Bleu Cheese Crostini With Sancerre Syrup And Peppery Lettuce Recipes

BLEU CHEESE CROSTINI WITH SANCERRE SYRUP AND PEPPERY LETTUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Put a sheet pan or pizza stone in the oven to get it heated up too.
• Combine the Sancerre, honey, and lemon juice in a saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Simmer gently, swirling the pot around, until the wine is syrupy and coats the back of a spoon, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Butter both sides of each slice of bread. Put a nice hunk of bleu cheese on top of the baguette slices and arrange them on the hot sheet pan or stone. Bake for 5 minutes until the cheese melts and the bread toasted.
• Put the lettuce in a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pile the greens on a serving platter with the bleu cheese crostini around it. Drizzle the wine syrup over the crostini and greens and sprinkle with the walnuts.

PEPPERY PASTA

Steps:

• In a large straight-sided saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, pepper and a pinch of salt. Heat and toast the pepper until the oil is fragrant with the pepper scent, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and allow the moisture to evaporate from the pasta for a couple of minutes.
• Add the pasta to the pan with the olive oil, raise the heat to medium-high and continuously toss the pasta with tongs to coat with the olive oil and pepper. Remove from the heat, add the lemon zest and cheese, toss and then transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

CROSTINI WITH MUSHROOMS, PROSCIUTTO, AND BLEU CHEESE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy large skillet over medium high hear. Add all mushrooms and garlic and sauteed until mushrooms are cooked through and brown, about 10 minutes.
• Add cream and boil until liquid is completely absorbed, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Add bleu cheese and stir until cheese melts.
• Mix in proscuitto. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl. (Mushroom topping can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. If you make this the day before make sure to bring the topping mixture to room temperature so it is easy to work with.).
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange bread slices on baking sheet. Bake until just golden, about 5 minutes.
• Mound 1 generous tablespoon mushroom topping on each slice of bread. Return to oven and bake until heated through, about 6 minutes.
• Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

EASY BLUE CHEESE CROSTINI

Steps:

• Set oven to broiler heat.
• In a bowl mix together blue cheese and butter.
• Spread and divide the butter/cheese mixture equally on top of the bread slices.
• Arrange the slices on a large baking sheet.
• Sprinkle VERY light with sugar.
• Broil until topping is just browned and the cheese softens (about 1 minute).
• Transfer to a serving platter.