Monterey Jack Cracked up with Jalapenos!!

“Monterey Jack” sounds so regal, aint it?? The name caught my eye and I had to buy a pack of it. I am not too much of a cheese geek, but I had heard of Pepper Jack before and thought maybe it’s a cousin from the same family. It wasn’t hot or spicy, neither was it too strong in flavour. It is perfectly mellow, soft cheese to cook with or have on hot toast or crackers. The Go Cheese Company, (an enterprise of Govardhan, from the stables of Parag Milk and Foods Pvt Ltd) use fresh cow’s milk to churn out these delicious ranges of cheeses, which sits pretty with a rounded full flavour, while keeps it mellow enough to suit Indian tastes. Confused?? Try them and you will know what I meant!!

In my last post, a patron complained that their city in eastern India doesn’t carry Govardhan products. I have passed on the information to the company and am hoping they will take action pretty soon. Making good products isn’t half the job done; distributing it takes the cake completely. I have been assured that they will look into it and start work on it sooner than later! In the mean while, please stay clear from the stacks of processed cheese in your super market or Kirana Store. Processed cheese is laden with chemicals and is completely artificial, so try and avoid it to the max possible. There is nothing worse than giving synthetic chemicals to your body, to digest. So choose wisely and stay well!!

These Monterey Jack biscuits topped with jalapenos are a complete delight with a hot cup of tea. I have used healthier whole-wheat flour and have seasoned and flavoured the dough, rather than topping it. Feel free to experiment this recipe with other kinds of cheeses and herbs! These biscuits tastes the best when eaten warm from the oven. If you need to store these for a couple of days, put it in an air tight zip-lock bag/jar. If the crackers loose their crunch, warm in the microwave for 30 seconds at 900 watts, to crunch it up quickly before serving!

Ingredients:

1 pack of Monterey Jack Go cheese, grated (about 1½ cups)  
2 tbsp olive oil (any normal olive oil will do, no need to put in expensive extra virgin)
¾ cup whole wheat flour
¼ tsp fresh garlic paste
Salt & Pepper to taste

¼ tsp of dried herb of your choice, I used thyme

A few round pieces of pickled Jalapeno to top (optional)
Milk to brush (optional)

Method: 

Put all these ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine well to make soft, but not sticky dough.  Shape it into a ball, cover in a cling wrap and refrigerate for half an hour.

Now roll it into a 3 mm – 1/8 inch thick sheet and cut out whatever shapes you like.  I used my cookie cutter to make cute little squares. 

Puncture them in the centre with a fork to prevent them from puffing up in the oven.  Put them on a baking tray covered with baking paper and bake those in a pre heated oven at 200°C for 12 to 15 minutes, till its golden on top and crunchy.

To give these a bit of visual twist and added flavour, I brushed my cookies with milk (or a beaten egg) and topped them with a piece of pickled jalapenos. The tangy hot flavour of the jalapenos was a great contrast to smoky depth of the cheese.

Cheers!!