ISO: ISO ideas for blue cheese....

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heather_in_sf

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Monday I missed the Fancy Food Show but made it back in town for Food Fete, somehow they gave me press credentials, guess I'd better write more. Anyway, Roth Käse out of Wisconsin gave me 12# of blue cheese!

They had two huge wheels of their Buttermilk Blue and Moody Blue (an applewood smoked cheese, swoon), that had barely 1/2" cut from the top. Gorgeous massive cheese. My pal Anna and I split them into 8ths and wrapped them for the freezer, it took us 45 minutes to put it up.

So what ideas do you have for these cheeses?

I love blue cheese dressing, and thought about a blue cheese souffle with a ribeye, and of course I have a plan to poach some pears and do a crostini. There's that chicken breast with butternut squash sauce that has blue cheese, and Merle's broiled tomatoes (but no tomatoes around here these days).

Any and all ideas welcomed!

 
REC: Fig & Walnut Pasta with Gorgonzola

This would be wonderful with the buttermilk blue cheese!

* Exported from MasterCook II *

Fig And Walnut Pasta With Gorgonzola

Recipe By : Valley Fig Growers
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:20
Categories : Pasta Tried & True

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

1 Cup Calimyrna Or Mission Figs
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Large Onion -- sliced
8 Ounces Vermicelli -- see notes
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Walnuts -- chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cups Gorgonzola Cheese -- crumbled

Remove the stems from the figs and coarsely chop; set aside. Heat butter in large skillet. Add onion and saute over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Meanwhile prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain; toss with olive oil and set aside. Stir figs, walnuts and salt into the onions, cook 2 minutes, until heated through. Pour over pasta. Sprinkle with gorgonzola and toss gently. Serve immediately.

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NOTES : I have used short pasta shapes, like gemelli or rotini for this, and it works well.
Any mild blue cheese is good. Try Saga or buttermilk blue if gorgonzola is too sharp for your taste.

 
Not T&T, but it looks great...REC: Polenta Gratin with Gorgonzola

* Exported from MasterCook II *

Polenta Gratin With Gorgonzola Cheese

Recipe By : Bon Appetit
Serving Size : 6
Categories : Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

Polenta
3 Cups Water
1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Sage -- chopped
Or
2 Teaspoons Dried Sage -- crumbled
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
Sauce
1 1/2 Cups Half & Half -- or milk
1 1/2 Cups Milk
2 Bay Leaves
6 Whole Cloves
6 Whole Allspice Berries
1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter
1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Gorgonzola Cheese -- crumbled
Salt And Pepper
Ground Nutmeg
1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese -- freshly grated

For Polenta: Butter 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bring water, sage, olive oil and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually add cornmeal in thin stream, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Cook until cornmeal slowly falls off lifted spoon, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Immediately spread polenta into prepared dish; smooth top. Cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover polenta with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

For Sauce: Bring first 5 ingredients to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes.

Melt butter in another heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour. Whisk until smooth and bubbling (do not brown), about 2 minutes. Strain milk mixture into flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Cook until thick, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir Gorgonzola into sauce. Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Cool. (Sauce can be made 1 day ahead; refrigerate).

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter 13" oval or 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Spread 1/2 cup sauce evenly over bottom of dish. Cut polenta into 2 inch squares. Cut each square in half horizontally, forming two 2-inch squares that are approximately 1/4" thick. Place squares in prepared dish, overlapping edges slightly. Pour remaining sauce over polenta. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. (Can be prepared 1 hour ahead.)

Bake until polenta is heated through and top is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.


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Serving Ideas : Delicious with roast leg of lamb with garlic and rosemary.

NOTES : Good with half & half, but using all milk is a good lower-fat version.

 
REC: Arugula, Pear, Walnut & Bleu Cheese Salad

Arugula, Pear, Walnut & Bleu Cheese Salad

8 Loose cups FRESH-YOUNG ARUGULA, washed
2 BOSC PEARS, peeled, cored, sliced thinly
¾ cup crumbled BLEU CHEESE
½ cup diced GREEN ONIONS or CHIVES
1 cup TOASTED WALNUTS
Balsamic-Shallot Vinaigrette (see below)

To begin, place the walnuts on a flat pan in a 300° oven for 15-20 minutes until they start to darken and become fragrant. Remove and cool completely. (They'll be soft-ish when they come out of the oven but not to worry, they'll crisp up as they cool.)

