Parmesan Shortbread With Fennel And Sea Salt Food

PARMESAN SHORTBREAD WITH FENNEL AND SEA SALT

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a medium bowl on low speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, pepper, and kosher salt. Reduce speed to medium and beat, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add flour and cheese. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat mixture just until dough comes together.
• Wrap dough in plastic and flatten into a rectangle. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Dough can be made 5 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before continuing.
• Place fennel seeds in a resealable plastic freezer bag. Coarsely crush with a rolling pin or the bottom of a skillet. Alternatively, pulse in a spice mill until coarsely crushed. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in sea salt. Set fennel salt aside.
• Arrange a rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove plastic wrap from dough. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10x8" rectangle about 1/4" thick. Cut in thirds crosswise, then cut each third crosswise into 6 rectangles. Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheet, spacing 1" apart. Brush cookies generously with oil, then sprinkle with fennel salt.
• Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until cookies are golden brown (flecks of cheese will be slightly darker), 20-24 minutes. Let cool on sheets for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

ROSEMARY PARMESAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Put the flour, sugar, rosemary, salt, and Parmesan into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse just until a soft dough forms; the dough should hold together when squeezed with your hands. If not, add the water and pulse until combined.
• Spread a large sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface and transfer the dough onto it. Using the plastic wrap as a guide, form the dough into a loose log along 1 edge of the long side of the sheet. Roll the dough log, twisting the plastic gathered at the ends in opposite directions until the log is tight and compact, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Slice the dough log into 1/3-inch thick slices and arrange on the lined sheets, about 1-inch apart. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 12 to 14 minutes.
• Cool the shortbread on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store the shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve.

SHORTBREAD WITH SALT

Steps:

• In a heavy-duty stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar, about 30 seconds. Mix in the lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup flour until combined. Add the remaining flour and mix on low speed just until the dough begins to come together. Move the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pull the dough together into a ball with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Roll the dough into an 8 by 8-inch square, about 1/3-inch thick. Cut the dough into 16 (2-inch) squares and sprinkle them with salt.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly space the little squares on the paper. Bake until light golden brown on the edges, 50 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet. Serve at room temperature.

ROSEMARY AND PARMESAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cream together butter, parmesan and sugar at med. speed in bowl of electric mixer. Scrape down contents.
• Mix together flour, cornmeal, salt and rosemary in a bowl. Add to the creamed mixture, a little at a time.
• Remove dough from bowl and form into a log approximately 9 inches long. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
• Cut log into slices slightly wider than 1/4 inch. Place on parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake in pre-heated oven for 13-15 minutes or until shortbread turns faintly brown on top and light brown on bottom. Remove from oven. Cool shortbread on wire rack.
• Makes 32 slices of shortbread. May be wrapped in heavy duty foil and frozen for 1 month. To serve, spread frozen shortbread on a baking sheet. Warm in a 325 degree oven for 5 minutes.

FENNEL WITH WINE AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Heat the margarine or oil in a wide non-stick pan.
• Roast fennel (max heat) slices until light brown.
• Reduce the heat to medium (in my case it needed about 10 minutes).
• Add salt, pepper and wine.
• Stir once and cover (medium-low heat).
• Continue to cook until soft for about 10 minutes. If necessary add more wine or some water.
• Adjust salt and pepper.
• Now you have two possibilities (A and B).
• A) Top with parmesan and continue to cook until parmesan melts (easiest and fast version).
• B) Transfer fennel to a baking mold, top with parmesan and broil under grill shortly until parmesan changes color (beautiful and tasty). Don't burn it.
• Serve warm as side dish.
• Note: Small portions on a buffet woud be very cute as well. Reserve some fennel as decoration!