Friday, January 20, 2012

French Recipe: Roasted Goat Cheese with Honey and Thyme (APP)











French Recipe: Roasted Goat Cheese with Honey and Thyme (APP)


This roasted goat cheese with honey and thyme recipe is a great appetizer. Petite wedges of cheese are roasted golden brown, drizzled with honey, and then sprinkled with thyme and ground black pepper. The sweet honey and fresh thyme nicely offset the sharp taste of goat
cheese. Serve these alone or with balsamic-drizzled fresh berries as a garnish.

FRENCH RECIPE INGREDIENTS

* 6 ounces Bonde de Gatine cheese (substitute sharp goat cheese or Feta)
* 6 tablespoons honey
* 3 teaspoons chopped, fresh thyme
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

FRENCH RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat a broiler. Slice the cheese in half lengthwise, and then crosswise into 6 pieces (you will have a total of 12 slices) and then arrange them on a very lightly greased baking sheet. Roast the cheese under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it just begins to turn light, golden brown.

Transfer the roasted cheese to individual serving dishes. Garnish each piece of cheese with 1 1/2 teaspoons of honey, 1/4 teaspoon of fresh thyme, and a pinch of black pepper. Serve immediately.

This roasted goat cheese with honey and thyme recipe makes 12 small servings.Enjoy the French recipe...!
french-recipe-spicy-cheese-rounds.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

French Tomato Tarte Tatin Recipe (APP)










French Tomato Tarte Tatin Recipe
(APP)

This amazing tomato tarte Tatin is welcome twist to appetizer trays at a cocktail party. Serve it as a first course with red wine, or with mixed greens with pears and blue cheese as a light lunch with white wine.

FRENCH RECIPES INGREDIENTS

* 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
* 2 pounds plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise (substitute any low-seed variety)
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
* 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh, chopped parsley
* 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh, crushed rosemary
* 1 tablespoon oil or butter, for greasing ramekins
* Special equipment:
* 4 non-reactive, 3- to 4-inch baking ramekins or individual tart pans

FRENCH RECIPES INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Working on a clean surface, roll the puff pastry dough into 4 5-inch circles and chill.Season the tomatoes with the salt and pepper and set aside. Sprinkle the sugar into a large, ovenproof skillet set over medium heat. Shake the pan occasionally to move the sugar until it melts and turns light golden brown. Deglaze the pan with the red wine vinegar, scraping up the caramel from the bottom of the skillet. Once the caramel is incorporated into the vinegar, remove the skillet from the heat.

Stir the olive oil, garlic, parsley, and rosemary into the caramel and pack the tomatoes into the skillet. Bake the tomatoes, uncovered, for 2 hours. The tomatoes are done when they are slightly shrunken with wrinkled skin.

Raise the oven temperature to 400F. Grease the individual tart pans with 1 tablespoon oil. Using a slotted spoon to drain any excess juice, transfer the tomatoes into the greased tart pans. Fit the chilled pastry circles onto the pans and press the edges of the dough tightly down the inside of the pan, between the tomatoes and sides of the pans.

Place the individual tarts on a baking sheet and bake them for 12 to 18 minutes. The tarts are finished when the dough has puffed up and turned light golden brown.This tomato tarte Tatin recipe makes 4 individual servings.