Best Port And Blue Cheese Recipes

BLUE CHEESE, PORT, AND WALNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• In a food processor blend together the cheese, the butter, and the Port until the mixture is smooth and in a bowl combine well the cheese mixture and the walnuts. Transfer the spread to crocks or ramekins. The spread keeps, covered and chilled, for 3 weeks. Serve the spread with crackers.

BLUE CHEESE, PORT, AND WALNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• In a food processor blend together cheese, butter, and port until the mixture is smooth. In a bowl, combine the cheese mix and the walnuts. Transfer the spread to a crock. Chill.

SPINACH SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE, SPICED WALNUTS, PEARS, AND PORT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• FOR SPICED WALNUTS: Preheat oven to 300. Line baking sheet with foil. Spray foil lightly with nonstick spray. Whisk egg white and next 7 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add walnuts and toss to coat well. Spread walnuts in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake until walnuts are dry, about 14 minutes. Cool walnuts completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.) FOR SALAD: Bring Port, sugar, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar melts. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pears; cover and simmer until tender when pierced with knife, turning pears every 5 minutes, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Let cool uncovered 20 minutes, turning pears once. Refrigerate pan uncovered until pears are chilled, turning every 1/2 hour, about 1 1/2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.) Remove pears from poaching liquid; reserve liquid. Cut pears lengthwise into quarters and core. Cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Set pear slices aside. Boil 1/2 cup pear poaching liquid, shallots, and garlic in small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and cool to room temperature. Whisk in vinegar and mustard. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange pear slices around edges of 4 plates. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese between pear slices. Toss spinach and 1/2 cup dressing in large bowl to coat; mound in center of plates. Serve, passing remaining dressing separately.

FRISEE SALAD WITH PEARS, BLUE CHEESE, AND PORT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Simmer the Port in a small saucepan until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Let cool, then whisk in the red wine vinegar, shallot, salt and pepper, to taste. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.
• In a large bowl, toss the frisee, radicchio, and pear. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Drizzle with the dressing; you probably won't use it all. Using the medium holes of a box grater, shave the blue cheese in a fine snow-like shower over the salads. Scatter the walnuts on top and serve immediately.

DANISH BLUE CHEESE AND PORT SPREAD

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except walnuts in food processor. Process, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides, until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
• Refrigerate, covered, up to 2 weeks.
• Remove from the refrigerator about 1 hour before serving and stir in the walnuts when softened.
• (You may add the nuts right away if you're serving the spread within a few hours).
• Serve with bread, crackers or in pastry tartlets.

CAMEMBERT WITH BLUE CHEESE, FIGS AND PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• Brush Camembert on all sides with egg, then coat with breadcrumbs. Place on foil-lined plate and cover.
• Bring Port to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add figs; simmer until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer figs to small bowl. Add sugar to Port in pan; boil until reduced to thick syrup, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Pour syrup over figs. (Cheese and figs can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Refrigerate cheese. Let figs stand at room temperature.)
• Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add Camembert and cook until breadcrumbs are brown and cheese is warm, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter. Top with blue cheese, figs and syrup. Sprinkle with chives and surround with toasts.

BEEF TENDERLOIN STEAKS WITH PORT REDUCTION AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steaks with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; coat steaks with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steaks from pan; keep warm. Add port, cranberry sauce, broth, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and garlic to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat, and cook until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup (about 4 minutes). Serve steaks with sauce; top with cheese.

PEAR, PORT, WALNUT, AND BLUE CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees. 2. To make the glaze: In a small saucepan, mix together the port and cornstarch. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking continuously, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and cool. Set aside. 3. To make and fill the pie: Line a 9-inch pie pan with one of the pastry crusts, and set aside. Place the sliced pears in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and flour then sprinkle over the pears. Mix to coat the pears well. Place half of the pear filling into pastry-lined pie pan. Scatter evenly with the walnuts then layer in the remaining pears. Drizzle the filling evenly with the glaze, then scatter the crumbled blue cheese over the filling. 4. Top the pie with the second crust. Seal and flute the edges with your fingertips. Make several slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. For a pretty top, brush the crust lightly with milk and then sprinkle lightly with coarse sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes more, or until the crust is golden and the filling is cooked through.

SPINACH SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE, SPICED WALNUTS, PEARS AND PORT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Bring Port, sugar, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar melts. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pears, cover and simmer until tender when pierced with knife, turning pears every 5 minutes, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Let cool uncovered 20 minutes, turning pears once. Refrigerate pan uncovered until pears are chilled, turning every ½ hour, for about 1 ½ hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.) Remove pears from poaching liquid: reserve liquid. Cut pears lengthwise into quarters and core. Cut lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices. Set pear slices aside. Boil ½ cup pear poaching liquid, shallots, and garlic in small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium, bowl and cool to room temperature. Whisk in vinegar and mustard. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange pears slices around edges of 4 plates. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese between pear slices. Toss spinach and ½ cup dressing in large bowl to coat; mound in center of plates. Sprinkle with walnuts. Serve, passing remaining dressing separately.

PORT AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• In a deep saucepan combine the wine, Port, sugar, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sugar is melted. Simmer the pears for 10 to 20 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Remove the pears and boil the poaching liquid until it has reduced to a syrupy glaze. Stuff the pears with the cheese.
• Pour 3 tablespoons of glaze on each plate and tilt the plate to form an abstract design. Place one pear, stem end up, on each plate. Garnish with mint sprigs.
• Suggested drink: Port