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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Nicholas Balfe

From ricotta dumplings to cheddar risotto: Nicholas Balfe’s recipes for cheesy winter comfort food

Nick Balfe's cheddar and potato risotto (top); ricotta gnudi on cider-braised cabbage (right), and baked onion cups filled with a blue cheese and walnut mustard dressing.
Cheese, please (clockwise from top): Nicholas Balfe's cheddar and potato risotto, ricotta gnudi on cider-braised cabbage, and baked onion cups with a blue cheese sauce. Photograph: Lizzie Mayson/The Guardian. Food stylist: Liberty Fennell, Prop stylist: Kitty Coles. Food assistant: Susanna Unsworth.

I’ve always strived to source ingredients as locally as possible, so late last year, when we finally opened our first out-of-town restaurant, Holm, in south Somerset, it gave me the ideal opportunity to take that commitment to a whole new level. So, for today’s cheesy dishes, I use good West Country cheeses that are made nearby: Westcombe ricotta for the gnudi, Montgomery cheddar for the risotto and Bath Blue in the sauce for the onions. Feel free to follow suit, or ask your local deli (or cheesemonger, if you’re lucky enough to have one) for advice about sourcing from cheesemakers close to wherever you live.

Cheddar and potato risotto

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