I thought I knew my cheeses…until I met Chef Gurth Pretty. Now here’s a man who must’ve been a mouse in his past life. Compared to him, my knowledge of this gooey staple is less than rudimentary. In his first book alone (The Definitive Guide to Canadian Artisanal and Fine Cheeses), he introduces readers to get this, some 1,700 cheese varieties! And those are only the ones produced in Canada!

Even though cheese is fantastic on its own, it really comes to life when applied in cooking. Hence we have Gurth’s latest publication, The Definitive Canadian Wine and Cheese Cookbook. But what’s cheese without a good wine to complement its unique flavour right? Enter Tony Aspler, the most widely respected wine writer in the country, who teamed up with our cheese guru to co-write the book. With every mouthwatering dish that fills it, Tony offers a selection of spirits that completes the meal. For instance, should you have some Oka left over from a cheese party, Gurth has a creamy Garlic Oka Gratinée Soup recipe that it would be perfect for and Tony would be right there suggesting a Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, or other light red wine.

I gained a lot of knowledge about cheese just by flipping through and reading the brief but insightful tips and anecdotes that dot the cookbook. You’ll find some of Gurth’s recipes refreshing as he shows how other common ingredients can be as versatile as my favourite dairy product. Take his Pizzenta for example.

I see your raised eyebrow. Well, as Gurth explained to me, a Pizzenta is a combination of a pizza and polenta. Craving the former one day, Gurth realized he didn’t have all the ingredients necessary to make the dough. Cornmeal was available however, and as you probably already know, with some water or chicken (or vegetable) stock, you can easily make polenta. Suddenly, pizza was back on the dinner menu. Once cooked and allowed to set, Gurth broiled his improvised new crust and a base was ready for the toppings, which were inspired by his sister Elena, who once used a combination of caramelized onions, walnuts, and blue cheese (do you need someone to wipe that drool off your face?).

To jump start your own adventure into the world of cheese, here’s the recipe for Gurth Pretty’s Caramelized Onion, Walnut & Bleu de la Moutonnière Pizzenta, complete with Tony Aspler’s expert wine pairings.

Enjoy everyone!

You’re in for a treat folks! From necessity comes invention. This recipe takes less time to make and uses fewer ingredients than a traditional pizza dough.

Recipe for:

Caramelized Onion, Walnut & Bleu de la Moutonnière Pizzenta

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 70 minutes
Makes: 8 servings

Using Bleu de la Moutonnière, produced by Fromagerie la moutonnière in Sainte-Hélène-de-Chester, QC.

Make Ahead: Polenta and caramelized onions can be prepared a day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before finishing in the oven.

Gurth’s Notes: Substitute another semi-soft blue cheese, such as Ermite, Rassembleu, Highland Blue, Geai Bleu, or Blossom’s Blue.

Ingredients:

2 cups (500 ml) vegetable stock
2/3 cup (150 ml) fine cornmeal
1 tsp (5 ml) dried basil
1/4 tsp (1 ml) kosher salt
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 white onions, finely sliced
3/4 cup (175 ml) walnut pieces, toasted
7 oz (175 g) Blue de la moutonnière , rind removed, crumbled
Parsley sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

1. IN a medium-sized saucepan, bring the stock to a boil.

2. WHISK in the cornmeal gradually.

3 REDUCE the heat to medium-low and add the basil and salt; continue to cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.

4. GREASE an 11- x 16 1/2-inch (27.5- x 42.5-cm) rectangular rimmed baking sheet. Pour the polenta into it and spread it over the sheet. Allow to cool to room temperature

5. IN A LARGE SKILLET over medium-low temperature, heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the oil.

6. ADD the onions and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, or until they are golden, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

7. PLACE an oven rack in the second-highest position and set the oven to broil.

8. BROIL the polenta for 5 to 10 minutes, until the surface is firmer and light brown. Remove from the oven.

9. SET the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and place the oven rack in the second-lowest position.

10. BRUSH the remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil on the top of the polenta.

11. SPREAD the onions evenly over the surface. Top with the walnuts and cheese.

12. BAKE for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the onions are warm.

13. CUT into 8 pieces, plate, and garnish each with a sprig of parsley.

Tony’s Suggestions:

* MEDIUM-DRY WHITE WINE: Vouvray, Riesling Spätlese

* BOLD RED WINE: Zinfandel, Primitivo, Amarone

* BEER: Cherry, Nut Brown