Valentine’s Day White Stilton Lemon Cheese Crêpes. <3 Blueberry reduction and Ricotta.
I am ashamed to say I have never made crêpes until today. I’ve wanted to add crepes to my cooking arsenal for a while now. Yesterday while shopping for cheese at my local (non-local) organic food store, I came across White Stilton cheese with candied lemon peel. The small card near the smaller display of this fine cheese informed me that this would be great melted in crepes… CHANCE! The badass Frenchman inside me lit up, “Time to make some mutha fuckin’ crepes!”
I was concerned the blueberries would over power the Stilton cheese (what a waste that would be), but they definitely enhanced it! Some would say this is not a true blueberry reduction… I will not argue on the internet.
I use as many organic ingredients in my recipes as I can find and afford. I find they are generally of higher quality.
Ingredients:
Crêpes:
1 cup unbleached white wheat flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used 1/4 cup half & half and 3/4 cup water because I don’t buy milk often.)
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, meltedBlueberry reduction:
1/2 cup blueberries (I use cheaper, frozen Wyman’s wild picked blueberries. A huge bag cost $9. Taste great. Not certified organic, but wild is organic -unless they were picked from the side of the highway
)
1/4 cup Half & half
1 Tablespoon butterCheese:
1/2 Cup White Stilton cheese (with candied lemon peel if you can find it.)
1/2+ Cup Whole milk Ricotta cheese
Preparation:
Blueberry reduction:
In a small sauce pan melt better on medium-low heat. Add blueberries and half & half. Simmer for a few minutes stirring often until desired consistency is reached. Turn flame off and set aside.
Crêpes:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled (with butter) griddle or frying pan over *medium-high ~ medium-low heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.Cook the crepe for about 2-3 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula; flip. Spread a narrow line of Stilton cheese, a slightly wider line of Ricotta cheese, and a line of blueberries. Cook another 2-3 minutes until speckled golden. Drizzle with honey and/or powdered sugar. EASY.
* I personally cooked these on a medium-low heat. As long as the cast iron griddle is allowed to warm up there is plenty of heat to prevent sticking and I don’t have to watch them as carefully. Mine came out perfect. Medium-high heat would cook them quicker but require more attention. I wanted a slow heat to melt the cheese anyway
Impressions:
The texture of these were awesome; like a thin eggy pancake. The Ricotta was a great filler cheese. Light on flavor but added a depth of texture and weight. Two of these small crepes were pretty filling. The blueberries were sweet but the tartness of the lemon came through, and the Stilton was present with it’s tangy-sweet-sour and very subtle sharpness.
Bad photo, delicious food.
Valentine’s Day Taleggio & Fontina Primo Cheese Pizza. <3
My lady is a lover of awesome cheese. This Valentine’s day I decided to make pizzas from scratch using some primo cheeses. This is not a “cheese pizza,” but I wanted the cheese to be in balance with the other flavors. I’m not a cheese expert, so I spoke to the helpful guys at the Whole Foods cheese counter. They suggested Taleggio as a strong unique cheese that would make a really special pizza, and mixing it with Fontina; a lighter flavored cheese that would balance the flavors. After sampling a few pieces I agreed.
When I think of awesome handmade pizza the first thing that comes to mind is a perfect crust. A pizza stone makes all the difference here, but I don’t have one. I hear that cheap ($1) unglazed ceramic tiles work well and can be purchased from the hardware store, but I had no time to drive around looking for one. I used a 12″ cast iron griddle instead, and it worked great.
On to the Ingreee’ds… As a guideline I recommend the use of organic ingredients whenever possible. I find that I usually end up with higher quality materials and a better tasting recipe. There are, of course, exceptions. This recipe will make 2 pizzas; one with tomato sauce and one without. If you’re going through all this trouble you might as well make 2!
Dough Ingredients:
1 teaspoon sugar (use cane sugar, yeast can easily break it down as opposed to honey or something)
1 Package dry yeast (or sourdough if ya got it. I’ve always wanted to use Ale yeast.)
1 1/4 cups warm water (too hot can harm the yeast.)
