Walnuts And Blue Cheese Stuffed Brie Food

GIANT BAKED BRIE WITH APRICOTS AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the thyme, season lightly with salt and toss. Stir in the brandy and remove from the heat. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the dried apricots and preserves. Let cool to room temperature.
• Place the Brie on the center of the prepared baking sheet and cut off the rind on top. Spread the apricot compote evenly over the top of the Brie.
• Unroll the puff pastry sheets on a floured work surface. Brush a 2-inch strip down the long edge of one sheet with the egg and line up the second sheet with the first, overlapping the edge brushed with egg so that the two stick together. Flour the pastry well and roll with a floured rolling pin to make a 14-inch square. Trim the corners from the pastry to make a circle (you want to make the largest circle possible). Reserve the trimmings. Transfer the pastry to the baking sheet and cover the Brie. Tuck the edges underneath the Brie.
• Reroll the pastry scraps and cut out five or six 2-inch leaf shapes, then score them with the back of a butter knife to create simple veins in the leaf. Brush the pastry-wrapped Brie with the egg. Arrange the leaves decoratively on top of the Brie and brush with the egg.
• Bake the brie until the pastry is puffed and deep golden, about 40 minutes. Let stand about 20 minutes before serving with apple and pear slices and crackers.

BLUE CHEESE STUFFED WALNUTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat the first six ingredients until blended. Shape into 1/2-in. balls. Place each between 2 walnut halves; gently press together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

WALNUTS AND BLUE CHEESE STUFFED BRIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut brie in half horizontally.
• Mix together the nuts, cheese, parsley and chives.
• Sprinkle evenly over the bottom half of the brie, cover with the top half.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Serve with crackers.

WALNUT AND BLUE CHEESE "WEDGE"

Steps:

• Glazed Walnuts: Preheat oven to 350°F Line a small baking pan with parchment paper. Combine oil and honey in small bowl. Add walnuts; toss to coat. Transfer to prepared baking pan; bake 12-14 minutes, stirring halfway through baking time. Remove from oven, Cool completely.
• Dressing: Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl. Reserve 6 tablespoons of the blue cheese, stir in remaining cheese.
• Place each wedge of lettuce onto a plate. Drizzle with dressing, reserved blue cheese, cranberries and glazed walnuts. Serve immediately.
• Note: If dressing thickens after refrigeration, thin down with a little milk.

BAKED STUFFED BRIE WITH CRANBERRIES & WALNUTS

Steps:

• Score the side of a wheel of brie all the way around with a sharp paring knife. Cut directly on the "equator" through the rind. Using a long piece of string or dental floss, wrap the string around the brie on the newly made cut. Loop one end of the string over the other (a half knot). Then pulling the ends of the string in opposite directions, cut the brie in half.
• Press the dried cranberries on one cut side of the brie, and the walnuts on the other. Quickly put the 2 sides back together with the cranberries on top of the walnuts. Press together and stuff back in any cranberries or walnuts that fell out.
• Roll out a thawed sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Place brie in center of pastry. Gently pull up edges to ensure you have enough dough to entirely wrap the brie. You can trim off the corners if there is too much dough. Brush the dough with the egg wash. Fold one edge of the dough over the brie and then the opposite side. Fold over the remaining edges and complexly encase the brie. You can trim off excess pieces of dough, if necessary. Flip the brie over so the seam is at the bottom; gently press in the sides to snug the dough against the brie. Brush the top and sides of the wrapped brie with egg wash.
• If you choose to decorate the brie with cut-out shapes of additional puff pastry, use very cold (almost still frozen) dough to ensure sharp lines. Lightly brush the decorative pieces with egg wash. Place the brie in the freezer for one hour (this is a crucial step; see note below).
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the brie on the prepared baking sheet. Bake on the center rack in preheated oven until it is browned and leaking cheese, about 20 minutes. (Only rarely does the brie not leak through, but 20 to 25 minutes is about how long it takes to melt the cheese and brown the pastry.)

BLUE CHEESE WALNUT TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush one side of each slice of bread with melted butter, and place butter side up on a baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
• In a small bowl, stir together the blue cheese, softened butter, salt and pepper. Spread this mixture over the tops of the toasted bread slices, then sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
• Bake for 6 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the topping is melted and bubbly. Arrange on a serving tray and garnish with chopped parlsley.