While watching the news this morning, a Chef from Purdy’s was making these little bites for Christmas gatherings. It looked so good I thought I would share it with you.
- 1 baguette, sliced on an angle and lightly toasted, both sides
- 200 g of Brie at room temperature, skin removed
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1/2 cup olive oil, infused with fresh basil (let sit over night)
- 70% dark chocolate, chopped fine
Mix together the Brie Cheese with a tablespoon room temperataure butter until well combined.
Brush the crostini with the infused basil olive oil and pile a generous spoon of the cheese on top.
Sprinkle the top of the cheese with chocolate and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for until the chocolate has melted and the brie is starting to ooze (love that word) on the toast.
Upon removing from the oven, a tiny sprinkling of kosher salt on top of the chocolate will elevate this to gourmet.
Serve this with a glass of wine, Christmas music in the background and a roomful of friends. Isn’t that what it is all about?
Enjoy!
Burgers For Tasting Parties
These are absolutely wonderful to devour..oops..sorry, taste! The Canadian Super Store sell the miniature hamburger buns (or make your own) and they are the perfect size. If your store does not sell these, small soft buns will do. Cobbs Bakery now have the slider buns.
For 8 burgers you will need:
- 1 lb. fine ground beef
- 1/2 oz .sliced Brie cheese (triple cream is best) for each burger
- 2 medium sized porcini mushrooms, sliced
Form the burgers into 1 inch thick patties, adding nothing to the mixture. Season with a tiny pinch of salt and pepper and a smear of olive oil. Grill to medium over a high heat.
Place the burgers on miniature size soft buns that have been lightly grilled.
Add 1/2 oz. of Brie cheese on each burger, by cutting into thick strips and place on a burger once it has been grilled, until it has become slightly molten.
Slice the porcini mushrooms into strips and season with a little oil, salt and pepper. Grill quickly and place on top of the melted cheese and place on the top of the bun. Serve immediately.
Be sure to add a generous dollop of the truffle aioli to the burger. Recipe follows.
Truffle Aioli
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- juice from 2 limes
- 2 tbsp. white truffle paste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 eggs
Add the eggs to a food processor. Slowly drizzle the oil until a mayo like consistency is achieved. Add the remaining ingredients while the machine is running.
Add this on your burgers….oh my! yummy
Cheese Pate
This is a really nice pate. So fresh and no chemicals or preservatives.
- 9 0z. Philadelphia cream cheese
- 8 oz. c heddar cheese (finely grated)
- 5 oz. Brie cheese, without covering
- 1/2 tsp worchestershire sauce
- few drops of tabasco
- 1 generous tbsp. brandy or a good port
- 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. softened butter
- chopped pistachios nuts
In your food processor, spoon all the ingredients, except nuts, and beat until nice and smooth. This will be soft, but you roll it out (wet your hands first) into a log shape and place in parchment paper. Chill in the fridge overnight.
Before serving, roll into the crushed nuts. Slice and serve with crackers or toast wedges.
Fruit/Cheese Omelet
This is de-lish and serves 2 (1 if you are REALLY hungary)
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 1/2 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced thin
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. chopped pecans
- 6 eggs
- 12 cubes (1/2″) Brie cheese
In two heavy skillets, melt 1/2 tbsp. butter each. Saute apple slices in melted butter until glossy but not mushy.
Sprinkle apples with nutmeg and sugar. Remove apples to a small dish and set aside. Mix together brown sugar and pecans, and set aside.
In clean skillets, melt balance of butter, heating until bubbly. Break eggs into a bowl and whisk until foamy. Pour into skillets. As eggs begin to set, lift edges to allow any uncooked liquid to slide under. When eggs are almost set, turn off the heat.
Put brie on one side of the omelet and top wih the apple mixture. Fold in half and let sit for about two minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Be sure to top with the brown sugar/pecan topping. Sprinkle the tops lightly with icing sugar.
Serve with fresh fruit and fresh, hot coffee. Yummy-Yummy. This is in my cookbook “The B & B Cookbook”.
Veal and Brie With Asparagus
This is a lovely dinner to present to….your friends, partner/spouse, guests…whomever you wish. It is not complicated. It serves 4
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 small round of Brie, skin removed
- 1 cup flour
- 1-2 tbsp. butter
- 16 spears fresh asparagus, peeled
- 8 ounces fresh crab
- 2 lbs. Veal cutlets
Preparation:
Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a small saucepan over slow heat. Add the whipping cream and as bubbles start to form on the edges, whisk in the Brie cheese and stir until completely melted. Cover and set aside to keep warm (or put in warming oven).
If the veal has not been pounded out, take a mallet and, after covering with eaxed paper, pound it out until it is thin and unison in size. Dredge in the flour and make sure to knock off the excess. Melt the butter in a large fry pan. Cook in the butter for 2-3 minutes until browned . Set aside and keep warm.
Add enough water to your pot with a steamer bowl and bring to the boil. Snap off the asparagus where it does so naturally and drop in the water for only a couple of minutes (keeping the bright green colour). Place the crab meat over the asparagus to steam and get hot.
To assemble, plate the veal, top with a little crabmeat. Place 4 asparagus spears on top and drizzle the cheese sauce over the top. Serve extra sauce on the side. It will be all used up as it is soooo tasty. The only thing this needs is a crisp , warm dinner roll and fresh butter.
Never use margarine for this recipe. Actually, never use margarine. Butter is better for sure.
Summer Appetizers
We are now into summer and that means a lot of bbq’s, family picnics and visits with family, friends and neighbors. Today I will showcase a couple of new ideas to get you started AND excited to show off your new found recipe skills.
Firstly: Fresh Figs with Proscuitto and Blue Cheese
Note-the combination of flavours can’t be beat but your figs must be perfect. Ripe but not too soft. Use both green and purple figs for variety.
- 1/2 cup Blue Cheese
- 6 medium figs, cut into quarters
- 2 tbsp. of exceptional balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- pinch of mediterranean salt
- light pinch of pepper
- 1/2 lb. thinly sliced proscuitto, cut into strips.
Place 1/2 tsp. of the cheese on each quarter, gently pressing into the bottom of each fig piece. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Mix the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper together using a whisk and brush each fig.
To assemble, wrap the bottom half of each fig with a strip of proscuitto. Do not refrigerate.
Secondly: Pecan, Brie and Grape Salsa Tarts.
To get the results of this recipe you should have a high quality Brie. This means it should be soft when cut into but never runny. If you make a mistake and buy an under-ripe wheel of Brie, you should be aware that it will not ripen further.
- 1 cup seedless grapes, cut in half
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsps. olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. each of fresh rosemary aned minced garlic.
- pinch of pepper
- 48 prepared tart shells (you could make your own pastry)
- 1/2 cup roasted and chopped pecans
- 8 oz. Brie, rind removed
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place grapes and salt in a processer and chop until coarse in texture. Transfer to a strainer and let stand for about 10 minutes. Mix together all the ingredients up to and including pepper. Fold in the grapes.
With a fork, fill the tartlets. This will avoid picking up any of the liquid. Bake until the cheese starts to melt (about 5 minutes). Do not over-bake. Serve immediately.
You have now become the queen of the appetizers for any occasion that crops up.