Diets be damned! It’s cold and wet outside (well it was yesterday, and it will be again tomorrow); it’s still dark when we wake up and when we leave the office. So we have no shame in admitting that this comfort-food dish is a permanent fixture on our winter weeknight menu these days. #sorrynotsorry
This is seriously the easiest, most satisfying dinner in our arsenal. Swiss readers are probably rolling their eyes at how obvious this is. Expat readers on the other hand may never have heard of baking Vacherin. In case you belong to the latter category, drop what you are doing and get to the store. Now.
What you’ll need:
1 round of Vacherin Mont-d’Or found at any local grocery store or cheese shop
Boiled raclette-style potatoes
1 bottle or, if it’s Monday, 1 half bottle of Chasslas or Fendant wine (not pictured)
Gherkin pickles
Small pearl onions
Pepper or other preferred spices
Aluminum foil
What to do:
- Preheat the oven to 200°
- Wrap the cheese round in two layers of aluminum foil
- Pierce the cheese repeatedly with a fork and pour some wine over the cheese (about 1 cup), trying not to let it overflow (picture below)
- Enclose the top of the cheese with the foil, leaving just a little hole at the top for circulation
- Bake for 25-30 minutes
When you remove it from the the oven, serve over boiled raclette potatoes in bowls and garnish with pickles, onions and spices. Enjoy with the rest of the bottle of wine. Oh and, try not to kill your spouse or children while divvying up the cheese. All is fair in love, war and melted cheese dinners. Bon appétit!
I love this. There's no need to cover the top of the cheese, BTW, it works perfectly well uncovered!