Stilton And Walnut Crackers Food

BLUE CHEESE AND WALNUT CRACKERS

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and Stilton together for 1 minute, or until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour, salt and pepper and mix until it's in large crumbles, about 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon of water and mix until combined.
• Dump the dough onto a floured board, press it into a ball, and roll into a 12-inch long log. Brush the log completely with the egg wash. Spread the walnuts in a square on a cutting board and roll the log back and forth in the walnuts, pressing lightly, and distributing them evenly on the outside of the log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 4 days.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the log 3/8ths-inch thick with a small, sharp knife and place the crackers on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 22 minutes until very lightly browned. Rotate the pan once during baking. Cool and serve at room temperature.

POTTED STILTON WITH PORT AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• To make the potted Stilton, simply mash the Stilton in a bowl, add the softened butter, the mace and port and continue to stir together well.
• (Traditional potted cheese recipes tend to use unclarified butter, presumably because cheese, especially when it is aided by alcohol, needs less protection from spoilage than meat.).
• Pack into ramekins or an attractive ceramic pot/s. Melt a little butter and pour over the top of the cheese to form a thin seal.
• Scatter the walnuts over the top & press them in slightly, then leave it to set.
• Refrigerate for up to a week. Serve after dinner with crackers or hot, toasted rye bread, with a ripe pear alongside. Alternatively, try as a sandwich filling on wholemeal bread, augmented by plenty of crisp salad leaves to cut through the richness of this delicious potted cheese!

BLUE-CHEESE-PECAN ICEBOX CRACKERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool. Transfer the pecans to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
• Add the flour to the ground pecans, pulse briefly to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cheese and process until the dough comes together and is well combined.
• Transfer dough to a clean work surface. Shape the dough into a 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Wrap the log with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Slice the well-chilled log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer slices to a baking sheet and bake immediately, rotating the sheet halfway through cooking, until the crackers are golden brown and firm in the center, 25 to 35 minutes. (The crackers should not get too dark around the edges.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool. The crackers may be made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.