Now that we’ve recreated Ian’s mac and cheese pizza, and Paul’s Pel’meni, we’re diving into arguably one of the most iconic Madison bites — cheese curds and ranch.
Curd ingredients
- 1 lb fresh cheese curds — the squeakier the better
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup Spotted Cow — or an inferior beer of your choosing
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Cayenne, garlic salt, and mustard powder to taste
- Canola oil
Curd instructions
- Add 2 inches of oil to a deep frying pan
- Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and seasonings in a bowl
- Beat egg and add to dry ingredients along with beer
- Add more beer or flour as needed to get it to a pancake batter consistency
- Using a slotted spoon, coat the curds in batter and drop them into your 400º oil
- After about a minute, remove your golden brown curds and let them rest on a plate lined with paper towel
Ranch ingredients
- 1/2 cup Duke’s mayo — or an inferior mayo of your choosing
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Pepper
- Salt
- Dried dill
- Dried parsley
- Green Goddess seasoning, cayenne, and garlic salt to taste
Ranch instructions
- Add ingredients to a mason jar — or an empty salsa jar, mayo container, etc.
- Make sure the lid is on tight, and shake away
- Put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes
- Get dippin’
Talk curdy to me
Fresh squeaky curds are the main event of this dish, and there are plenty of local options and flavors to choose from:
Wisconsin Cheese Mart | 119 State St.
Sweet Bourbon Chipotle Bacon curds by Weyauwega Star Dairy
Willy Street Co-op | 1221 Williamson St.
Garlic Dill curds by Cedar Grove
Cap Centre Market | 111 North Broom St.
Bloody Mary curds by North Country Cheese
Northwoods Cheese | 2518 Advance Rd.
Cajun curds by Ellsworth Dairy