This Hot, Decadent Cheese Sauce Should Be on Every Cheese Platter.
In its simplest form, a cheese platter is a few pieces of cheddar on a cutting board. There is nothing wrong with that, but if you want your guest to get warm and inviting cheese, make a hot cheese sauce.
A beautiful, bubbly cheese sauce is one of those gourmet dishes that surpasses both the sum of its parts and the effort required. It’s easy, but the main thing is balance . Soft cream cheeses like ricotta and chevre can be spooned and spread in a saucepan and then broiled until the top is nice and browned, but harder cheeses require a little more maintenance. Chopping hard cheese in a platter will create a greasy, congealed mess, so add a few tablespoons of sour cream or mayonnaise to the sauce.
Finally, you need to choose add-ons that you can add before or after frying. If you want fresh mozzarella, place slices of tomato, basil leaves, or mushrooms between the thick slices of cheese before placing in the oven. If you want to make ricotta or fresh goat, try adding some tomato paste, olive tapenade, or minced garlic. Chopped nuts, dried fruit, and some honey are all great after-oven additions, and you can always lay out a whole bunch of toppings for your guests to sprinkle with sauce, letting them rule their silly fortunes.