Trini Cheese Paste Sandwich Spread
20.4.16
| Recipe by Renz
The perfect, creamy, and cheesy spread. This cheese paste sandwich is a party
favorite in the Caribbean. A seasoned cheese spread that makes great
sandwiches for parties.
Cheese paste is one of those things that kids looked forward to every time they were invited to a party.
These sandwiches were expected at every party along with puffs, meat pies, and stuffed prunes.
In fact, if you happened to go to a kid's party and there was no cheese paste then it wasn't really a party.
These sandwiches are not just some cheese on bread. It's way more than that.
This is a spreadable cheese mix that has been fancied up and made full of flavor almost made into a gourmet spread.
This is one of those recipes that is made freeform. There is really no wrong or right way to create this spread.
The main and most important one is obviously a good cheese. This recipe is a great starter.
The base of this will include some pantry staples. And then there are other things we add to take it over the edge.
Cheese paste ingredients:
A heavily flavored, creamy cheese is needed to make this. In Trinidad and Tobago, we have this vegetarian cheese that is oh so creamy and strong.
It's sold in huge blocks to the grocery store, which then cuts it up into smaller blocks and then sells it to us.
This cheese is so fresh that it usually has to be eaten quickly as it starts to spoil after about a week. Which is no problem for me.
It's pretty close to what we also call New Zealand cheese. And is sold in most supermarkets. Trader's Joe's has a really good one too.
The main thing about this spread is making sure all your ingredients combine well so that it is spreadable.
Since we are using a block of cheddar cheese, if you only have a cheese grater, you should use the side with the finest sieve.
You can also use a food processor, to get things combined. I still grate my cheese first then add it to the processor with the rest of the ingredients.
If you don't have a processor then, in your bowl of cheese, add the other ingredients and combine. The butter is what is going to be the aide to make this a smooth paste.
Once fully combined and smooth, this delicious spread is completed.
As I mentioned this is just a base. A lot of people make it even simpler with just cheese and butter. But there are other additions.
I've seen the likes of:
After making the paste, how can it be used?
My favorite way is to make cheese paste sandwiches.
To make the sandwiches, if you are going to do multi colors, separate the spread into sections and add the different colors to each batch.
Then spread your sandwich in layers, using your favorite slices of bread. And cut the edges off.
You can also use it for filling for puffs. Instead of chicken puffs, you can fill with spread and have cheese puffs.
Once your cheese paste is ready it's best to save it in an air-tight container and place it in the fridge until use.
The spread itself can stay for up to five days once you continue to seal the container tightly.
Sandwiches can be pre-made before an event up to the night before. Then kept in the fridge until use.
Please note if you do add things like eggs to your spread, the keep time will be shorter.
Excess cheese paste mix can be frozen and kept for up to six months. Just remove it from the freezer and leave it in the fridge overnight to defrost.
* If you can't find the creamy New Zealand cheese, then a sharp to extra sharp cheddar cheese can work. Trader Joes' unexpected cheddar cheese is also a great alternative.
* DO NOT USE PRE-SHREDDED CHEESE. I know it's extra work but it's always best to use a block of cheese rather than using pre-shredded cheese.
* Using the butter at room temperature is best to get it to blend in and allow the paste to be a smoother paste that is spreadable. You can add more butter to make sure you get it to spread as you want.
* When making your sandwiches, use a sandwich loaf that can take a little weight. A hard dough bread or a buttered loaf is fine. Or even a potato bread.
*Make sure you spread a generous amount of spread on the sandwich, the worse thing is a sandwich with not enough cheese paste.
I don't know what it was about eating a blue or green cheese sandwich that sent kids into a frenzy.
And these were three-layer sandwiches with varying colors, and the bread edges were neatly cleaned up.
OMG, I ate my way through so many of these
Cheese paste is one of those things that kids looked forward to every time they were invited to a party.
These sandwiches were expected at every party along with puffs, meat pies, and stuffed prunes.
In fact, if you happened to go to a kid's party and there was no cheese paste then it wasn't really a party.
