Savory Blue Cheesecake |
This wonderful recipe is from "Cooking with Herbs"
Workshop at the James Beard Foundation |
| CAKE FILLING |
| 2 tablespoons butter |
| 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs |
| 2 teaspoons fresh Mexican mint marigold chopped |
| 1-1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature |
| 12 ounces bleu cheese, at room temperature |
| 1-1/2 cups sour cream |
| 4 eggs |
| 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion |
| 2 cloves garlic, mashed |
| 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper |
| 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard |
| 2 tablespoons fresh Spanish or Greek oregano, chopped |
| 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped |
| TOPPING |
| 2 cups sour cream |
| 2 tablespoons chopped parsley |
| 2 tablespoons chopped chives |
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Rub generously with butter the sides and bottom of a 10-inch spring-form pan. Combine bread crumbs and marigold, evenly coating buttered surfaces with mixture. Set aside.
Beat cheeses at low speed with electric mixer until well blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl and add sour cream; beat at medium speed for one minute. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the onion, garlic, pepper, mustard and herbs.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 1-1/2 hours or until set in center.
Combine topping ingredients. When cake is almost set, remove from oven and let stand 5-20 minutes. Spread topping over cake; return to oven for 3-5 minutes or until the sour cream is set. Cool on wire rack for 1-1/2 to 2 hours before removing from pan. Chill thoroughly, preferable overnight. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. |
| 1/2 cup cashews |
| 4 tablespoons butter |
| 4 tablespoons maple syrup |
| 6 tablespoons cooking oil |
Melt in pan and roast cashews in the oven for a few minutes, then set cashews aside.
| 4 tablespoons butter |
| 4 tablespoons cooking oil |
| 2 tablespoons brown sugar |
| 6 beets skinned and sliced |
| 2 pears sliced |
Melt above ingredients in pan and cook over low heat for a few minutes.
Plate lettuce, top with cooked beets and pears and sprinkle with cashews and add vinaigrette.
| VINAIGRETTE |
| 8 tablespoons olive oil |
| 6 tablespoons pale ale |
| 8 tablespoons rice herb vinegar |
| 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped |
Whisk well. |
