Baked Camembert With Garlic And Tarragon

Baked Camembert With 

Garlic And Tarragon

Oozing baked cheese is the perfect way to get a lunch started – with lots of crusty bread, crispy crackers or vegetable crudités for dipping in fondue-style.
Ingredients
2 tbsp clear honey
1 large clove garlic, crushed to a paste
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp fennel seeds, plus extra to garnish
½ tsp fine sea salt
¼ x 3/4oz. pack tarragon
1 large unwaxed lemon, zest
8oz. pack baking Camembert
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp pistachio kernels, roasted, to garnish (optional)
seeded crackers, crusty baguette or vegetable crudités, for dipping.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF,  

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, garlic, vinegar, ½ tsp finely crushed fennel seeds, salt, finely chopped tarragon leaves and most of the lemon zest.

Remove the cheese from its wooden tray and wrapper, then use a knife to score a cross-hatch diagonal pattern – cutting just over halfway through it. Using a spoon or knife, fill each slit generously with the garlic-herb honey.

Put the cheese back into its wooden tray (or use a ramekin), then drizzle over the oil. 

Place onto a baking sheet to capture any spillage, then bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully oozing in the middle.

Finely crush the pistachios, if using, and sprinkle over the cheese to garnish, with a pinch of fennel seeds and the remaining lemon zest. Serve immediately, with crackers, crusty baguette or vegetable crudités for dipping.

Cook’s tip
You can also do this with other cheeses such as Brie and Taleggio.

Warmed Camembert With Warm Mushroom Fricassee

 Warmed Camembert With Warm Mushroom Fricassee

This is the original recipe which was the beginning of Dine With Donna!

Ingredients

1/2 cup English walnuts

1 8oz. wheel of Camembert

1 tablespoon walnut oil

3/4 pound fresh wild mushrooms

salt and pepper

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons parsley, minced

2 large sage leaves, minced

Sour dough toasts 

Warmed platter

***

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast walnuts on a baking sheet 7 minutes or until lightly browned.

Reduce oven temp to 300 degrees. Remove Camembert from the box and remove the wrapper. Put the cheese back in the bottom half of the box and set on a baking sheet or cake pan to warm. Bake about 10 minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile in a large skillet heat the walnut oil. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until lightly browned, 3 minutes or longer. Add the shallots and cook about 2 minutes, until softened. Stir in the parsley and sage, season with salt and pepper.

Invert the warmed Camembert onto a platter. Stir the walnuts into the mushrooms and spoon mixture over cheese.

Serve with Sourdough toasts. 

***

My Recommendations: Since this recipe goes together very quickly with minimal effort, I would suggest mincing the parsley, sage, and shallot prior to beginning to prepare the recipe. Serve on a warmed platter (not hot). The walnut oil really enhances the flavors and I would highly recommend not substituting it with vegetable oil. Do not use dried mushrooms reconstituted as they always remain "tough". We also did not toast our baguette and found the thin slices of bread to be acceptable.

Warned Camembert With Warm Mushroom Fricassee Post 1400

Warm Camembert with 

Warm Mushroom Fricassee

Ingredients

1/2 cup English walnuts

1 8oz. wheel of Camembert

1 tablespoon walnut oil

3/4 pound fresh wild mushrooms

salt and pepper

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons parsley, minced

2 large sage leaves, minced

Sour dough toasts Warmed platter

***

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast walnuts on a baking sheet 7 minutes or until lightly browned.

*

Reduce oven temp to 300 degrees. Remove Camembert from the box and remove the wrapper. Put the cheese back in the bottom half of the box and set on a baking sheet or cake pan to warm. Bake about 10 minutes or until soft.

*

Meanwhile in a large skillet heat the walnut oil. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until lightly browned, 3 minutes or longer. Add the shallots and cook about 2 minutes, until softened. Stir in the parsley and sage, season with salt and pepper.

