Mix cheese curds into a fresh salad.
Cheese curds, which are formed from soured milk, have a mild flavor and firm texture. When you bite into an extremely fresh curd that is generally 12 hours old or less, you will hear a distinctive squeaking sound against your teeth. Salty cheese curds are popular in the upper Midwestern states, such as Wisconsin and Minnesota, but you can find them in supermarkets and specialty cheese shops all over the country. Serve the curds fresh or battered and fried as a rich treat.
Fruit and Cheese Salad
The tart crunch of apples complements soft, salty cheese curds. To make the salad, combine fresh, sliced apples, shredded Swiss cheese and fresh cheese curds. Stir in chopped celery, walnuts and halved grapes. Top the sweet and savory salad with a dollop of plain or lemon-flavored yogurt.
Cheesy Vegetable Soup
Creamy, melted cheese curds will add richness to traditional vegetable soup. Make your favorite vegetable soup recipe, using ingredients, such as vegetable broth, diced carrots, celery and onion, beans and fresh parsley. Make a creamy sauce with milk, corn starch and butter, and slowly melt in the cheese curds. Add the cheese sauce to the vegetable broth mixture to create a smooth soup.
Pasta Salad with Cheese
Make pasta salad even tastier with the addition of cheese curds. Make a traditional pasta salad by combining cooked elbow noodles, mayonnaise, diced celery, tomatoes and green pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Cut the cheese curds in half and mix them into the pasta salad. You can also add a second cheese, such as shredded mozzarella, to make the salad extra cheesy.
Fried Cheese Curds
Make cheese curds even more decadent by deep-frying them. Dip fresh cheese curds into a batter made with egg, flour, milk or beer, salt and baking powder. Fry the battered curds in a deep fryer or a large pot filled with vegetable oil until they are golden brown and crispy. Drain the fried curds on paper towels and serve them with ranch dressing for dipping.
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