Put the arugula in a deep bowl, top with the sliced pears, green onions or chives, cheese and walnuts. Sprinkle a little salt and fresh pepper over this, add enough dressing to moisten, toss and serve. Voila!

Balsamic-Shallot Vinaigrette

1 tsp DIJON MUSTARD
¼ teaspoon SALT
½ tsp FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
4 tsp RED WINE VINEGAR
2 tsp BALSAMIC VINEGAR (I like a Fig or Currant infused Balsamic)
1 Tbsp VEGETABLE OIL
1 Tbsp WALNUT OIL* ¼ cup EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
1 SHALLOT, very finely minced

*(If you don’t have access to Walnut Oil, substitute a tablespoon of vegetable oil although arugula really benefits from the flavor of nut-oils)

Put the mustard salt, black pepper and all the vinegar in a container, stir well to dissolve the salt. Add the oils and whisk until well combined and emulsified. Stir in the minced shallot, taste and adjust seasonings. This makes about 6 tablespoons of vinaigrette, enough to dress 10-12 cups of salad greens.

 
REC: Fresh Fig, Blue Cheese and Fennel Pizza

Fresh Fig, Blue Cheese and Fennel Pizza

1 lb PIZZA DOUGH
1 tsp OLIVE OIL

2 tsp OLIVE OIL
2 SHALLOTS, thinly sliced (about ½ cup)
2 tsp SUGAR
1 bulb of FENNEL, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
10-12 fresh MISSION FIGS, thickly sliced (about 1¼ cups)
¼ tsp LEMON ZEST
1/8 tsp GROUND CINNAMON
1 Tbsp coarsely chopped FRESH ROSEMARY, + more for garnish
Salt and CRUSHED RED PEPPER
4 ounces CRUMBLED BLUE CHEESE
¼ cup coarsely chopped WALNUTS

Preheat oven to 500º F for a pizza stone, 450º F for a baking sheet.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper (if using a stone) or to a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with 1 tsp olive oil.

Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced shallots and sugar; stir occasionally, until the shallots begin to caramelize, about 5-6 minutes. Add the sliced fennel and continue cooking over medium-low heat until fully caramelized, another 5-6 minutes. Add sliced figs cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add lemon zest, cinnamon, rosemary, salt, and pepper; gently blend and remove from heat.

Place half of the blue cheese on the dough. Arrange the fig and fennel mixture on top. Top with remaining ½ blue cheese.

With a stone, bake at 500º F about 10 minutes, until both the top and bottom of the crust is brown and the cheese is melted. For a baking sheet, bake at 450º F for about 25 minutes, or until both the top and bottom of the crust is brown and the cheese is melted.

**Note: The walnuts have a tendency to become overly toasted when put on the pizza too early, so I usually add them when there is 2-3 minutes cooking time remaining.

Let cool slightly before slicing. Garnish with more fresh rosemary if desired and serve immediately.

 
Ooh - I love both those cheeses - the Moody Blue is insane - I have some in the refrigerator right

now. Was going to suggest the Blue Cheese Broiled Tomatoes, as you mentioned above, plus Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic And Gorgonzola, but you said you can't find any good tomatoes right now. Have you tried Campari tomatoes?

 
Simple and really yummy: Blue Cheese Fettuccine

Blue Cheese Fettuccine
Servings 4
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 Lb Blue Cheese
1/4 C Whipping Cream
Pepper -- To Taste
2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley -- Chopped
8 Oz Fettuccine -- cooked as directed

Heat oil in skillet, add cheese until melted.
Stir in remaining ingredients except noodles. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring.
Serve over noodles.

 
Love, love this REC: Cobb Pasta Toss

Rachael Ray made this recipe on her show and I thought, "I have these ingredients. I bet this tastes great!" And it did! Fresh summer flavors in winter!

I did substitute Deb-in-MI's roasted canned plum tomatoes (already roasted in my freezer), 3 Trader Joe's frozen basil cubes, Litehouse blue cheese dressing, used the whole pound of chicken cubes AND crumbled the full 6 slices of bacon over the top. Otherwise, I made a 1/2 batch of the recipe and with the extra meat, it served 4 adults and then some. Yum!