*

Invert the warmed Camembert onto a platter. Stir the walnuts into the mushrooms and spoon mixture over cheese.

 * 

Serve with Sourdough toasts. 

***

My Recommendations: Since this recipe goes together very quickly with minimal effort, I would suggest mincing the parsley, sage, and shallot prior to beginning to prepare the recipe. Serve on a warmed platter (not hot). The walnut oil really enhances the flavors and I would highly recommend not substituting it with vegetable oil. Do not use dried mushrooms reconstituted as they always remain "tough". We also did not toast our baguette and found the thin slices of bread to be acceptable. This recipe was found in a Wine & Food magazine. Living near daughter Anne who planned a Saturday evening dinner while our youngest daughter Barbara was visiting for Mothers Day, I offered to bring this appetizer. We opened a chilled bottle of Chardonnay and all agreed this appetizer was over the top. (And the meal!)

Cedar Plank Brie With Raspberry, Almond, & Honey Topping

Cedar Plank Brie With Raspberry, Almond, and Honey Topping

Our daughter Barbara emailed a recipe that she found on a website,  Just remember to make certain that the cedar plank you use is produced to be used with food and not chemically treated.

Ingredients:

6" x 16" cedar plank

1 pint fresh raspberries

2 Tablespoons slivered almonds

1 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Coarse ground black pepper, to taste

4 Tablespoons honey

2 whole small wheels Brie, Camembert or Cambozola cheese

1 - 2 fresh baguettes

***

Directions: 
Soak plank in cold water, at least one hour. Preheat grill to medium heat, about 400 degrees. 

In a small bowl combine, raspberries, slivered almonds, and fresh thyme, season with coarse ground black pepper. Drizzle with honey and gently mix to combine. 

Remove plank from water, place wheels of cheese, evenly spaced. Top each wheel with raspberry mixture. 

Place plank on grill for 20 to 25 minutes until each cheese is golden brown and slightly puffy, topping is hot, and almonds are slightly golden brown. 

Remove from grill, cool 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately with sliced baguettes and a few spoons and plenty of napkins. Serves 8 to 12 as a party appetizer

Warm Camembert with Wild Mushroom Fricassee

Warm Camembert with 

Warm Mushroom Fricassee

This is a favorite appetizer of mine.  My only tip, be sure to use the walnut oil!  This recipe was found in Wine Spectator.

Ingredients

1/2 cup English walnuts

1 8oz. wheel of Camembert

1 tablespoon walnut oil

3/4 pound fresh wild mushrooms

salt and pepper

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons parsley, minced

2 large sage leaves, minced

Sour dough toasts Warmed platter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast walnuts on a baking sheet 7 minutes or until lightly browned.

Reduce oven temp to 300 degrees. Remove Camembert from the box and remove the wrapper. Put the cheese back in the bottom half of the box and set on a baking sheet or cake pan to warm. Bake about 10 minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile in a large skillet heat the walnut oil. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until lightly browned, 3 minutes or longer. Add the shallots and cook about 2 minutes, until softened. Stir in the parsley and sage, season with salt and pepper.

Invert the warmed Camembert onto a platter. Stir the walnuts into the mushrooms and spoon mixture over cheese.   Serve with Sourdough toasts. 

My Recommendations: Since this recipe goes together very quickly with minimal effort, I would suggest mincing the parsley, sage, and shallot prior to preparing the recipe. Serve on a warmed platter (not hot). The walnut oil really enhances the flavors and I would highly recommend not substituting it with vegetable oil. Do not use dried mushrooms reconstituted as they always remain "tough". We also did not toast our baguette and found the thin slices of bread to be acceptable. This recipe was found in a Wine And Food magazine. Living near daughter Anne who planned a Saturday evening dinner while our youngest daughter Barbara was visiting for Mothers Day, I offered to bring this appetizer. We opened a chilled bottle of Chardonnay and all agreed this appetizer was over the top. (And the meal!)