25 MINSDELIVEGETARIANPANTRY

Nakladaný Hermelín

Central European pub-style marinated soft cheese — wheels of Camembert stuffed with crushed garlic, sweet paprika, and chili, submerged in oil with onions, bay leaves, and peppercorns.

YIELD4 Portions (4 Cheese Wheels)
PREP25 mins (+ 5–7 days marinate)
COOK0 mins

Ingredients

The Cheese & Stuffing Paste

  • 4 wheels (approx. 100–125 g each) Hermelín, Camembert, or young soft Brie wheels
  • 4 cloves Fresh garlic, finely grated or crushed into paste
  • 10 g Sweet paprika
  • 2 g Hot paprika or cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp Whole or crushed caraway seeds
  • 3 g Fine sea salt & 2 g freshly cracked black pepper

Jar Layers & Aromatics

  • 2 Medium red or white onions, cut into thin half-moons
  • 6–8 Pickled mild feferónky, hot cherry peppers, or pepperoncini
  • 4 Dried bay leaves
  • 10 Whole black peppercorns
  • 6 Whole allspice berries

The Oil

  • 400–500 ml Neutral sunflower oil or mild olive oil (enough to fully submerge)

To Serve

  • Fresh crusty rye bread or sourdough.
  • Cold lager on tap.

Method

  1. Make the Stuffing Paste: In a small bowl, mix the grated garlic, sweet paprika, hot paprika, crushed caraway seeds, salt, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of oil into a thick, aromatic paste.
  2. Cut & Fill the Cheese: Slice each wheel of Hermelín (or Camembert) horizontally in half through the equator to create two discs. Spread the spicy garlic paste generously over the cut sides, sandwich the halves back together, and press gently to seal. (Optional: cut the sealed wheels into halves or quarters for deeper oil penetration).
  3. Layer the Jar: In a clean, wide-mouth 1-liter glass jar, place a layer of sliced onions, a bay leaf, a few peppercorns, and a pickled pepper. Place one stuffed cheese wheel on top. Repeat alternating layers of sliced onions, spices, peppers, and cheese wheels until the jar is filled.
  4. Submerge in Oil: Pour neutral oil slowly down the inside of the jar until the cheese and onions are completely submerged. Tap the jar gently on the counter to release trapped air bubbles.
  5. Marinate: Seal the jar tightly. Leave at cool room temperature (18–20°C) for 2 days to kickstart the softening and flavor infusion, then transfer to the fridge for another 4 to 5 days.
  6. Serve: Always bring the jar out of the fridge 1 hour before serving so the oil liquefies and the cheese becomes runny, creamy, and room temperature. Lift out a cheese wheel, crown with marinated onions and peppers, and serve with fresh bread.
Chef's Tip: Standard French or American Camembert wheels work as a 1:1 replacement for Czech/Slovak Hermelín. The critical rule is serving temperature: cold marinated cheese is rubbery and dull, but at room temperature, the core turns buttery, velvety, and deeply infused with garlic and pickled pepper heat.