When we think of winter dishes, the likes of Fondue, Raclette and Tartiflette come to mind. But, the much lesser known Berthoud Savoyard is just as historic and spectacular. Read on to learn how you can make your own.
About the recipe
Berthoud Savoyard is a classic winter dish from Haute-Savoie celebrating the local raw milk cheese, Abondance. It finds its roots in the Chablais region and the local family it gets its name from.
At their family business in Thonon les Bains, the Berthoud family would serve a piece of Abondance cheese melted with potatoes and wine. Since 2020, this dish is protected by an STG (Spécialité Traditionnelle Garantie) in Europe.
Moreover, local tradition dictates that you serve Berthoud is a single serve sized ramekin called coupelle. In addition to this, it is crucial that you thinly slice the cheese rather than grating it.
Ingredients
600 g boiled potatoes, warm
600 g Abondance cheese, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 pinch nutmeg
4 tsp dry white Blanc de Savoie wine
4 tsp Madeira red wine
black pepper, to taste
Method
1
Preheat your oven to 160°C (or 320°F).
2
Peel the garlic and rub it around the insides of the ramekins.
3
Finely chop the garlic and place in the dishes. Cut the Abondance cheese into thin slices.
4
Fill the ramekins with the cheese, making sure there is some space at the top. This should be more than enough space for the remaining ingredients so it doesn’t bubble over.
5
Add a dash of salt and pepper, 1 tbsp Savoie white wine and 1 tbsp Madeira to each dish.
6
Bake in the oven until the cheese is bubbling and golden. This may 5-10 minutes depending how brown you like it and your oven.
7
Serve with boiled potatoes and bread if you like too, dip the potatoes and bread in the Berthoud.
Abondance
Abondance is a semi-hard mountain-style cheese that is made in the Haute-Savoie region of France. It is one of 5 AOP cheeses that come from the Savoie region. Reblochon, Beaufort, Chevrotin and Tome des Bauges round up the local protected cheeses.
The beginnings of this historical cheese trace back to an eponymous abbey. Actually, the local monks have been making this raw milk cheese since the 11th century.
The end result is a 10kg (22lbs) wheel with a unique convex amber rind and a supple ivory pâte. Overall, it has a strong herbaceous barnyard aroma and an incredibly complex flavour. On the palate, you will detect notes of pineapple, apricot, citrus and hazelnut.
Recipe card
Warmest Winter Berthoud Savoyard
Equipment
- 4 Coupelles à Berthoud you can also use ramekins
Ingredients
- 600 g boiled potatoes warm
- 600 g Abondance cheese
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 4 tsp Blanc de Savoie white wine
- 4 tsp Madeira wine
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (or 320°F).
- Peel the garlic and rub it around the insides of the ramekins.
- Finely chop the garlic and place in the dishes. Cut the Abondance cheese into thin slices.
- Fill the ramekins with the cheese, making sure there is some space at the top. This should be more than enough space for the remaining ingredients so it doesn't bubble over.
- Add a dash of salt and pepper, 1 tbsp Savoie white wine and 1 tbsp Madeira to each dish.
- Bake in the oven until the cheese is bubbling and golden. This may 5-10 minutes depending how brown you like it and your oven.
- Serve with boiled potatoes and bread if you like too, dip the potatoes and bread in the Berthoud.
