Shelly's Recipe

GARLIC STUFFED GOUDA

Category: Cheese

1 (10 oz) round of Gouda cheese
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp softened butter
2 tbsp. red or white wine
1/8 ts pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives, or 1 tsp dried chives
Crackers or vegetable sticks

Allow cheese to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, roast garlic: oil a small ovenproof dish; place garlic cloves in dish with 2 tbsp water. Cover dish. Roast at 330 for 45 minutes, or until garlic is very tender. Cool.

Peel off red covering from cheese; discard. With a sharp knife, cut a 3 inch circle on one of the flat sides of the cheese; remove. Hollow out cheese with a melon bailer or grapefruit knife, making a shell that is about 1/4 inch thick at the sides, and 1/2 inch thick at the base. Finely shred cheese that was removed. Place in blender or small food processor with butter, wine, and pepper. Slit garlic cloves; squeeze out contents into blender. Cover blender; mix briefly till combined.

Spoon mixture into the cheese shell, mounding it over the top. Sprinkle with chives. Cover and refrigerate till 1 hour before serving; then allow to come to room temperature. Serve with crackers or vegetable sticks. Makes about 6 appetizer servings.