Marinated hermelín or in Czech nakládaný hermelín (Camembert cheese) is one of those classics you can order with beer (or without it) in most of the pubs and you can also easily make it at home, just like the Czechs do.
Hermelín is a type of Czech cheese very similar to camembert. It’s coated in white mold and soft inside. The most common ways of preparation are hermelín marinated in oil and spices, fried and grilled. We’ll talk about the first one and we will show you how to easily prepare it at home.
If hermelín is one of those Czech specifics out of your reach, just grab camembert, you’ll hardly taste the difference. Also, check out more Czech recipes and also my recipes.
Supplies
- 7 pieces of hermelín
- 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 (typically rapeseed or sunflower oil)
- bay leaf
- black pepper balls
- mustard seeds
- allspice
- large glass jar (approx. 3 liters)
How to make nakládaný hermelín
Cut each hermelín horizontally in half.
Put some crushed garlic on one half of each cheese.
Slice the onions and put some onion rings on the crushed garlic.
Sprinkle with ground paprika.
And add a little chili peppers on top (whole or sliced, it all depends on your preference).
Place the other cheese half on top and press a little with your palm.
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.
Pour in enough oil to cover most of the cheese.
Place the other 4 cheeses in the jar.
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.
Serving nakládaný hermelín
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 nakládaný hermelín 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.
