Boursin Cheese

Boursin cheese is one of those secret weapon recipes I like to keep on hand at all times. It’s delicious and useful in so many ways. With a Mason jar full of homemade Boursin cheese in the refrigerator, I can pull together yummy afternoon snacks for cocktail hour or enrich a creamy pasta for dinner in moments. 

Boursin cheese is so simple to prepare.  It’s one of those wonderfully flexible recipes that can be adjusted to suit your preferences or to make use of what you happen to have on hand.  During the summer, I use the herbs that are flourishing in the garden.  While I prefer the flavor that fresh herbs lend to the cheese, dried herbs can easily be used and make this recipe just as simple to prepare during the winter when our garden is covered in a thick blanket of snow.

Traditional Boursin cheese hails from Normandy region of France and is credited to Francois Boursin in the late 1950s.  It is a creamy cheese flavored with herbs and often includes garlic, onion, or other fresh flavors.  It has a slightly dry, crumbly texture when chilled and a buttery smooth texture perfect for spreading when at room temperature.

Earlier this summer, we enjoyed an amazing heirloom tomato salad at one of our favorite local restaurants.  The Carriage House served thick slices of ripe tomatoes with a dollop of house made Boursin and pickled red onion slices.  It was so delicious that I couldn’t wait to get home and make our own version.  Boursin cheese is a natural pairing with tomatoes, but I had never thought to combine ripe tomatoes with pickled onions.  I’m sorry that I hadn’t thought to try it sooner because the combination is delectable.

I continue to discover new ways to enjoy this delicious cheese.  It makes a wonderful spread on toasted bread or crackers, a delicious base for cucumber sandwiches, and a delicious base for savory tarts featuring ripe summer produce.  I often add a heaping spoonful of this creamy flavored cheese to pasta dishes before serving.  It melts quickly and creates a satiny texture full of the delicious flavor of the herbs used to season the cheese.

I hope that you’ll give this recipe a try because I can’t wait to see and how you’ll put it to delicious use!

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Boursin Cheese

Jennifer from 1840 Farm

I like to use shallot or a very small fresh onion when making this cheese, but you can easily substitute 2 cloves of minced garlic. Most recipes don’t call for cooking the garlic or onion, but I like to cook it for a few minutes over low heat just to soften the flavor a bit. Soft herbs like dill, basil, and chives are often used when making Boursin because they don’t require any cooking. If you would like to add a woody herb like rosemary, simply mince the rosemary and add it to the skillet at the end of the cooking time for the onion. I often add all of my minced herbs to the warm skillet before using. If you are using dried herbs, rub them between your fingers before incorporating and start with half the amount called for (1 Tablespoon), increasing if necessary to suit your taste.

Cuisine: French

Author: Jennifer from 1840 Farm

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
• 4 ounces butter ,room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 small shallot ,minced finely
• 2 Tablespoons of your favorite fresh herbs (I like to use dill, basil, thyme, rosemary, and chive)
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Add 1 Tablespoon of the butter to a small skillet set over medium low heat. After the butter has melted, add the minced shallot to the pan. Allow to cook for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. Keep the heat low to avoid browning the onion. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the herbs to the skillet, stirring to combine.
• In the bowl of a food processor or a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and remaining butter. Mix the butter and cream cheese until it is completely smooth. Add the heavy cream and stir to combine.
• Transfer the onions and herbs to the cream cheese mixture. Mix briefly to evenly distribute the herbs. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and black pepper as desired. Transfer the mixture to a Mason jar or other storage container, cover, and store in the refrigerator.
  

Notes

If you are planning to use Boursin as a spread, allow it to come to room temperature before using.

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