Cheesaholics Anonymous

How to improve a peach (hint, add cheese)

My lovely Aunt Jeanette wrote a cookbook Bistro Cooking with Jeanette a few years ago. It’s a beginner-friendly guide to a wide range of Mediterranean bistro cooking, including fresh takes on some Middle Eastern staples like baklava and kofta kebabs. Jeanette has been teaching cooking for over 30 years, and she makes cooking an everyday possibility with her uncomplicated dishes. So here is the first of more to come, Bistro Cooking with Jeanette, part I:

 

Peach Gorgonzola Bruschetta

Prep time 20 mins, makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 slices French bread, cut ½ inch thick

2 large ripe peaches, unpeeled

Several basil leaves for garnish

Place Gorgonzola cheese and olive oil in a food processor, and process until smooth. Spread the mixture on the slices of French bread.

Cut peaches in half. Separate each peach from its pit by gently twisting the halves in opposite directions. Slice peaches vertically into ¼ inch slices. Place 4 slices of peach on each piece of the prepared sliced bread. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Serve immediately. Enjoy!

(To order a copy of Bistro Cooking with Jeanette, email [email protected])

Idiazabal Mac & Cheese

Yields 6 to 8 servings.

14 oz Idiazabal cheese, coarsely grated

¼ cup breadcrumbs

8 oz ham steak, chopped into ¼ inch cubes (optional)

1-teaspoon butter

1 whole head of garlic

2 cups whole or reduced fat milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 lb shell pasta (medium)

1/8-teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

 

NOTE: You can use any sharp, flavorful cheese in this recipe. I like Idiazabal for the smoky and meaty flavors. You can buy it from Despana Brand Foods (if you live in NY) or online at http://www.tienda.com.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position rack in center of oven.

Cut the top off the head of garlic (about ¼ of the way down) to expose the cloves. Season the exposed surface with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly in foil and place in center of oven until cloves become soft, about 45 minutes. Remove foil and squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skin. Mash the garlic into a smooth paste and set aside.

Melt one teaspoon of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cubes of ham and sauté until ham is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, heavy cream and garlic paste and simmer until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to break up any skin that forms on the surface.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add pasta, cooking until al dente (about 6 to 7 minutes, depending on pasta). Drain well and rinse with cold water.

Once milk and garlic mixture has reduced by about half, reduce heat to low and add 12 ounces of the grated cheese (reserve 2 ounces of the cheese for topping), a few ounces at a time, stirring well to ensure cheese melts. Add the ham, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste.

Finally, add the cooked pasta and stir well until evenly coated. Pour into a 13x9x2 ovenproof dish and sprinkle with remaining 2 ounces of cheese and ¼ cup breadcrumbs. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes until browned. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Fruit and Cheese

Pair cheese and fruit for a healthy snack or easy appetizer when entertaining. The salt in the cheese is balanced by the sweet in the fruit, and the crunch of the fruit contrasts the suppleness of the cheese. In short, your salivary glands will think they died and went to heaven.

Grapes are the most classic accompaniment, but don’t stop there. I’ve listed some pairings from around the world below and invite you to come up with more and post them on this site.

• Watermelon + Feta (Greece)
• Apricot + Stilton (England)
• Cantaloupe + Brie (France)
• Tomato + Pecorino (Italy)
• Membrillo (quince paste) + Manchego (Spain)
• Green apple + Gruyere (Switzerland)
• Avocado + Queso Fresco (Mexico)
• Fig + goat cheese (USA)

Keep in mind that ripe, sweet fruit works best, and avoid really acidic fruits like citrus. Bon appétit!

Keep the Rind

Kitchen tip: Save rinds from Parmesan and use them next time you make a stew or soup to give a boost to the flavor. Remember to discard the rind before serving.

Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Ingredients: Medium to thin sliced bread (brioche, sourdough and country bread all work well), truffle butter (available in most gourmet food stores), Fontina cheese (or any Alpine cheese such as Gruyere or Appenzeller), fig jam (optional).

Smear the bread with truffle butter and cover with thin slices of Fontina cheese. Top with bread and press together. Place in a non-stick skillet at medium heat and grill until bread is golden brown and cheese has melted. (Optional) Take a round or square cookie cutter and punch out mini appetizer sandwiches. Top with a small dollop of fig jam and serve right away.

Baked Brie

Recipe for Brie in Brioche Dough

From Chef Jacques Pepin’s La Technique

Roll the brioche dough to about ¾ inch larger than the brie all around (use a 2 lb brie), and about ¼ inch thick. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the brie on top and fold the edges of the dough onto the brie. Roll out another piece of dough ¼ inch thick and 1-2 inches larger than the brie all around. Brush with egg wash. Cover the brie, egg-washed side down and press the dough on the sides so it sticks to the bottom layer. Trim it all around. Brush the dough with egg wash and decorate with strips of dough. Brush the decoration with egg wash and let stand for 20 minutes at room temperature. Baked in preheated 350-degree F oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let rest for a few hours before serving so brie does not ooze out completely when cut. If you prefer to serve warm, place in 400-degree F oven for 5 minutes to heat up brioche without melting the cheese too much. Cut in slices to serve.

Note: you can try substituting pie crust or puff pastry dough for the brioche dough.

Easy Appetizer

Slice a ripe cantaloupe in very thin strips and stack alternating with thin slices of brie or camembert (best to stack from bottom up: fruit, cheese, fruit, cheese). Cut into smallish bite size pieces and hold together with a toothpick. Serve right away.