Recipe: Some Ideas for a Wine & Cheese Party

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Some ideas for a Wine & Cheese Party
Source: Ladies Home Journal

THE SELECTION PROCESS:
CHOOSING CHEESE:

"Check your grocery or local gourmet delicatessen to see what cheeses are available. Choose your cheese carefully. You'll want variety in terms of each cheese's texture, flavor, and milk source (the animal that contributed the milk to make it). For instance, although Stilton, Roquefort, and Maytag Blue come from different milk sources and have different texture and flavor qualities, they are all blue-veined cheeses, so you'll probably want to serve just one of them.If you're going to serve a hard, piquant (sharp-tasting) cheese made from sheep's milk, be sure you serve a softer, sweeter even spreadable cow's milk cheese to complement it. In making your selections, consider not only the classic, centuries-old European cheeses, such as Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano and Dutch Gouda, but also some of the up-and-coming artisanal cheeses being made regionally in this country, many of which are flavored with herbs, whole black peppercorns, chiles, or wild mushrooms. One such cheese is a full-bodied, aged, dry Monterey Jack from California. Generally, you'll want to serve between three and five cheeses for a good sampling.CHOOSING WINE
There are several reasons wine and cheese seem to get along so genially. Both are aged to varying degrees, ranging from months to years. Aging both wine and cheese contributes to their characters and the complexity of their flavors, texture (cheese), and body (wine). Perhaps most importantly, though, their compatibility on the palate is natural: The saltiness of cheese calls for something to sip, and the alcohol in the wine cuts the richness of the cheese on the palate (so you can eat even more cheese!).

Some say a guideline for pairing wines with cheeses is that aged cheeses taste best with old wine, fresher cheeses with younger wines. Since aging intensifies the flavor and complexity of both wine and cheese, you want those qualities of each to be about equal; you don't want your wine to overpower your cheese or vice versa. Another simple guideline to keep in mind is that cheeses and wines from the same regions generally go well together.

CHOOSING FRUIT
Good accompaniments for cheeses include breads, crackers, nuts, and of course, fresh and dried fruits. You almost can't go wrong pairing any kind of fruit with any kind of cheese, but consider these combinations."...

RECIPES:

GORGONZOLA ONION TART
The sweetness of caramelized onions spiked with a little brown sugar is a nice complement to the rich, pungent taste of Gorgonzola, blue, or feta cheese in this appetizer served in wedges.
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

1/2 of a 15-ounce package folded refrigerated unbaked piecrust (1 crust)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 medium onions, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 1-1/3 cups)
4 ounces Gorgonzola, blue, or feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon dried chervil or marjoram, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup milk, half-and-half, or light cream
3 tablespoons dry white wine or chicken broth
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1 beaten egg yolk
Green onions (optional)

Roll piecrust from center to edges on a lightly floured surface forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Ease pastry into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing dough up into fluted sides of tart pan. Trim edges, reserving scraps. Do not prick pastry. Line pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 450 degrees F oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 4 minutes more or until crust is dry and set. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

For filling, melt butter in a medium skillet; stir in brown sugar and vinegar. Add onions. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until onions are tender and light brown, stirring occasionally. Beat cheese, eggs, chervil or marjoram, and pepper in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until combined (cheese will still be lumpy). By hand, stir in onion mixture, milk, wine, and parsley. Ladle filling evenly into baked tart shell. Bake tart in a 375 degrees oven about 20 minutes or until a knife inserted near center of filling comes out clean and pastry is golden. Cool 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, roll out piecrust scraps to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into decorative shapes with small cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Brush lightly with a mixture of egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water. Bake cutouts in 375 degrees F oven for 6 to 7 minutes or until golden. Carefully remove sides of tart pan. Decorate top with baked cutouts and add green onion curls, if desired. Cut tart into wedges. Serve while warm. Makes 12 appetizers.

ROASTED PEPPER FOCCACIA
You can substitute roasted peppers that come in a jar when making this cheesy herbed bread. Just be sure to drain them well before cutting into thin strips.
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

3-1/4 to 3-3/4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons snipped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/4 cups warm water (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely shredded aged provolone cheese (1 ounce)
2 red and/or yellow sweet peppers
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup finely shredded aged provolone cheese (2 ounces)

Combine 1-1/4 cups of the flour, the yeast, rosemary, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Add water and the 2 tablesoons oil. Beat with electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in the 1/4 cup cheese and as much remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 hour).

Meanwhile, to roast sweet peppers, quarter the peppers; remove and discard stems, seeds, and membranes. Place pepper quarters, cut sides down, on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake in a 425 degrees F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until pepper skins are blistered and dark. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperatue to 375 degrees F. Immediately wrap peppers in the foil. Let stand about 30 minutes to steam so skins peel away easily. Remove and discard skin from peppers. Cut peppers into thin strips.

Grease 2 baking sheets. Punch down dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Shape each half into a ball and place on a prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Using your hands, flatten each ball to about 12 inches in diameter. Cover and let rise until nearly double (about 20 minutes). With flour-dusted fingers, press fingers into dough making 1/2-inch-deep indentations. Repeat to cover dough, spacing indentations 1 to 2 inches apart.

Brush dough with the 4 teaspoons oil. Sprinkle with ground pepper. Top with pepper strips, pine nuts, and the 1/2 cup cheese. Bake in a 375 degrees F oven about 20 minutes or until golden. Transfer to wire racks. Cool completely. Tear or cut into wedges. Makes 16 servings.

BASIL TOMATO TART
Be ready. Your friends will request the recipe for this garden-fresh appetizer or entree.
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

1/2 of a 15-ounce package folded refrigerated unbaked pie crust (1 crust)
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)
5 Roma tomatoes or 4 medium tomatoes
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Unfold pie crust according to package directions. Place in a 9-inch quiche dish or glass pie plate. Flute edge; press with the tines of a fork, if desired. Line shell with double-thickness of foil. Bake in 450 degree F. oven 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 4 to 5 minutes more or until set and dry. Remove from oven. Reduce temperature to 375 degree F. Sprinkle crust with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Cool slightly on a wire rack.

Cut tomatoes into wedges; drain on paper towels. Arrange tomato wedges atop cheese in the pie shell. In a food processor bowl combine basil and garlic; cover and process until coarsely chopped. Sprinkle over tomatoes. In a medium mixing bowl combine remaining mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, and pepper. Spoon cheese mixture over basil mixture, spreading to evenly cover the top.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden and bubbly. Serve warm. If desired, garnish with basil leaves. Makes 8 appetizer servings or 4 main-dish servings.
Make-ahead tips: Prebake pastry crust; cover and let stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Slice and drain tomatoes; let stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Prepare cheese-mayonnaise mixture; cover and chill up to 2 hours.

Some of my preferred Italian wines:

CHANTI CLASSICO RISERVA (red)
PINOT GRIGGIO (white)
BOLLA SOAVE (white)
BIANCO DI PITIGLIANO (if available)(white)
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO (red)

For dessert: Vin Santo (Tuscan dessert wine- if available) & Biscotti.