One Perfect Bite: gruyere cheese

Showing posts with label gruyere cheese. Show all posts

Friday, June 17, 2016

A Simple Swiss Onion Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I first featured this recipe in 2009 and I thought it was time to share it with those of you who did not follow us back then. It certainly is worthy of an encore performance. I've made this tart for close to for 50 years and while I've tried others - including my beloved Julia's quiche Lorraine - this one always calls me home. It's simple to make and as close to fool-proof as a custard can be. The original recipe, which first appeared in Better Homes and Gardens magazine, appealed to me because it used a crumb crust. At some point I substituted a buttery pie crust for the crumbs and that added another dimension to an already delicious entree. We like this so well that I've developed another version of the pie that uses smoked salmon instead of bacon and over the years I've experimented with various types of cheese, including some combinations that make a lovely Southwestern-style tart. This makes a great entree for lunch or a light supper. It can also be cut into squares and served with cocktails. I hope you'll try this.

Zucchini Soup with Gruyere and Asiago Cheese

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This recipe began life as an experiment designed to make a simple first course for a special lunch or dinner. A recipe I found in Eating Well magazine served as the base for the zucchini soup I wanted to make, but my first stab at making it was bland. Never one to waste food, I did a quick scan of the refrigerator to find something that might perk up the flavor of what was sitting in the pot. I pulled out some cheese and a lemon and incrementally began to add them to the soup, tasting as I went along. I think I finally got it right. At the very least, I can promise it is better than the undoctored version of the soup with which I started. I like this soup, but I am not crazy about it. I will make it again when zucchini is cheap and plentiful, but I will hold off until then. Here is the version of the recipe I used to make the soup.

Gratineed Leeks

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From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Leeks come close to over-taking our farm stands at this time of year. That abundance guarantees reasonable prices,and, I must admit, that I'm a gal who can't resist a bargain. That's how I ended up with 12 leeks in the refrigerator that were in a state that demanded they soon be used. I had scads of recipes that used a leek or two, but none that used them in quantity. That set me on one of my famous search and destroy missions, looking for a recipe that would restore some kind of order to my refrigerator without relegating the leeks to the compost heap. I found it in a most unlikely of places, a unique blog called Naturally Knocked Up. Other than to tell you there is nothing prurient to be found there, I'll let you wander over to find how and why the blog got its name. You will, coincidentally, find a bevy of wonderful recipes that will delight the palate as well as the eye. This recipe comes from that blog and it immediately appealed to me because my family loves beef of the standing rib variety to be served with stuffed onions. I had a roast planned for the weekend and while my stuffed onions, found here, are delicious, they are a considerable amount of work to prepare. I thought the leeks would make a perfect, near effortless substitute. What took me by surprise was how very good this simple substitution turned out to be. I suspect they will be edging out my onions on our holiday table. The leeks are best served hot from the oven, but they can be assembled hours before you plan to serve them. This is a wonderful side to serve with baked or grilled meat. I suspect you'll find the recipe as addictive as I have. Here's how the leeks are made.

Gratineed Leeks...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Donielle at Naturally Knocked Up

Ingredients:
6 large leeks washed and cut in half
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese (kinda pricey – a nice aged cheddar would work great too)
1/4 cup Parmesan
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Wash leeks thoroughly to remove all dirt. Slice in half vertically down the leek. Lay leeks cut side up in a baking dish and pour stock over them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover baking dish with foil.
3) Bake until leeks are tender, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle cheeses over top, dot with butter. Place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until top is golden brown. until the top is golden brown, 2-3 min. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

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Three Years Ago Today: Strawberry Panna Cotta

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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Gougères - Cheese Puffs

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These light and tender morsels are in danger of extinction. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to help keep this recipe relevant and make sure that these silky, egg rich pastries remain on our tables for years to come. Please understand, I have nothing against salsa or chips and dips and pesto. I've been known to down a beer or two and confess that beer nuts are not safe in my presence. There are, however, times when I want something a bit more classic, something with culinary chops and a history that commends its presence on my table. The French gougères has much to recommend it. These savory cheese puffs are made with the same pate a choux dough that is used to prepare cream puffs and eclairs, but the addition of cheese or other savories make them a wonderful appetizer or hors d'oeuvres to serve with wine or champagne. They are very easy to make and I also serve them with more pedestrian meals of soup or stew. I must warn you that they are additive and the puffs should come with a "once bitten" warning attached to them. I've just finished making a gazillion of these to share with friends tomorrow. I know they will love them and I suspect you will too. These are best served directly from the oven, but I understand that that is not always possible, so I have a few tips to share with you. The dough can be refrigerated for a day before it is formed and baked. Once baked, the puffs can be frozen until needed. Frozen puffs should be thawed and reheated in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes before serving. If you plan to bake them ahead of time, make a slit in the bottom of each puff and turn them upside down to let moisture escape. I make it a point to reheat the gougères before serving them. Five minutes in a 350 degree oven does the trick. While I prefer to use Gruyere cheese, cheddar or blue cheese can be substituted and, if you wish, a filling can be piped into the puffs. I bake my trays of gougère on the lowest rack of the oven and I only bake one tray at a time. It may be my imagination, but I think the puffs get better lift that way. I really hope you will give this recipe a try. I like to share my addictions with others. Here's how these simple cheese puffs are made.

Gougères - Cheese Puffs...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Elizabeth Gunnison and Saveur magazine

Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs, at room temperature
6 oz. (1-1/2 cups) Gruyère cheese, grated

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Bring milk, butter, salt, and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over high heat. Add flour, stirring until dough forms. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring dough constantly with a wooden spoon, until slightly dried, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and using a hand mixer, beat in 1 egg until smooth. Repeat with remaining eggs, beating each one at a time, until dough is smooth. Stir in cheese.
2) Using a large tablespoon, drop balls of dough onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Place in oven and immediately reduce temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve warm. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.