Manchego cheese in olive oil (Queso manchego en aceite)

1. Cut the rind off the manchego and cut the cheese into 1 cm thick triangles or cubes.

2. Coarsely crush the peppercorns in a mortar.

3. Layer the cheese in a clean, airtight jar, tucking the rosemary and thyme sprigs and the crushed pepper in between.

4. Pour in enough extra virgin olive oil to cover the cheese completely.

5. Close the jar and leave in a cool place (not the fridge) for at least 2 days, preferably a week.

6. Serve as a tapa with bread; the flavoured oil is excellent on salads too.

Tip: Choose aged manchego (curado or viejo) – young cheese is too soft and falls apart in the oil.