3 pints grape or cherry tomatoes
4 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
Salt and ground black pepper
6 slices bacon
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 avocados, pitted and diced
1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
A few dashes hot sauce
4 to 5 scallions, thinly sliced on a bias
1 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/4 cup (about a handful) fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup (about a handful) flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat an oven to 400ºF. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat to boil.

Scatter the tomatoes onto a baking sheet and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons EVOO and some salt and pepper. Toss lightly to coat and roast them in the hot oven until they burst open and are tender, 12-15 minutes.

Place the bacon on a broiler pan and transfer to the oven as well. Cook until crispy, about 15 minutes.
While the tomatoes and bacon are in the oven, drop the pasta in the boiling water and cook to al dente according to package directions. When the pasta is ready, reserve a large mug of the starchy cooking water and then drain the pasta and return it to the pot it was cooked in.

While the pasta is cooking, season chicken pieces with salt and ground black pepper. Heat a large skillet with one turn of the pan of EVOO, add the chicken and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, scoop the avocado flesh into a small bowl and squeeze the juice of the lemon over it, tossing to coat.

When the chicken is finished cooking, add garlic to the pan, cook for 1 minute, then sprinkle in a few dashes of hot sauce and toss to coat.

In a large serving bowl, mash cooked tomatoes together with scallions, add the pasta water and pasta.

Top with chicken, crumble the cooked bacon over it, and toss with the avocado, blue cheese, basil and parsley. Yields: 4 servings

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/cobb-pasta-toss/

 
Rec: Fromage Fort - use just a bit of the blue

I just made Alton Brown's recipe that Curious posted back in 2007 and we are loving it! I followed reviewers suggestions and used 1/4 oz Fontina, 1/2 oz Havarti, 3 oz cream cheese, 1/4 oz Asiago, 1 oz Monterey Jack, 1/2 oz Mozzarella, 3 oz Sharp cheddar, 2 TBS sour cream, 2 TBS mayo, 1/2 medium clove of garlic minced, a bit more than 1/4 cup of Pino Grigio, NO butter or parsley – or BACON (I forgot to add it)

Tasting at just made:
- Very good but too much garlic – by 1/2
- too much wine – should have been less than ¼ cup and, I think,
- too much sharp cheddar – maybe less cheddar and more Jack or Mozzarella next time
- all mayo, OR try the unsalted butter.

After it aged a bit:
- too much cheddar
- DEFINITELY use cream(ed) cheese for spread-ability

Portioned into 4 individual sized flan containers to allow tossing it under the broiler/heating in oven. Ate scrapings with celery sticks. I like it cold and DH likes it a bit warm. Lots and lots of great reviews at Food Network - link posted in image URL.

Fromage Fort Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2004
You may use any left-over cheese you wish, such as Cheddar, Parmesan, Provolone, Fontina, Mozzarella, Camembert, or St. Andre. Make sure that you use a combination that is not too salty.

1 pound left-over cheese*, at room temperature
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
1 small clove garlic

Remove any rinds from hard cheeses. Grate hard cheeses and cut others into 1/2-inch cubes. Place cheese, wine, butter, herbs, and garlic in a food processor and blend until smooth, approximately 2 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 1 hour for a firmer consistency. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

http://www.eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=40022

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/fromage-fort-recipe/index.html

 
Rec: Cheddar Cheese Crackers (use your blue cheese), store logs of these in freezer for future use

Cheddar Cheese Crackers

3/4 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
2-1/3 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped medium fine

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cheese and butter and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix in the walnuts on low speed. The dough should be fairly stiff, with small chunks of cheese and walnut visible. You can do these same steps with a mixing bowl and a wooden spoon, mixing the ingredients in the same order.

Transfer the dough to parchment paper, waxed paper, or plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1 inch in diameter. Wrap well and freeze until hard, about 2 hours. Or, gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap well in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm but still pliable, about 1 hour.

Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap well in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator until firm but still pliable, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick liner.

Unwrap the log and cut crosswise into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. If you have shaped the dough into a disk, unwrap, place on a floured work surface, and roll out into a square or rectangle 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut the dough into 1-inch squares, 1-by-2-inch rectangles, or whatever shape you like. Arrange the crackers on the prepared pan, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Bake the crackers until golden brown on the edges and lighter in the center, 7-10 minutes, depending on size and thickness. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. The crackers will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.

Blue Cheese variation: Make dough as directed, substituting 2 cups (8 oz) crumbled blue cheese for the cheddar and 1 teaspoon crumbled dried or minced fresh sage for the cayenne pepper.

