Cathedral City Lighter

It’s probably worth mentioning that I am a huge lover of cheese, whether tucking into a gooey piece of well aired brie, or enjoying brebis with a slice of apple, I can’t get enough of the stuff. I do always think about the health implications though, so a low fat cheese would be a good idea.

When it comes to cooking with low fat foods I’ve had some disappointments though – low fat coconut milk can lead to a watery, not creamy, curry and 0% natural yoghurt tends to seperate when heated. How would a lower fat cheese compare?

To test out Cathedral City Mature Lighter there was no option but to create the classic cheese on toast, as this would test flavour and melting in one tasty snack. The cheese certainly smelt just as good whilst under the grill, but it hadn’t bubbled and melted quite as much, which with less fat is to be expected. Taste wise, it’s very nice, although probably 20% less satisfying that a full fat cheese toastie!

Verdict

As with other low fat foods, it doesn’t take long until they start to become the norm, just like with semi-skimmed milk, who buys full fat milk nowadays? I would certainly consider buying Cathedral City lighter again and cooking a cauliflower cheese or even a croque monsieur. With 30% less fat and not too much difference in taste and cooking possibilities, compared to it’s full fat cousin, it’s worth the benefits.

Cathedral City Lighter Mature currently costs £3 for 350g at Tesco, reduced from the normal £4.50, which is about the going rate for cheese.

Baked Garlic Chicken with Vine Tomatoes

For those of you already on the low fat cheese, here’s a tasty recipe from Cathedral City to help you make the most of it.

Cathedral City Mature Lighter Baked Garlic Chicken with Vine Tomatoes, Thyme and Cheddar Crumble This is a simple supper dish that all the family will enjoy. Easy to make ahead of time in the morning and pop into the oven in the evening.

Serves 4

• 6 chicken thigh fillets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 vine baby tomatoes, halved
• 3 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp mixed seeds, such as sesame, pumpkin or sunflower
• 2 tbsp Cheddar, grated
• 150ml chicken stock or white wine

Preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5. Season the chicken pieces. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the chicken thighs on both sides until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and place in a greased shallow baking dish.

Arrange the tomatoes over the chicken thighs. Mix the breadcrumbs, crushed garlic, thyme, seeds, Cheddar and seasoning then scatter over. Pour in the stock or wine and bake for 45–50 minutes until the top is crisp and golden and the chicken cooked through.

Divide the fillets into four servings and serve with a baked potato and a green dressed salad.