2 Cups unbleached white flour
1 Cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4~1/8 Cup corn meal
2 Tablespoons honey (optional. why not? honey rules.)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
Dough Preparation:
Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Add 2 3/4 cups flour, honey, oil, and salt to yeast mixture; stir until blended. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface (Use some corn meal here.) Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of the remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
Place the dough in a large bowl coated with olive oil, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into the dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Divide dough in half. Shape dough according to recipe directions.
Topping Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Taleggio cheese (or substitute another strong flavored cheese.)
1/2 Cup Fontina cheese (or substitute another lighter flavored cheese.)
1/4 Cup Criminelli Milano Salami (or some other nice cured meat. Pepperoni might overpower the cheese?)
1/4 Cup fresh basil; sliced thin (or substitute a few Tablespoons pesto.)
4 Cloves garlic; minced
4+ Tablespoons olive oil (used in garlic mix as well as coating the crust.)
Mushrooms:
1 Portobello cap
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 Tablespoon butter
pinch of sea salt
pinch of pepper
Sauce (for one pizza):
8oz Muir Glen Organic fire roasted crushed tomatoes (or substitute fresh tomatoes.)
1 Tablespoon minced onion (I used the white part of green onions because I had it.)
1/4 heaping teaspoon oregano
1/4 heaping teaspoon thyme
1/4 heaping teaspoon sea salt
pinch of pepper
Topping Preparation:
Mince all the garlic; place in a small bowl with enough olive oil to cover; set aside. This will mellow and help spread the garlic flavor (optional; add herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano.)
Mushrooms: Chop portobello into thick slices. In a medium sized skillet heat butter and fennel seeds over medium-high heat. Add portobello slices moments later before butter and fennel seeds begin to burn. Add Thyme and a pinch of sea salt. Saute until portobello slices are nicely browned on both sides; add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic mixture just before turning heat off; stir. Place portobello slices in a bowl and set aside.
Sauce: In the same skillet add tomatoes, onion, oregano, thyme, and salt. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or so, stirring often to prevent burning. Add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic mixture during the last minute; Set aside.
Pizza Preparation:
Pre-heat cast iron griddle or pizza stone in your oven’s broiler. You want that puppy HOT.
Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface (use corn meal.) Make a rim around the edge if you desire. Lightly brush with olive oil. Carefully remove the pre-heated griddle from the broiler; sprinkle with corn meal. Pre-bake the crust @ 450° for 4-5 minutes. (*** I forgot/DGAF to pre-bake my crust and it still turned out awesome.)
Spread tomato sauce, 1 heaping teaspoon garlic mix, and optional pesto on the crust leaving a 1″ border. For the no-sauce pizza add 1 heaping teaspoon garlic mix and a Tablespoon or so of olive oil
Sprinkle the fresh basil first (optionally add basil after baking.) Crumble the two cheeses; evenly distribute the two types! Spread the salami and portobellos evenly.
Bake @ 450° for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. (*** I baked the pizza for about 10 minutes @ 450°, then placed the pizza in the broiler for 1-2 minutes in an attempt to get that super-hot brick oven quality… Actually, as you can see in the photo above, I kept the pizza in the broiler too long; something like 3-4 minutes which left it a little black around the edges. Still delicious, but not perfect
)
*** Be sure to re-heat the griddle or pizza stone in the broiler before putting the second pizza on!
Don’t forget the Liquor! I’m normally a beer guy. In my mind a tasty IPA will compliment anything (so uncouth.) But it’s Valentine’s Day! I know a few roads to my lady’s heart… A top notch Gin & Tonic is one of them.
This is a bottle of Hendrick’s Gin and a small bottle of Amber perfume oil wrapped in banana leaves, azaleas, and vines from her small yard. 100% Biodegradable, 100% renewable
I didn’t think I cared much for liquor, but this stuff is distilled from angel’s tears and holy water. Apparently lime is a faux pas with Hendrick’s. They suggest a cucumber garnish!
