Brandy Apples With Goat Cheese Food

APPLE, GOAT CHEESE, AND HONEY TARTLETS

Steps:

• Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out each puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 11-inch square. Using 5-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out 4 rounds from each pastry sheet, forming 16 rounds total. Divide 8 pastry rounds between prepared baking sheets; pierce rounds all over with fork. Using 3 1/2-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out smaller rounds from center of remaining 8 rounds (reserve 3 1/2-inch rounds for another use), forming eight 5-inch-diameter rings. Brush outer 1-inch edges of 5-inch rounds on baking sheets with beaten egg; top each with 1 pastry ring. Freeze at least 30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen. Do not thaw before continuing.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix cheese, lemon juice, and salt in bowl; spread mixture inside rings on frozen pastry rounds. Overlap apple slices atop cheese. Mix butter and 1/4 cup honey in small bowl; brush over apples. Sprinkle with allspice. Bake until apples are tender and pastry is golden, about 35 minutes. Place tartlets on plates. Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey over each and serve warm or at room temperature.

APPLE GALETTE WITH GOAT CHEESE, SOUR CHERRY, AND ALMOND TOPPING

Steps:

• For the galette: Position a rack in the center and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and sprinkle with the salt. Saute until almost tender, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Whisk the sugar, spices and arrowroot in a small bowl until no cornstarch lumps remain. Sprinkle the spiced sugar and lemon juice over the apples in skillet, and toss to blend. Cool to lukewarm.
• Place a large sheet of parchment paper on the work surface. Unfold the pastry sheet on the parchment and sprinkle both sides lightly with flour. Roll out the pastry to 12-inch square, lifting, turning and sprinkling with more flour to keep from sticking. Cut off the corners (with a rounded cut), making a 12-inch-diameter pastry round.
• Brush the pastry all over with some beaten egg. Starting 2 inches in from the edge (to leave wide border), arrange the apple wedges close together in a circle on the pastry. Arrange the remaining apples in a smaller circle in center (ends may overlap first ring of apples). Fold the pastry border partially over the filling, pleating the pastry in loose folds. Brush the folded-up pastry border with some beaten egg. Slide the galette with the parchment onto a heavy baking sheet. Scrape the juices from the skillet over the apples. Bake galette until pastry edge is deep golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: Toss the goat cheese, almonds and cherries in a medium bowl until evenly distributed (the cheese should remain in distinct pieces). Chill until ready to use.
• Remove the galette from the oven. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling. Return the galette to the oven and bake for 5 minutes longer to soften the cheese and cherries. Cool 20 minutes and serve warm, or cool for 2 hours to serve at room temperature.

BREADED GOAT'S CHEESE

Steps:

• Prepare dinner plates with a bed of dressed mesclun salad or apple slices.
• In a deep pot, slowly heat to 350 degrees enough vegetable oil to completely submerge the disks when deep fried. While this is heating up, set flour, egg and bread crumbs in a 3 separate shallow plates; dip each disk of cheese in flour, then in beaten egg and finally in fresh bread crumbs, making sure breading completely adheres to all surfaces leaving no cheese exposed.
• With a slotted spoon or skimmer, lower the breaded cheese into the oil. Do not overcrowd or the temperature of the oil will be lowered considerably and the cheese will be greasy. Fry for 45 seconds only or until the crust is deep golden brown. Briefly drain on absorbent towels and serve immediately on garnished plates.
• Variations: you can marinate the goats' cheese first in a mixture of olive oil, crushed black peppercorns, herbs and garlic. Pat dry before breading.
• Mix some ground pecans or walnuts with bread crumbs.
• Before breading, sandwich an anchovy fillet or chopped canned green chilis between two 1/4inch rounds of mozzarella.

APPLE-GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Place bread slices on an ungreased baking sheet. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Combine the apple, goat cheese, thyme, oregano and pepper; sprinkle over bread. Broil 1 minute longer or until cheese is softened.

GRILLED APPLES WITH CHEESE & HONEY

Steps:

• Preheat grill or grill pan to medium heat.
• Toss apple slices with oil and sugar in a large bowl.
• Grill the apple slices until just tender and lightly marked, turning once, about 6 minutes total.
• Shave cheese into thin strips with a vegetable peeler.
• Top the apple slices with a sprinkling of cheese and nuts and drizzle with honey.

APPLE GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack 3 to 4 inches from the heat source.
• Toss together the goat cheese, apple, thyme, oregano, and pepper in a bowl; set aside. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet; toast the bread under the broiler until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle the goat cheese mixture evenly over the bread slices. Return bread to oven to broil until cheese is softened, about 1 minute more.

APPLE AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the greens, apples, raisins and grapes. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, honey, lemon juice and garlic. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with walnuts and goat cheese.