Chestnut Spinach Blue Cheese En Croûte Recipes

CHESTNUT, SPINACH & BLUE CHEESE EN CROûTE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the leeks and garlic, stir well, cover and cook for 10 mins until the leeks are soft, stirring a few times to check that they don't catch. Tip into a large bowl. Put the spinach in the pan and allow it to wilt. Leave to cool and, when cold, squeeze out as much liquid from it as you possibly can.
• Tip the chestnut purée into the bowl with the leeks and add the 3 eggs, the nutmeg, chestnuts, spinach, breadcrumbs, cheese and seasoning, and stir until well mixed. Chill for at least 1 hr until the mixture firms up.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a rectangle large enough to completely enclose the filling. Carefully lift onto a large, long baking tray that has been lined with baking parchment, then brush round all the edges of the pastry with the remaining egg. Spoon the filling down the centre of the length of the pastry, leaving the ends clear. Tuck the ends over the filling, then firmly lift up the sides to wrap them round, trimming away any excess pastry as you go. Brush with more egg to glaze, then make a few holes in the top so steam can escape as it cooks. Bake for 40 mins until golden and the filling is firm. Remove from the oven, brush with more glaze and bake for 10 mins more.
• To make the sauce, heat the stock in a medium pan, add the leeks, boil for 5 mins, then take off the heat and scoop out 2 tbsp of the leeks. Blitz the rest in the pan with the cornflour using a hand blender, then cook, stirring, until thickened. Pour in the cream and reserved leeks and warm through. Can be made 2 days ahead and chilled. Serve the pastry in thick slices with the sauce.

PASTA WITH SPINACH AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Set large pot of water to boil, and add salt. Remove largest, thickest stems from spinach; roughly chop leaves and remaining stems. Wash thoroughly.
• When water comes to boil, add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender. When just about done, add spinach. Stir. As soon as spinach wilts completely -- less than 30 seconds -- drain quickly.
• Immediately return pasta and spinach to pot, with butter and cheese, over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese and butter melt, all water is absorbed, and pasta is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND CHESTNUTS WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté 1 minute. Add brussels sprouts and chestnuts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté 1 minute. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until brussels sprouts are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes. Add cream and boil until brussels sprouts and chestnuts are coated with cream, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Mix in chives. Season with salt and generous amount of pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

CHICKEN BREAST STUFFED WITH SPINACH BLUE CHEESE AND BACON

Steps:

• Cook bacon until crisp. I prefer to use an indoor grill. Bacon can also be cooked in a skillet over medium-high heat, or the microwave at about 1 minute per slice. Drain on paper towels, and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, stir together the spinach and blue cheese. Crumble in the bacon, and stir to distribute.
• Lay the chicken breast halves out on a clean surface, and distribute the spinach mixture evenly onto the centers of them. Fold the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Stir together the flour, salt and pepper on a dinner plate. Roll the chicken in the flour to coat.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Quickly brown each piece of chicken on top and bottom. Remove to a lightly greased baking dish, and cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until chicken juices run clear, and filling is hot.

BLUE CHEESE SPINACH FRITTATA

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook onion over medium heat for 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the skillet. Add spinach to skillet in batches, cooking for 1 minute or until wilted. Remove from the heat., In a large bowl, beat the egg substitute until frothy. Stir in the onion mixture, spinach, mozzarella, blue cheese, tomatoes and nuts. Place in a 10-in. ovenproof skillet coated with cooking spray., Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Combine the salad ingredients; serve with frittata.

SPINACH AND BLUE CHEESE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a kettle or saucepan and add the onions. Cook, stirring, about three minutes.
• Sprinkle the mixture with the flour and stir. Add the chicken broth and bring to the boil. Add the milk and cook about five minutes.
• Add the cheese and cook, stirring, until melted.
• Meanwhile, pick over the spinach and remove and discard any tough stems and blemished leaves. Rinse and drain the spinach well. Coarsely chop the spinach and add it to the soup. Cook, stirring, about five minutes. Add the cream, salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
• Meanwhile, cut the shrimp into small pieces. There should be about one cup. Add the shrimp to the soup and bring to the boil again. Serve.