figs
Figs brings fruit sweetness and acidity that lift cheese, cabrales's character and keep the pairing lively.
cheese, cabrales
+ Add to WorkbenchAbout this ingredient
An intensely pungent, blue-green Spanish blue cheese made from a blend of cow, goat, and sheep's milk in the mountains of Asturias — wrapped in chestnut leaves…
7 pairings
Editorial
Flavor profile
Cabrales (DOP) is produced in a specific area of the Picos de Europa in Asturias, where the humid mountain caves provide the natural conditions for Penicillium mold development without inoculation. The traditional blend of cow, goat, and sheep's milk creates a complex fat base; the limited scale of production means flavor varies more than industrial blues. The wrapping in chestnut (or fig) leaves during curing imparts subtle tannin and contributes to the unique microenvironment around each cheese. The flavor is among the most forceful of any cheese — deeply salty, pungent to the point of ammoniac in older specimens, with a sharp, lingering bite. It is traditionally served with sidra (Asturian cider) that cuts through the intensity. In cooking, Cabrales is used in the Asturian sauce for steak (salsa de Cabrales) — melted with cream, it transforms into a luscious, pungent sauce that coats the beef.
Pairings
Flavor relationships
Pairs well with
figs
grapes
ham, serrano
honey
pears
salads
steak
figs
Figs brings fruit sweetness and acidity that lift cheese, cabrales's character and keep the pairing lively.
grapes
Grapes brings fruit sweetness and acidity that lift cheese, cabrales's character and keep the pairing lively.
ham, serrano
Ham, serrano reinforces the savory side of cheese, cabrales's character, building a deeper and more satisfying base.
honey
Honey draws out the sweeter side of cheese, cabrales's character while adding roundness and dessert-friendly depth.
pears
Pears brings fruit sweetness and acidity that lift cheese, cabrales's character and keep the pairing lively.
salads
Salads adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives cheese, cabrales's character more structure and balance.
steak
Steak reinforces the savory side of cheese, cabrales's character, building a deeper and more satisfying base.
Grapes brings fruit sweetness and acidity that lift cheese, cabrales's character and keep the pairing lively.
Ham, serrano reinforces the savory side of cheese, cabrales's character, building a deeper and more satisfying base.
Honey draws out the sweeter side of cheese, cabrales's character while adding roundness and dessert-friendly depth.
Pears brings fruit sweetness and acidity that lift cheese, cabrales's character and keep the pairing lively.
salads
Salads adds vegetal sweetness or earthiness that gives cheese, cabrales's character more structure and balance.
steak
Steak reinforces the savory side of cheese, cabrales's character, building a deeper and more satisfying base.