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Three Cheeses You Should Be Cooking with Now

By Annie Petito Published

If you like Brie, Gruyère, and Parmesan, you’ll love their alternatives.

Many cooks tend to turn to the same three or four widely available cheeses for cooking. But here are three other options that don’t get the attention they deserve and are worth trying in cooked applications as well as on a cheese plate. You’ll find them in some supermarkets, most cheese shops, and online.

  • If you like Brie, try Taleggio 

    What it is: Italian cow’s-milk cheese with a soft rind

    Why we love it: Lush, buttery texture and tangy, nutty, mushroomy taste with sharp funk

    Good to know: The rind is edible, but not everyone will love its in-your-face funkiness.

    Favorite Uses: Grilled cheese, panini, pizza, stromboli, mac and cheese

  • If you like Gruyère, try Comté

    What it is: Name-protected French raw cow’s-milk cheese 

    Why we love it: Nutty and a touch sweet as well as sharp and savory, with a creamy yet firm texture; can be sliced, cubed, grated, or melted

    Good to know: When subbing for Gruyère, which is saltier, you may have to adjust the seasoning of your dish. In melting applications, use a Comté aged less than a year; older Comtés are great for cheese plates.

    Favorite Uses: French onion soup, quiche, gratin, strata, grilled cheese

  • If you like Parmesan, try Manchego Añejo

    What it is: Hard Spanish sheep’s-milk cheese aged for a year (añejo means “aged”)

    Why we love it: Deep nutty sweetness and a smooth, sheepy tang, with a slightly crumbly texture and pleasantly crunchy crystals

    Good to know: If subbing Manchego añejo for grated Parmesan, you may need to increase the amount by 50 percent and adjust the seasoning of your dish to account for its milder, less salty flavor.

    Favorite Uses: Risotto, polenta, sprinkled over roasted vegetables, shaved onto salad

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JC
JOHN C.
16 days

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too. I've done this using a rimmed sheet pan instead of a skillet and put veggies and potatoes around the chicken for a one-pan meal. Broccoli gets nicely browned and yummy!

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too.

MD
MILES D.
JOHN C.
9 days

Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. Would not have thought that the amount of time under the broiler would have produced a very juicy and favorable chicken with a very crispy crust. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. A "make again" as my family rates things. This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. My butcher gladly butterflied the chicken for me, therefore I found it to be a fast and easy prep. I used my cast iron skillet- marvellous!

CM
CHARLES M.
11 days

John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. First-time I've pierced a whole chicken minus the times I make jerk chicken on the grill. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue.