag, but especially the one that signals that Winter is behind us.
The cover image depicts what looks like an elevated avocado toast. Elevated by a supporting appearance by none other than the fluffy, cloud-like edible that has been rocking the internet for the past couple of months: Cottage cheese. In fact, as someone who’s never really taken to the avocado toast fad, this updated version has even me interested.
Why? Well, it’s kind of like this: If you grew up in the 90s and remember buying actual CDs and going to concerts long before your favorite bands were internet sensations, you probably have a story about that one band you were the first to admire – you were their “charter member,” the one who took pride in her own prescience – and wanted everyone, including the band, to know about it.
I feel this way about the current cottage cheese trend. That is, I’ve been appreciating cottage cheese long before TikTok or Gen Z-ers sang its praise. I’ve been applauding its versatility, its low-fat status, its high protein content, its effortless simplicity – for a good decade now. In other words, I was a charter member of the cottage cheese club.
But so was Jamie Oliver.
In fact, I can’t claim foreknowledge of the cottage cheese craze without giving credit to Mr. Oliver, who has been heralding its benefits since at least 2012. As proof, I’ve recorded episodes of his series, 30 Minute Meals, where he provides numerous uses for the humble curds. He also explains why they mysteriously seem to keep making cameos in his half-hour shows, despite his chef-y sensibilities: His wife, “Jools,” had a habit of buying them, and Mr. Oliver felt obligated to find a use for them. The result? A surprisingly high number of tasty applications for cottage cheese.
And so, as an Ode both to the curds and to Mr. Oliver’s charter member status in the cottage cheese fan club, I’d like to share what I believe is his best effort on the curd front: Balsamic Beets with Lemon-scented Cottage Cheese. I can’t say my rendition is exactly Mr. Oliver’s version, but it’s pretty close:
BALSAMIC BEETS WITH LEMON-SCENTED COTTAGE CHEESE
Ingredients:
- A package of roasted beets (the kind you buy in an airtight package in most grocery stores – usually 4-5 beets in a package)
- 1 T Balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 T Olive oil, plus more to dress the cottage cheese
- About 4 leaves of fresh basil, torn (or chiffonade if you’re fancy)
- About 1 cup of cottage cheese
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon of fresh thyme, chopped
- Salt & pepper
Instructions:
In a medium sized bowl, quarter or cube the beets. Dress them with balsamic vinegar and olive oil – about 1 T of vinegar to 2-3 T of olive oil. Season to taste, add the basil and give them a toss.
In a separate small bowl, dress the cottage cheese with a splash of olive oil (about a teaspoon), the lemon zest, the fresh thyme, and season to taste.
To serve, I recommend individually plating one portion of beets, and topping it with a heaping tablespoon of the cottage cheese mixture. This is optional, and a slight deviation from Mr. Oliver’s instructions – he advises a family-style plating. (I think it’s neater to individually plate this recipe.)
I guarantee this recipe will surpize you. It is delightfully fresh, light, and rich in flavor all at the same time.
And so… don’t call it a comeback. Because, for some, like Jamie Oliver and his devoted viewers, like me, cottage cheese never left the spotlight in the first place. Bon appétit!
allisongrande 