Yield: about 50 1-inch round crackers

Source: Tartine by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson

Book notes: Be careful with cheese substitutions. A cheese with a high butterfat content, such as Brie or Camembert, will not work. Neither will very hard cheeses, such as aged pecorino, although you may add a few tablespoons of a hard aged cheese for flavor.

Pat’s notes: Pat’s notes: These are thin and coin-sized and have a really nice flavor, not bland at all like I find many homemade crackers to be. The chef who brought them to the party said she used Cabot sharp cheese.

 
Rec: Spinach Salad with Pear and Avocado

Spinach Salad with Pear and Avocado

1/2 cup vegetable oil (used olive oil)
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (sometimes I use fresh garlic)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 6-ounce package ready-to-use baby spinach, stems removed
1 ripe Anjou pear, peeled, cubed
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, cubed
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about 2 oz) (used blue cheese)
Pat’s additional: crispy crumbled bacon

Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Mix spinach, pear, avocado and onion in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola cheese. Serve, passing any remaining dressing separately.

Serves 4.
Source: 12/95 Bon Appetit

Pat’s notes: Per the reviews I decreased the oil a bit and upped the seasoned rice vinegar...to taste. Liked the addition of crispy bacon. Made the dressing with canola oil in the past but didn’t care for it as much.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/985

 
Rec: Cauliflower and Cheese Soup

Cauliflower and Cheese Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
2 lbs. cauliflower, stemmed and cut into florets (see notes below)
4 cups vegetable stock or prepared broth
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

In a soup pot over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and saute until softened and very lightly colored, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and caraway seeds and saute for 1 minute. Do not let the garlic burn.

Add the cauliflower and stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the cauliflower is softened, 20-25 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a blender or food processor (Pat’s note: I used an immersion blender) puree the soup in batches until the cauliflower is smooth and the soup has a creamy consistency, then return the soup to the pot. Alternatively, process with a handheld blender in the pot until the desired consistency is reached. Whisk in the Cheddar cheese to completely incorporate. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

Return the soup to medium heat and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and sprinkle with the blue cheese, and a pinch of parsley. Serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Notes accompanying the recipe: Cauliflower has a delicious, mild flavor that marries nicely with cheese and makes a wonderful soup. Select firm, tight cauliflower heads free of brown spots, avoiding those with loosely packed florets. Remove any green leaves from the head, and using a small, sharp knife, separate the head into florets. Cut away any tough hard stem ends and discolored areas and discard. Leave any tender stems attached to the florets.

Source: Williams-Sonoma Soup cookbook by Diane Rossen Worthington

Pat’s notes: For Cookbook Club I prepared the soup in the morning up to the point of blending it. Transported it then reheated it gently then added the cheddar cheese and proceeded with the remaining garnishes at serving time. I think some small crispy croutons (even garlicky ones) would be a nice garnish as well.

 
Rec: Yukon Gold Potato and Wild Mushroom Gratin with Blue Cheese

Yukon Gold Potato and Wild Mushroom Gratin with Blue Cheese

Use fresh button mushrooms if wild mushrooms are hard to get; you will still have delicious results. Yukon Gold potatoes have a pale yellow color and a buttery taste that adds to the richness of this dish.

5 oz. crumbled blue cheese (such as Stilton, Gorgonzola or Maytag blue; about 1-1/2 cups), room temperature
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons butter
1 pound mixed fresh wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, morel, portobello, stemmed shiitake, oyster, crimini or hedgehog), thickly sliced
1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, very thinly sliced into rounds

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 400̊F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Place cheese in medium bowl; add 1/2 cup cream. Using fork, mash mixture to chunky paste. Mix in salt and pepper. Mix in remaining 2 cups cream.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and herbs; sauté until mushrooms are tender and liquid cooks away, about 8 minutes. (Cheese sauce and mushrooms can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover separately and chill.)

Arrange half of potatoes on bottom of prepared dish. Spoon 3/4 cup cheese sauce evenly over. Top with all of mushroom mixture, 3/4 cup cheese sauce, then remaining potatoes. Top with remaining cheese sauce. Cover dish with foil.

Bake gratin 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until potatoes are tender, top is golden brown and sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes; serve hot.

Serves 6 to 8.
Source: 11/96 Bon Appetit

Pat's note: Delicious!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/100346

 
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