What’s chef’s favourite cheese to use in a main dish and how does he make it?

Naomi Wilson, Ulverston

I am a bit of a cheese lover and I particularly love any blue cheese. I know some people detest blue cheeses but for me, the bluer the better. You could make some celery and Roquefort soup, you could do a little bit of toasted sourdough with melted Gorgonzola and runny honey drizzled over the top and a touch of truffle oil on top of that, but for me, the blue cheese king is a British Stilton. Look to cut some from a large wheel rather than some pre-packed stuff. I would go fairly simply with a recipe, how about a pasta, mushroom and stilton bake? Use a pasta like fusilli or penne, then cook the pasta and refresh in cold water, keeping the pasta undercooked. In a large frying pan, sauté 200g thickly sliced chestnut mushrooms with 2 cloves crushed garlic and 25ml olive oil. Add a large splash of white wine, reduce by half, then add 75ml double cream. Add 100g crumbled Stilton cheese and allow to melt. Remove from heat and add the cooked pasta and a sprinkling of freshly chopped tarragon. Pour into an over proof dish and topped with another 50g crumbled Stilton. Bake at 190C for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with some crusty bread.