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Curry Chat => Talk About Anything Other Than Curry => Topic started by: Malc. on October 12, 2010, 11:47 AM

Title: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Malc. on October 12, 2010, 11:47 AM
For some time I have been searching for a recipe for what I considered to be puffed cheese balls, that we were served to us as children when we made the daily lunchtime 1/2 mile walk to the communal dinner hall. Those were day's!

Anyway, I recently learnt that the recipe for this is called Cheese Aigrette. So like any normal person I Googled and found an abundance of similar recipes. One site was called School Dinners which seemed promising and offered a recipe provided by an ex-dinner lady. I tried the recipe but it didn't conclude as I remember them. Granted it was a good few years ago now since I last tasted them, but something just didn't seem right.

Does anyone remember these. Moreover can anyone provide a recipe that represents the school dinner version of the 70's?

Thanks in advance,

Malc.
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Domi on October 12, 2010, 03:36 PM
I don't recall these aigrettes at school but our school used to do a battered cheese-type dish that the muslims used to have as a vegetarian option. We used to swap our puddings for them they were that nice....
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Malc. on October 12, 2010, 05:01 PM
Can you explain the battered cheese type dish? The Aigrette as I remember was a crispy but light ball orange coloured but the inside was like a souffle of light yellow cheese.

As a 6 year year old I would have said they were tennis ball sized but they may have been smaller.
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Razor on October 12, 2010, 05:03 PM
Sorry Axe, can't say I've ever heard of them mate.  The nearest we came to cheesy puff type thingy's was a bag of "Wotsits" ;)

Egg 'n' bacon flan, now that was a dish.  Oh! and Manchester Tart, but enough about her lol ;)

Ray ;D
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Secret Santa on October 12, 2010, 05:18 PM
The Aigrette as I remember was a crispy but light ball orange coloured but the inside was like a souffle of light yellow cheese.

These look similar Axe:  http://old-time-cooking.com/cheese-aigrettes/ (http://old-time-cooking.com/cheese-aigrettes/)

(http://old-time-cooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cheesepuff1.jpg)
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Domi on October 12, 2010, 07:46 PM
Hi Axe ;)

The cheese things were oblong, about 2 finger's width and depth...I could never work out how they'd made them. Really crispy on the outside and soft light yellow cheese oozing out, no doubt those big catering size mild cheeses that all the schools with kitchens used. Cheese just dipped in batter isn't the same, I tried that years and years ago. More batter-looking than the pic SS posted which look a bit choux-pastryish to me lol
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Domi on October 12, 2010, 07:47 PM
Oh! and Manchester Tart, but enough about her lol ;)

Ray ;D

We had a lass like that at our school too...she'd show the boys her frou-frou for marbles or sweets. :o ;D
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: commis on October 12, 2010, 07:52 PM
Hi
Will have a dig through my books. This young lady Domi, any one we may know? lol
Regards
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: commis on October 12, 2010, 08:50 PM
Hi
Just back tracked on the recipe @ school diners. Practical cookery, calls them cheese fritters (beignets de fromage) so will look a little more.
Regards
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Razor on October 12, 2010, 10:00 PM
Quote
We had a lass like that at our school too...she'd show the boys her frou-frou for marbles or sweets. 

now where did I put that bag of marbles? ::) ::) ::)
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Domi on October 13, 2010, 08:42 AM
Hi
Will have a dig through my books. This young lady Domi, any one we may know? lol
Regards

'Ere I hope you're not peering over the top of your glasses at me there, commis :o

Quote
We had a lass like that at our school too...she'd show the boys her frou-frou for marbles or sweets. 

now where did I put that bag of marbles? ::) ::) ::)

I dunno Ray luv but I always wondered if her kids would be born with cats-eye marbles in place of eyeballs ??? Maybe she's moved up to ping pong balls? pmsl
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: commis on October 13, 2010, 08:47 AM
Think I lost mine years ago.
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Vindaloo-crazy on October 13, 2010, 09:51 AM
Maybe she's moved up to ping pong balls

Or cheese aigrettes?
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Malc. on October 13, 2010, 09:55 AM
Ah marbles, them were the days! How the did the large ones get called Dobbers?!

