Tag Archives: gorgonzola

Savory Gorgonzola Cheesecake is the Star of the Party

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When my husband and I hosted an annual supper last week for his freshman class at Amherst College, I served a familiar menu, one I’ve cooked for more than a decade. A vegetarian dish of rigatoni tossed in a spicy tomato sauce again anchored the meal partnered by a mixed greens salad and warm crusty bread. As usual, for dessert I set out a bowl of fresh berries and fruit along with several chocolate treats, including a chocolate caramel cake and chocolate almond shortbreads. When it came to appetizers, though, I decided to try a new opener—a savory Gorgonzola cheesecake garnished with apple wedges, toasted croutons, grapes, and some fig jam.

Right before the young people arrived, I had a moment of panic. What if this new cheesecake offered as an opener rather than a dessert was a flop. What if the students were not adventurous eaters and the dish was untouched. Fortunately, I didn’t have to worry long! From the moment the group gathered around our coffee table in front of a Continue reading →

Cooking Deliciously for Two!

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Bow Ties with Brussels Sprouts, Gorgonzola, and HazelnutsMy good friend and fellow author, Carla Snyder, has the answer for empty nesters who are bored with their everyday fare and in search of new ideas for weeknight meals. Worry no more! In her new book, One Pan, Two Plates:Vegetarian Suppers, Carla has assembled a collection of irresistible main courses crafted to serve just two! As I thumbed through the book, I found myself turning down page after page. Should I make the Mushrooms with Polenta and Taleggio? Or, what about that Moroccan Chickpea Stew, or those Latkes with Rutabaga, Rapini, and Parmesan? So many tempting possibilities!

In the end I chose Bow Ties with Brussels Sprouts, Gorgonzola, and Hazelnuts, and One Pan, Two Plates Vegetarian Suppers coverwasn’t disappointed, and nor was my husband. He raved about his bowl of pasta with verdant pops of color from Brussels sprouts and plenty of crunch provided by toasted hazelnuts. But, it was the simple Gorgonzola sauce that won him over—a prefect foil for the bow ties and the Brussels sprouts. This dish took only half an hour from start to finish, but looked and tasted as if much more time was required.

If you’re cooking for more than two, you can easily double this recipe so that it feeds four. I like it so much I’m thinking of increasing the recipe and serving it to company! Continue reading →

Last-Minute Entertaining in Paris!

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Summer Cherry and Cheese Tartines 3 My husband never met a stranger and is prone to issuing last-minute invitations to our house for drinks and appetizers. That was why it was not surprising that only one day after we arrived in Paris last week—still in full jet lag mode—I found myself scrambling to make hors d’oeuvres and buying rosé to serve friends passing through the City of Light.

A new recipe I had tried on the other side of the Atlantic turned out to be the pièce de résistance of our impromptu get together. I brushed baguette slices with olive oil, toasted them quickly in the oven, and then spread then with some creamy Gorgonzola. However, it was the cooked sweet and tart cherries that I spooned on top that gave these nibbles their dazzle. Continue reading →

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola, Walnuts, and Rosemary

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Years ago when my husband and I were newly married, we were invited to dinner one night by another young couple, both of whom were Italian. Although the entire meal was delicious, the dish I remember best was their gnocchi made with farina. Gnocchi (Italian for dumplings) can be prepared with potatoes, flour, or farina, and are usually enriched with eggs and cheese. Today, flour-based gnocchi are fashionably popular, but farina ones have long been my favorite. These gnocchi, garnished with crumbled gorgonzola, chopped walnuts, and minced fresh rosemary can be assembled ahead and served as a first course or a side dish.
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