Marinated Camembert

In the Czech Republic there's a very popular recipe for marinated hermelín (nakládaný hermelín) which is a type of cheese very very similar to camembert and it's marinated in oil. I often make the recipe with camembert because it's cheaper and I can't taste any difference. Also, camembert is internationally accessible so just grab that one if you're not in Czechia.

In Czech Republic this marinated cheese is often served as appetizer with beer, it's a kind of Czech "street food" and almost any pub will have it on the menu.

This recipe comes from our Czechology website where you can read about all things Czech (and try out more Czech recipes).

- 7 pieces of camembert

- 12 cloves of garlic, crushed

- 2 onions

- ground paprika (sweet or spicy according to your preference)

- some chili peppers dried or fresh

- 2 liters of oil (67.6 fl oz)

- bay leaf

- black pepper balls

- mustard seeds

- allspice

- large glass jar (approx. 3 liters/101 fl oz)

1. Cut each camembert horizontally in half.

2. Put some crushed garlic on one half of each cheese.

3. Slice the onions and put some onion rings on the crushed garlic.

4. Sprinkle with ground paprika.

5. And add a little chili peppers on top (whole or sliced, it all depends on your preference).

6. Place the other cheese half on top and press a little with your palm.

1. Place 3 cheeses in the jar, some of them standing at the glass wall. Add some onion and some bay leaf, black pepper balls, allspice and mustard seeds.

2. Pour in enough oil to cover most of the cheese.

3. Place the other 4 cheeses in the jar.

4. Add more spices and also some chili peppers. Pour in enough oil to cover all the cheese. Put the lid on and let the cheese rest in a dark and rather cold place for at least 2 weeks.

The recommended resting time is between 2 and 4 weeks. After that the cheese will start falling apart (although it will still taste well). The ideal time for the marinated camembert to rest depends on the environment, if you keep it in a place that's rather warm, don't exceed the two weeks. Serve ideally with a slice of bread and chilled beer.