I thought it tasted like parmigiano-reggiano. I used it for the first time in a Cinco De Mayo cooking class I took. We grated it and used it in a chimichanga. I can post the recipe if you like. We also cut little chunks and just nibbled on it. I loved it so I went out and bought some aged manchego.

It's great shaved over a salad, too.

I've always thought of it as a melting cheese. Use it where you would mozzerella.

Manchego can be an aged cheese...nothing like mozzerella...more like Romano or asiago....strong flavor. Or it can be short aged, in which case it has a milder taste...And I believe it's a sheeps milk cheese. with a pronounced flavor of the sheep even in the mild form.
Linda C

Lisa here in Spain where Manchego cheese originates, we can buy three types: Fresh (Tierno) which is aged 2 to 4 days; Semi-cured (Semicurado) aged 2 to 3 months, and Aged (Curado) aged around 6 months. The fresh is a soft very white cheese for eating as an appetiser, or with fruit or crackers, the semi-cured is our favourite as it has a creamy but firm texture that makes it easy to slice or cut into thin wedges to eat out of hand, or with bread, crackers or fruit. The aged is good for grating as it has a texture similar to a hard parmesan.

I've never used manchego for cooking or melting, but as I mentioned, the aged can be used as a grated cheese as it's rather a bit too hard to eat out of hand or on bread.
I've only seen Manchego used here cut and sliced to eat as a tapa with olives or as a dessert with fruit. It's a cheese that we always have on hand in the fridge. When we feel like having a snack, it often will consist of slices of Manchego semicurado and crackers, often with olives.

SharonCb

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

It appears the kind I have is the semi-cured because it is not really soft and not really hard.
I will try it plain with some crackers.
Thanks for the info.
Lisa

I've been looking for that particular type of cheese (without success!) ever since I saw Rachael Ray use it in one of her recipes. Here's the recipe:

Manchego Potatoes

4 pounds baby red-skinned or baby Yukon gold potatoes
Salt
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 to 1 cup milk or cream
2 1/2 cups shredded Manchego cheese, about 3/4 to 1 pound of cheese
Black pepper

Halve large potatoes, small ones can be left whole. Place potatoes in a deep pot, cover with water. Place a lid on potatoes and bring them up to a boil. Uncover, salt the water and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and add back to the hot pot. Add butter, milk or cream and cheese and smash the potatoes to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

I'm hoping to try this soon if I can find the cheese, otherwise I'll have to sub something else.
Barb

Barb, check the Mexican section of your supermarket. That's where Kroger keeps it. It comes in small wheels, which have the look and texture of Monterey Jack and similar cheeses (which, btw, you can substiture in the Rachael Ray recipe).

I use it for things like Chili Rellenos and Quesadillas, in both of which it melts just fine.

I suspect the stuff in the Mexican section of your grocery store is nore like an edam or a jack cheese and not made out of sheeps milk like the montego cheese Sharon CB is talking about.
Linda c

Thanks for the info....I'll look for it the Mexican section the next time I go shopping. If I can't find it, does everyone agree with Gardenlad that Monterey Jack would be an acceptable substitute for it? If not, then what kind of cheese could sub for it?
Barb

Monterey Jack would work as a substitute according to the Cooks Thesaurus site.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cooks Thesaurus-Food subs-cheese

Interesting entry, dishesdone. The entire listing is:

>Manchego cheese Notes: Don't confuse this with aged Manchego cheese, which is firm and yellow, and typically used for grating. Younger Manchego cheese is sweet and nutty. It melts nicely and is often used in quesadillas. Substitutes: Monterey jack OR mozzarella OR cheddarI had never seen that before. But compare it to my comments above re: melting ("it melts nicely"), using it in chili rellenos and quesadillas ("often used in quesadillas"), and using it like mozarella ("Substitutes: Monterey jack or mozzarella....").

So, despite what certain people here and on the cooking forum seem to think, I generally know what I'm talking about when it comes to food and cookery.

BTW, Linda: "Montego" is a city and body of water in Jamaica. Manchego is the cheese we've been discussing. ;>)

I use it in my homemade empanadas.ddelicious!!

Sounds good, Eileen. I occasionally make turkey empanadas that call for Monterey Jack, but the Manchego would work even better.

Do you fry your empanadas or bake them?

We were just at the supermarket and, due to 'satiable curiosity, I went and checked the Manchego package.

Lo and behold. Right there on the wrapper it says, "gourmet melting cheese." Son of a gun!

At any rate, Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I tried it today on my bread. It was delicious.
Lisa

I might have been raised in the south in a different life Of course I FRY them....I even fry left over speghetti LOL!!!

Just asking, Kiddo. I fry them to.

But then, I do live in the south, and fry lots of things---including dill pickles.

Of course, down heah we's only got two food groups anyway: sugar and cholesterol. :>)