Episode 164: Cheese

Classic Roquefort Salad
Roquefort Ravioli
Funky Parmesan Souffle
Beef Fillet with Gorgonzola
Fettucine Gorgonzola

CLASSIC ROQUEFORT SALAD

Classic Roquefort Salad
¼ cup Sherry wine vinegar or red wine vinegar - (60ml)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried - (15ml)
½ cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil - (140ml)
1 ½ pound Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, cut into ½ inch-thick slices - (500grams)
1 tablespoon sugar - (15ml)
6 cups baby greens - (1500ml)
½ cup radicchio, sliced - (125ml)
1 Belgian endive, sliced
3 cups watercress, trimmed - (750ml)
1 cup Roquefort cheese, crumbled - (250ml)
2/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped - (150ml)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine vinegar and thyme and gradually whisk in ½ cup oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat the remaining oil in a skillet. Add apples and sugar and sauté for approximately 8 minutes until the apples are tender. Increase the heat and cook for another 5 minutes until they turn a soft golden brown.

Assemble the salad of baby greens, radicchio, endive and watercress. Drizzle and toss with dressing. Sprinkle with sautéed apples, Roquefort cheese and walnuts.

Serve and enjoy!

Yield: 6
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ROQUEFORT RAVIOLI

Ravioli
¾ cup whipping cream - (175ml)
4 ounces Roquefort cream, crumbled - (125ml)
½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped - (125ml)
½ cup of toasted pine nuts (125ml)
3 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoon of water - (45ml)
40 potsticker wrappers
1 egg, beaten to blend

Sauce
¾ cup whipping cream - (175ml)
4 ½ ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled - (140ml)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped - (30ml)

Preparation time 1 hour; total cooking time 5 minutes

In a medium saucepan, bring cream to a boil and simmer. Crumble in the cheese and add the toasted walnuts & pine nuts. Stir and let the cheese dissolve into the cream. Do not overboil. Add the cornstarch mixture and boil for approximately 2 minutes while stirring constantly. This will thicken the sauce. Pour the mixture into bowl, cover and refrigerate until cold & set (can be made a day ahead of time).

Place potsticker wrappers on work surface and spoon 1 ½ teaspoons of the chilled filling in the centre. Brush the edges of the potsticker with egg and top with another wrapper, pressing the edges together to seal the ravioli. Make every effort to eliminate air bubbles in the ravioli. Repeat with remaining wrappers & filling (can be prepared up to 5 hours in advance and stored in refrigerator on a wax-paper lined baking sheet).

In a heavy, medium saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Add cheese and stir until melted. Mix in fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Slide the ravioli into a large pot of boiling salted water, cooking until just tender (approximately 2 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, plate the ravioli and top with sauce. Sprinkle with sliced thyme.

Yield: 4
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FUNKY PARMESAN SOUFFLE

2 ounces fresh basil, chopped - (60ml)
4 ounces fresh spinach, thick stems discarded (4 packed cups), chopped - (120ml)
½ cup fine, fresh bread crumbs - (125ml)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese - (125ml)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter - (45ml)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour - (45ml)
1 ½ cups whole milk - (375ml)
¼ teaspoon salt - (1.25ml)
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg - (1.25ml)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper - (1.25ml)
3 large egg yolks
1/3 pound thickly sliced lean ham, cut into 2 by ¼-inch strips
5 large egg whites, whipped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Preparation time 10 minutes; total baking time 25 minutes

Butter a 1 ½ inch deep gratin dish ( 6 cups) and set it aside.

Toss and cook the spinach and basil in a well oiled skillet until wilted - approximately 2 minutes. Place the greens to a colander to cool. When cool pat the greens dry in a towel and then coarsely chop.

In a small bowl mix the breadcrumbs with 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Sprinkle half the mixture into a buttered gratin dish, rolling the dish to ensure all sides are coated evenly. Pour out any excess.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 30 seconds to make a blond roux. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add salt, nutmeg & pepper and continue to stir for approximately 3 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks, greens, ham and the remaining Parmesan cheese (save a small sprinkle on top).

In a large stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites into stiff peaks. Fold a third of the egg whites into the souflee mixture. Mix to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

Gently pour the mixture into the gratin dish. Top with breadcrumbs and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until soufflé is puffed and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings
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BEEF FILLET WITH GORGONZOLA

Beef Fillet Gorgonzola
¾ pound beef fillet, cut crosswise into 6 medallions (350grams)
2 teaspoons olive oil - (10ml)
6 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled - (150ml)
½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into bits - (60ml)
¼ cup red wine - (60ml)
¼ cup beef broth - (60ml)
Chopped parsley leaves for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat broiler.

Preparation time 5 minutes; total cooking time 10 minutes

Cut the beef fillet into 6 medallions. Place each medallion between two pieces of plastic and pound out to ¼ inch thickness. Brush each medallion with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Crumble some cheese onto each medallion and roll up into cylinders. Place the rolls in a large ovenproof skillet, seam-side down.

Generously lather the roll-ups with room temperature butter and season again. Broil, about 4 inches from heat, for 3-4 minutes or until the butter melts. Transfer to a platter. Add the wine and broth to the now empty skillet and deglaze. Return the meat to the pan for a final few minutes of cooking (about 4 more minutes for medium-rare).

Transfer beef to platter. Whisk in the remaining cold butter into the sauce, a bit at a time. Drizzle the sauce over the beef and garnish with parsley.

Yield: 6
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FETTUCINE GORGONZOLA

Fettuccine
1 pound fettuccine - (500grams)
¼ cup olive oil - (60ml)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about 6 ounces) - (175ml)
1 cup whipping cream - (250ml)
1 cup half and half - (250ml)
1 teaspoon dried, crushed red pepper - (5ml)
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper - (50ml)
1 teaspoon salt - (2.5ml)
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
8 slices proscuitto
1 ¼ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces) - (125ml)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley - (60ml)

Preparation time 5 minutes; total cooking time 15 minutes

In heavy, large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain well, saving ½ cup pasta water.

Meanwhile, in heavy, large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add ½ cup Gorgonzola cheese, cream, half and half, crushed red peppers, black pepper and salt. Bring to a quick boil and then simmer until sauce thickens (approximately 5 minutes).

Add fettuccine to sauce and toss to coat. Remove from heat. Add eggs to pasta and toss again. Add proscuitto (torn in small pieces), ½ cup Gorgonzola cheese, ¾ cup Parmesan cheese and parsley and toss together. Add reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if necessary. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup Gorgonzola and ½ cup Parmesan cheese over fettuccine and serve in big bowl.

Yield: 4 Servings
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Recipes courtesy of Chef Michael Bonacini of Toronto’s Oliver Bonacini Restaurants, including ‘Canoe’; ‘Auberge du Pommier’; ‘Biff’s’; ‘Jump Café’; & ‘Steakfrites’