Gorgonzola Fritters Food

GORGONZOLA FRITTERS

Steps:

• Trim off rim of cheese if it has one. Cut cheese into small cubes.
• Melt the 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet and add 3/4 cup flour, stirring with wire whisk. Add milk, stirring rapidly with whisk. The mixture will be quite thick.
• Add cheese and stir and mash to blend well. Remove from heat. Add egg yolk, mustard and pepper, and stir to blend.
• Line a rimmed baking dish measuring about 7 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches with parchment paper or foil. Pour in batter and smooth over. Let cool and refrigerate an hour or longer, until solidified.
• Put macadamia nuts and bread crumbs into container of a food processor or electric blender. Do not process constantly, but pulse on and off until nuts are coarse-fine and blended with crumbs.
• Unmold Gorgonzola mixture and cut into 12 equal squares.
• Dip each square into remaining flour to coat all over. Dip squares in the eggs to coat and then in the crumb mixture. Continue until all pieces are well coated.
• Heat clarified butter or oil in a skillet and add about half the squares. Cook about a minute and turn squares; cook on second side about 45 seconds. Cook squares on edges as well as top and bottom; the total cooking time is about 2 1/2 minutes. Add squares to skillet until all have been cooked. As squares are cooked, drain on absorbent paper towels.

PEAR GORGONZOLA TART

Steps:

• Bake the pie shell in a square or round tart pan according to package instructions. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, Gorgonzola, thyme, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Using a hand blender, whip the cheeses together.
• In a large, heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the pears and cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes.
• When the tart crust has cooled slightly, gently spread the whipped cheese mixture evenly over the bottom of the tart. Place the pear slices in a decorative pattern over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle the thin strips of prosciutto over the pears.
• Cut into squares or wedges and serve.

GREEN SALAD WITH GORGONZOLA FRITTERS

Steps:

• Put arugula, lamb's lettuce, endive and radicchio in a salad bowl.
• Put mustard in a small mixing bowl. Add shallots, basil and red-wine vinegar. Stir with a whisk while adding oil gradually. Add salt and pepper.
• Pour salad dressing over the greens and toss.
• Divide greens into 6 equal portions and serve on salad plates. Arrange two Gorgonzola fritters on each.