I am sure I have never heard of a Frou-Frou, I can only hazzard a guess!

Commis, yes the pictured item is what I have been searching. I am sure that is exactly what they are, it's just that the recipe I tried, the school dinner one, didn't work out to plan.

I'm not sure where it went wrong but too me, the batter I was left with prior to cooking was very loose. Where the school dinner method mentions using a potato proportioner to drop the batter into the hot oil, I couldn't have done this with the loose batter I had.

I also think I made them too large opting to try and guestimate a potato portion size. Having never cooked them before, I was unsure what to expect. They didn't seem to take on the orange colour I remember, which is more like Razor's Wotsit, no not that!

The other thing I didn't figure is that once coloured, they wouldn't colour further. So it was hard to tell if they were over cooking. But then I found the over cooked point, when the souffl
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Domi on October 13, 2010, 10:45 AM
Potato portioners were the ice-cream scoops at our school Axe ;)
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Malc. on October 13, 2010, 04:10 PM
Potato portioners were the ice-cream scoops at our school Axe ;)

Aye that'll be the ones, used for ice cream and mash. I can just see them them now trying to get the stodgy mash out. Good old school dinners.

Now pink custard, what's that all about!
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Peripatetic Phil on October 13, 2010, 07:11 PM
Leith & Waldegrave have a recipe for Cheese Aigrettes on page 780 :

3 3/4 oz plain flour; 3 eggs, lightly beaten; 2oz strong Cheddar cheese, finely diced; 1/2 teaspoon mustard; 3oz butter; 7 1/2 fl.oz water; Cayenne pepper; Parmesan cheese, grated; salt & pepper; oil or fat for frying.

1) Sift the flour with the seasonings
2) Slowly heat the butter and water together in a large pan.  Immediately the butter is completely melted, bring to a full rolling boil and tip in the flour.  Take off the heat at once and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
3) Gradually beat in the eggs until the mixture is smooth and shiny and of a "dropping" consistency.  (You may not need all the egg).  Add the Cheddar cheese.
4) Heat the deep fat or oil until a crumb will sizzle vigoroulsy in it.
5) Shape the mixture into even-size balls (using two teaspoons) and drop them into the hot fat/oil.  Fry only a few at a time, leaving plenty of room for them to rise.  Cook for about 7 minutes or until they are puffed and golden.
6) Lift them out and drain on absorbent paper.  Dust with grated Parmesan cheese and serve without delay.

Makes about 30.
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Malc. on October 14, 2010, 09:46 AM
Thanks for that, i'll see if this one works better for me. The mustard and cayenne will add to the flavour, I wonder if the School Dinner version I used to eat as a child used these ingredients.

Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Peripatetic Phil on October 14, 2010, 09:49 AM
If it works, don't forget to say "thank you" to Pru & Caroline !
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: LKW on September 21, 2018, 02:08 PM
Hi malc

I remember them!  I too have been trying to search for the recipe but to date nothing!
They were like a tennis ball soft and when you cut into them they were a gooey cheesy lovely stuff!  They were served with mash potato and spaghetti in tomato sauce.

Have you had any joy yet?
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Peripatetic Phil on September 21, 2018, 02:48 PM
Aigrettes ?  Aigrettes ?! You must have gone to Eton (or similar) !  At Colfe's, nothing so fancy
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Garp on September 21, 2018, 04:12 PM
Spam Fritters......
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: tempest63 on September 23, 2018, 07:55 AM
Spam Fritters......

You have just brought back memories of a traumatic experience buried for over 40 years...

T63
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Naga on September 23, 2018, 11:00 AM
Mmmmmm! Spam fritters! Yum! :)
Title: Re: Cheese Aigrettes (remember them at school dinner?)
Post by: Peripatetic Phil on September 23, 2018, 12:51 PM
Mmmmmm! Spam fritters! Yum! :)
Pervert !