These sandwiches are not just some cheese on bread. It's way more than that.
This is a spreadable cheese mix that has been fancied up and made full of flavor almost made into a gourmet spread.
This is one of those recipes that is made freeform. There is really no wrong or right way to create this spread.
What is cheese paste made of?
The main and most important one is obviously a good cheese. This recipe is a great starter.
The base of this will include some pantry staples. And then there are other things we add to take it over the edge.
Cheese paste ingredients:
- Cheese - preferably a solid block of sharp cheddar or any other strong cheddar cheese type.
- Butter - unsalted butter is great but you can easily use regular butter.
- Mustard - plain mustard for a tart spread but a Dijon mustard is also a great alternative.
- Mayonnaise
- Onion
- Carrot
- Pepper sauce/Hot sauce
- Food coloring (optional) - two different colors will be good. Red and green food coloring and plain paste will give you three colors.
The best type of cheese to use for cheese paste recipes
A heavily flavored, creamy cheese is needed to make this. In Trinidad and Tobago, we have this vegetarian cheese that is oh so creamy and strong.
It's sold in huge blocks to the grocery store, which then cuts it up into smaller blocks and then sells it to us.
This cheese is so fresh that it usually has to be eaten quickly as it starts to spoil after about a week. Which is no problem for me.
It's pretty close to what we also call New Zealand cheese. And is sold in most supermarkets. Trader's Joe's has a really good one too.
How to make cheese spread
The main thing about this spread is making sure all your ingredients combine well so that it is spreadable.
Since we are using a block of cheddar cheese, if you only have a cheese grater, you should use the side with the finest sieve.
You can also use a food processor, to get things combined. I still grate my cheese first then add it to the processor with the rest of the ingredients.
If you don't have a processor then, in your bowl of cheese, add the other ingredients and combine. The butter is what is going to be the aide to make this a smooth paste.
Once fully combined and smooth, this delicious spread is completed.
Additions
As I mentioned this is just a base. A lot of people make it even simpler with just cheese and butter. But there are other additions.
I've seen the likes of:
- celery.
- pimento pepper.
- chive.
- garlic powder.
- boiled egg.
- parsley.
How do you use cheese paste?
After making the paste, how can it be used?
My favorite way is to make cheese paste sandwiches.
To make the sandwiches, if you are going to do multi colors, separate the spread into sections and add the different colors to each batch.
Then spread your sandwich in layers, using your favorite slices of bread. And cut the edges off.
You can also use it for filling for puffs. Instead of chicken puffs, you can fill with spread and have cheese puffs.
How long can cheese paste last in the fridge?
Once your cheese paste is ready it's best to save it in an air-tight container and place it in the fridge until use.
The spread itself can stay for up to five days once you continue to seal the container tightly.
Sandwiches can be pre-made before an event up to the night before. Then kept in the fridge until use.
Please note if you do add things like eggs to your spread, the keep time will be shorter.
Excess cheese paste mix can be frozen and kept for up to six months. Just remove it from the freezer and leave it in the fridge overnight to defrost.
Tips
* If you can't find the creamy New Zealand cheese, then a sharp to extra sharp cheddar cheese can work. Trader Joes' unexpected cheddar cheese is also a great alternative.
* DO NOT USE PRE-SHREDDED CHEESE. I know it's extra work but it's always best to use a block of cheese rather than using pre-shredded cheese.
* Using the butter at room temperature is best to get it to blend in and allow the paste to be a smoother paste that is spreadable. You can add more butter to make sure you get it to spread as you want.
* When making your sandwiches, use a sandwich loaf that can take a little weight. A hard dough bread or a buttered loaf is fine. Or even a potato bread.
*Make sure you spread a generous amount of spread on the sandwich, the worse thing is a sandwich with not enough cheese paste.
I don't know what it was about eating a blue or green cheese sandwich that sent kids into a frenzy.
And these were three-layer sandwiches with varying colors, and the bread edges were neatly cleaned up.
OMG, I ate my way through so many of these
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