Camembert Rôti en Cocotte
(ka-mawm-bear ro-tee awn ko-kot)
Chapter 4 — The Cheese & Bread Course
There is a distinct moment in any great American French bistro—usually right after the dinner plates have been cleared but before the tarte tatin is fired—when a waiter rushes past your table carrying a miniature cast-iron pot. The smell hits you instantly: roasted garlic, toasted thyme, melting butterfat, and the distinct, intoxicating funk of warm bloomy-rind cheese. Executing it with true brasserie depth requires two things home cooks often skip: the radiant thermodynamic grace of a cast-iron cocotte and the unapologetic patience of an overnight infusion. Paired with a proper ninety-minute onion confit, the sharp, elegant acidity of the alliums against the profound richness of the cheese is exactly what Spring Street tastes like.
Before you start
Score the rind.
Using a sharp paring knife, score the top rind of the cheese in a deep crosshatch pattern, cutting just through the rind but not entirely to the bottom.
Embed the aromatics.
Carefully wedge the thin slivers of garlic into the cuts, tuck the fresh thyme sprigs into the crevices, and place the cheese in a 4-inch miniature cast-iron cocotte.
Infuse overnight.
Pour the white wine or Pastis directly over the top, finish with a heavy crack of black pepper, cover with the heavy lid, and refrigerate overnight to allow the fat-soluble flavor compounds to bind entirely with the milk fats.
Ingredients
- premium pasteurized Camembert wheel8 oz
- garlic1 large clove
- fresh thyme4 sprigs
- dry white wine or Pastis1 tbsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- yellow onions3 large
- cultured French-style butter3 tbsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- Champagne vinegar2 tbsp
- rustic baguette1 large
Method
- 01
Begin the onion confit.
In a medium Dutch oven, melt the cultured butter over medium-low heat, add the sliced onions and kosher salt, and stir to coat.
- 02
Caramelize with unapologetic patience.
After sweating the onions for fifteen minutes, reduce the heat to low and commit to sixty to seventy-five minutes of slow caramelization, stirring every ten minutes until they reach a deep, rich mahogany color.
- 03
Deglaze the confit.
Pour in the Champagne vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan to lift any remaining fond, and cook for two more minutes until the harsh vinegar smell dissipates before transferring to a small serving bowl.
- 04
Temper the infused cheese and preheat the oven.
One hour before serving, remove the cocotte from the refrigerator to take the chill off, and preheat your oven to 350°F.
- 05
Roast the Camembert.
Bake the uncovered cocotte on the center rack for exactly fifteen to twenty minutes, pulling it the moment the cheese is slightly puffed, bubbling at the scored edges, and molten to the heart.
- 06
Serve immediately in the cast iron.
Using heat-proof gloves, transfer the blazing hot cocotte directly to a wooden serving board alongside the warm onion confit and the toasted baguette, instructing your guests to dip the bread directly into the molten center of the cheese.
Notes
Do not fear the FDA regulations.
True raw-milk Camembert de Normandie is illegal in the United States due to the 60-day rule. Do not stress over this; an exceptional imported pasteurized Camembert or an American artisanal bloomy-rind cow's milk cheese will deliver an experience functionally indistinguishable from its Parisian counterpart.
The butterfat ratio is non-negotiable.
Standard American butter contains roughly eighteen percent water, which leads to boiling rather than frying during a ninety-minute caramelization. Sourcing a European-style cultured butter at eighty-three percent fat is a chemical necessity for a proper jammy confiture.
Respect the thermodynamic sweet spot.
Do not overbake the cheese, or the proteins will separate from the fat, leaving you with a greasy, split mess. If you do accidentally break the emulsion, quickly transfer the contents to a food processor with a tablespoon of hot water and pulse for five seconds to force a temporary rescue.