Cheeeesy Appetizers

While waiting for your Cheeeese Fondue to be ready, keep your guests contented by giving them some Cheeeesy Appetizers or small treats like dried meat or cured ham, gherkins or olives.

“Tête de Moine with Figs”

♣ 6 fresh figs, cut in half
♣ 1 tbsp olive oil
♣ 1 bunch of chives
♣ 12 rosettes Tête de Moine
♣ 8 slices of dried beef from the Grisons

♣ 2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
♣ 1 tbsp walnut oil
♣ 1 tbsp olive oil
♣  salt, pepper

Vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar: in a bowl mix balsamic vinegar with salt and pepper. Add walnut oil and olive oil. Set aside.
Coat the figs with olive oil. Grill the figs 2 minutes on each side.
Divide chives between the plates. On each plate: place 3 rosettes of Tête de Moine, figs and dried beef from the Grisons. Pour vinaigrette over.
Delicious with a lamb’s lettuce salad and French bread.

“Cinnamon Bread with Emmentaler & Cranberries ”

Tangy cranberry and the warmth of cinnamon marry nicely with the nuttiness of Emmentaler making a great sweet treat, a tasty appetizer or a colorful addition to your holiday cheese plate.

♣ 4 slices cinnamon bread, crusts removed
♣ 2 tbsp very soft, salted butter
♣ 8 slices of Emmentaler
♣ ¼ cup whole cranberries & cranberry sauce
♣ 2 tbsp roasted, salted pistachios, finely chopped
♣ Chives, cut into 1-inch lengths

Lightly, butter each side of the cinnamon bread slices, and gently cut into quarters. In a frying pan over medium heat, toast the buttered squares until golden. Place on a cooling rack. Cut the Cheese slices into long ribbons. On each cinnamon square, layer cut Cheese slices, a dollop of cranberry sauce,on top a cranberry then two chives and a sprinkle of pistachios. Enjoy 😉

“Baked Brie with Apricots Preserves” – an elegant salty & sweet appetizer

♣ 450 g Wheel Brie Cheese, Chilled
♣ 1/2 cup Apricot Preserves
♣ 2 tbsp Brandy
♣ 1 large Egg
♣ 1-2 tbsp Whole Milk
♣ 1 sheet Frozen Puff Pastry (thawed, but still chilled)
♣ Flour (for dusting and rolling the pastry)
♣ Baguettes Slices, Crackers, Apples, or Grapes on the side

Position a rack in the center of the oven & preheat to 200° C.  Using a sharp knife, trim & discard the top rind and halfway down the sides (careful not to remove too much of the Cheese). Set aside.In a small bowl, whisk together Apricot Preserves & Brandy. Set aside.In another small bowl, whisk together the Egg & Milk. Set aside.
Place the Pastry Sheet on a lightly floured work surface and dust top with Flour. Roll out the pastry to a 12-inch square. Place the Cheese on a large, rimmed baking sheet and spread the top with the Preserves Mixture.
Center the Pastry over the Cheese. Cut away the excess Pastry leaving a quarter-inch rim at the bottom. Reserve the trimmings. Tuck the Pastry under the Cheese to cover it. Lightly brush the top and sides of the Pastry with the Egg Mixture.
Using a small sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut the trimmings into decorations (such as leaves, strips or rounds). Place the decorations on the Pastry and lightly brush them with the Egg Mixture.
Bake until Pastry is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Do not over bake or the Cheese may ooze out of the pastry. Transfer to a serving platter & let cool 10 minutes.
Serve warm & spread on Baguette Slices, crackers, Apple Slices, and Grapes.

“Vacherin with Macadamia nut, dried Figs & Bananas”

♣ 4 bananas
♣ 450g granulated sugar
♣ 290 ml and ¼ pint water
♣ 220g macadamia nuts warmed
♣ salt and freshly ground black pepper
♣ 170g  Vacherin du Mont d’Or
♣ 8 dried figs

Dissolve the sugar and water in a pan and cook until it is a good caramel colour. Add the macadamia nuts and stir; now stir in the figs and the chopped bananna and then very quickly add the remaining ¼ pint of water. Garnish and serve with Vacherin du Mont d’Or.

“Backed Brie with Cranberry sauce & Almonds “

♣ 1 round Brie cheese
♣ 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
♣ 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
♣ baked whole-grain wheat cracker

Heat oven to 170 °C. Place cheese on cookie tray. Bake for 10 to 15 mins, until softened. Put 2 spoons of cranberry sauce over cheese; sprinkle with almonds. Bake for about 5 mins longer or until sauce is heated.
Tip 😉 Serve with crackers 😉

“Dates with Cambozola Cheese & Almonds”

“Stuffed Endives with Roquefort & Cranberries”

Take a small pan toast the walnuts until fragrant for 2-4 mins. Transfer to cool now chop into bite-sized pieces.
Vinaigrette: add fresh lemon juice,honey, Greek yogurt to a blender. With the machine running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Endive spears, remove the base from both the red and green endive. Slowly start to peel away the leaves, they must fall off easily. Reserve the small inner leaves for the filling.
Filling, slice the remaining green endive in half lengthwise. Cut across into half-moons. Slice the reserved inner leaves. Put endives, toasted walnuts and cranberries to a large bowl. Toss with some of the vinaigrette add salt and pepper.Arrange the endive spears on a decorative plate. Fill the base of each spear with a portion of the filling.
Top with crumbled Roquefort cheese & drizzle some vinaigrette over the top.