Days of Wine and Roquefort (Cheese Shop Mystery) (31 page)
Read Days of Wine and Roquefort (Cheese Shop Mystery) Online
Authors: Avery Aames
Chopped Salad
(MAKES 2 ENTRÉE-SIZE OR 4 DINNER-SIZE SALADS)
Salad:
1
/
4
pound salami, cubed or sliced
1
/
4
pound mozzarella cheese, cubed
6–12 baby tomatoes
6–12 pitted green olives
4–8 artichoke quarters (in their own oil or water)
4 tablespoons red onion, shredded
1
/
4
cup garbanzo beans (may use kidney beans)
2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
Dressing:
1 teaspoon sugar
1
/
8
teaspoon salt
1
/
4
cup white wine vinegar
1
/
8
cup extra virgin olive oil
Cracked black pepper (3–6 grinds of the peppermill)
2 teaspoons fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
For the salad, arrange lettuce, cheese, salami, tomatoes, olives, onion, beans, and artichokes on a plate.
For the dressing, mix sugar, salt, vinegar, olive oil, and pepper. Snip the basil using kitchen shears. Add the basil to the mixture. Drizzle the dressing over the salad mixture.
Serve cold.
[
Note from Charlotte:
This is so easy, Clair and Amy were able to make it without any supervision. Enjoy the combo of flavors. Divine.]
***
Delilah’s Grilled Cheese with Bacon & Fig Jam
(SERVES 2)
4 slices bread
3–4 tablespoons butter
3–4 tablespoons cream cheese
2 tablespoons fig jam or preserves
4 ounces (4 slices) Swiss cheese
4 slices bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled
2 tablespoons scallions, diced
For each sandwich, butter two slices of bread on one side. Flip the bread over and spread cream cheese on the other side of the bread. Now, spread the cream cheese side of the bread with fig jam. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on top of the jam.
On two of the cheese-bread combos, add the cooked bacon, dividing equally, and then the chopped scallions. Top with the other cheese-bread combo.
Heat up a flat grilling pan or a panini grill. Place the sandwiches on the grill. [If using a grilling pan, grill the sandwich on low to medium for 4 minutes. Flip the sandwich and grill for another 4, until the bread is a nice golden brown and cheese is oozing. If using a panini grill, cook the sandwich for a total of 4 minutes, until the bread is a nice golden brown.]
Remove from heat and serve immediately.
[
Note from Delilah:
This can be made on gluten-free bread; it is still amazing. Also, if you prefer another jam, feel free to use it. It’s the combination of the salty with the sweet that matters.]
***
Turkey Chèvre Pizza à la Pépère
1 10–12 inch round pizza crust
1
/
2
pound ground turkey
2 shallots, peeled and sliced
2–3 tablespoons olive oil
2–3 ounces chèvre cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Dash of paprika
Bake pizza crust at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes. *
If you prefer to make the pizza crust from a mix rather than use a pre-made crust, follow the instructions given by maker.
While pizza is baking, in a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the ground turkey and sliced shallots. Stir occasionally so the turkey doesn’t overcook, about 4–5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Remove pizza from oven and drizzle with the 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt.
Arrange the turkey and shallots on the pizza. Crumble the chèvre cheese and scatter on top of the turkey. Sprinkle with rosemary, oregano, and paprika.
Bake in oven for 10 minutes until cheese melts and turns golden.
Serve immediately.
[
Note from Pépère:
Feel free to use more chèvre. When it comes to a pizza, it is all about the flavors that the chef prefers.]
***
Chocolate Cherry Mascarpone Bars
(MAKES 12–16)
1
1
/
2
cups all-purpose flour
3
/
4
cup good-quality cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick butter, softened
3
/
4
cup granulated sugar
3
/
4
cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1
/
2
cup mascarpone cheese
10 ounces dark chocolate chips
1 cup tart pitted cherries (canned in water; water drained)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside.
In a medium bowl, using a mixer, combine butter and sugars. Add egg, vanilla, and mascarpone cheese, and combine. Slowly, in batches, add the flour mixture until just combined.
Chop the cherries in a food processor. One cup of cherries will reduce in size to approximately
1
/
2
cup. Drain off excess liquid.
Stir the chocolate and cherries into the flour mixture. It is a stiff dough.
Press the mixture into a greased 13” x 9” pan.
Bake 25–30 minutes, or until top is still soft looking. Rotate the pan halfway through the baking process.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool completely before slicing. [The texture is like a gooey, chewy brownie.]
[
Note from Charlotte:
You might not be able to see the cherries once these are baked, but you can sure taste them!]
***
Chocko-Socko Cheesecake
SERVES 8–12
1 pound (16 ounces) ricotta cheese
1
/
4
cup rice flour
1
/
2
teaspoon xanthan gum
4 egg yolks
1
/
2
cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1
/
2
teaspoon vanilla
1
/
2
teaspoon salt
1 pound (16 ounces) cream cheese
1
/
2
cup sour cream
4 egg whites (no yolks!)
1
/
2
cup MORE sugar
1
/
2
cup crushed chocolate cream cookies
2 tablespoons butter
Topping:
4 extra tablespoons sour cream
1–2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1
/
2
cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Line a springform pan with parchment paper. You might want to rub a little butter on the bottom of the pan to hold the paper.
In a large bowl, mix ricotta cheese, rice flour, xanthan gum, egg yolks,
1
/
2
cup sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt until well blended.
Add cream cheese and sour cream and mix well.
In a small bowl, mix separately: egg whites (with no egg yolks in them) and
1
/
2
cup MORE sugar until the egg whites form a soft peak (about 6–8 minutes).
Fold the egg white mixture gently into the cheese mixture.
In a springform pan, lay out the crushed chocolate cream cookies on top of the parchment paper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons butter and press with your fingertips to create a “crust.” Pour cheese mixture on top of cookie crust.
Bake at 300 degrees F for 1–1
1
/
4
hour. Let STAND IN OVEN, with the oven turned off, for 2 hours so the cheesecake will set. This will prevent drooping in the middle of the cake.
Remove cake from the oven. Let cool another hour. Run a knife around the cake and remove the springform pan. Then run a knife between the parchment paper and the bottom of the springform pan. Slide the cake onto a cake plate.
To decorate the cake, spread the extra 4 tablespoons of sour cream onto the top of the cake. Sprinkle cocoa on the sour cream and dot with chocolate chips. Store the cake in the refrigerator. Serve cold.
[
Note from Rebecca:
This is the cheesecake I always order when I go to Café au Lait coffee shop. It is packed with chocolaty goodness. Also, I found out the shop occasionally makes this using gluten-free chocolate cream cookies for the crust so people with celiac disease can eat it. Matthew’s daughter Clair told me. How nice is that!]