½ to 1 cup cream or milk of choice
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté leeks and fennel until golden, approximately 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and parsley. Brush an 8 x 12 inch, 2 inch deep baking pan with olive oil. Arrange potato slices in baking dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese and evenly spread leek mixture over cheese and potatoes. Sprinkle remaining cheese and drizzle with cream. Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden on top and potatoes are completely cooked. Serve hot and enjoy.
3- 15oz. cans black beans, drained
1 c. canned, corn kernels
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup diced, fresh tomatoes
½ cup diced, red pepper
½ cup diced, green bell pepper
1 cup minced, red onion
½ cup minced, fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lime
1 tsp. Jalapenos, minced
Salt & freshly ground pepper
1 fresh avocado, sliced
2 Tbs. Bellwether Farms Crème Fraiche
½ cup diced Bellwether Farms Carmody Cheese
In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with Avocado slices and Crème Fraiche.
This is a simple, fun party dish with Mexican roots - literally a Mexican “fondue”. It can be made either in a single large oven proof dish and served family style or in individual dishes. I like to use the simple Mexican glazed earthenware dishes, which really show off the colorful FUNDIDO.
2 medium poblano peppers
1 large red bell pepper
1 medium red onion, peeled and quartered
1 or 2 serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded
4 tomatillos, husks removed and cut in half
2 medium size ripe roma tomatoes
8 ounces Bellwether Farms Carmody
¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Black bean salsa (recipe below)
Garnish: Slices of avocado, cilantro sprigs and crisp tortilla chips
Char the peppers over a gas flame or under a hot broiler and then scrape off the blackened skin (do not wash). Remove and discard the seeds and stems and cut into large dice and set aside. Grill or roast the onion, Serrano chile and tomatillos until lightly colored and chop coarsely. Remove core and seeds from tomatoes and cut into small dice. Arrange half the sliced cheese in the bottom of 4 individual earthenware dishes and scatter all of the vegetables on top. Sprinkle half the cilantro over this and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place remaining cheese over all and top with remaining cilantro. This can all be done up to a day ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve.
¼ cup each finely diced red, yellow and green bell peppers
1 ½ cups cooked black beans
½ cup finely diced onion
2 teaspoons minced jalapeno (or to taste)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
⅓ cup chopped roma tomato
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Drops of honey, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Blanch the bell peppers in lightly salted boiling water for 5 seconds. Plunge into cold water to stop cooking and drain. Combine rest of ingredients and refrigerate. Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
½ pound smoked salmon, sliced
7.5 ounces of Bellwether Farms Crème Fraîche
1 bunch chives, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground pepper
juice of half a lemon
Mix all ingredients (except salmon) in a bowl. Assemble slices of smoked salmon on thin toast or crackers. Spoon chive Crème Fraîche over salmon. Salmon and Crème Fraîche are a sensational pair and should be enjoyed with a rich Chardonnay.
Simple and elegant! Mangoes being what they are, exact proportions have to be dictated by the amount of fruit at hand—but the concept is clear. Choose soft, ripe fruit. Cut open and remove the flesh and divide it into little bowls. Drizzle each portion with a squeeze of fresh orange or lime juice. Gently sweeten a nice amount of crème fraîche with powdered sugar and stir in a little freshly grated lime peel. Top each portion of fruit with a dollop and enjoy!
This recipe is also terrific with small sweet tangerines, figs or kiwis.
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 eight-ounce containers crème Fraiche
¼ cup glucose
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
pinch of coarse salt
In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water, and bring to a boil; remove from heat. Refrigerate for at least an hour or until chilled. In a large bowl, whisk together crème Fraiche, glucose, vanilla-seed scrapings (reserving bean for another use), and salt. Slowly add the chilled syrup, and stir to combine. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.
1 CUP Mascarpone
½ cup Crème Fraiche
¼ cup sugar
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract (to taste)
Combine mascarpone and crème Fraiche in a bowl and mix until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and whip with electric mixer for 4 – 5 minutes until you have stiff peaks. Peaks are judged when you turn the beaters upside down and look at how the mixture forms on the beaters. It should be well formed into a peak with a slight curve to it.
Serves 4-6 in sorbet cups top with your favorite berries.
Mix the sugar and salt together. Lay the salmon in a glass or on a platter. Pour Chardonnay over salmon ans sprinkle with crushed peppercorns. Place the chives over the salmon. Then completely cover the salmon with the sugar and the salt mixture. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and plavce in the refrigerator for at least tow days. Then remove the salmon from the refrigerator, wash the fish with water to remove the curing mix and pat dry. Slice the salmon free from the skin, as thinly as possible.
Unusual as it may sound this Red Wine Ice Cream is a delicious ending to any holiday meal.
2 bottles full-bodied red wine, like a cabernet sauvignon
2 cinnamon sticks
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 cups milk
1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ Teaspoon vanilla extract
Pour wine into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Add cinnamon sticks and peppercorns. (This should take about one hour.) In a large pan, bring the milk, cream and half of the sugar to a boil and run off heat. In a bowl whisk together yolks and remaining sugar. Temper the yolks into the boiling milk by gradually whisking about 1 cup of milk into the yolks and adding this back into the pot with the remaining milk. Stir in the salt and the vanilla. Whisk in the reduced wine. Set pan over a bowl full of ice to cool. Pour the chilled ice cream base through a fine mesh strainer. Process the base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze at least 2 hours before serving.
This rich potato cheese mixture is a wonderful medley of flavorful Gruyere cheese, cream, and a light touch of aromatics. It makes for a satisfying side dish or winter lunch with a hearty salad.
1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half
3 tbs. unsalted butter
1 large slice of onion
salt
white pepper
2 ½ pounds peeled and thinly sliced potatoes
2 cups Bellwether Farms crème fraîche
1 ½ cups Gruyere cheese
Rub the side of a 2 quart gratin dish with the cut side of the garlic cloves and enough butter to grease the sides and bottom. Blanch the potatoes with the onion slices and salt for 5 minutes. Drain and discard the onion half. Spread half of the potatoes in the gratin dish. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with half of the crème fraîche and half of the cheese. Place the remaining potatoes on top, then cover with the rest of the crème fraîche and cheese. Dot with the remaining butter.
Bake at 425 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until the top is browned.
¼ cup lime juice, fresh
3 tbs. green onion, minced
Salt & freshly ground pepper
2 lb. shrimp, small or medium
2/3 cup Bellwether Farms crème fraîche
3 tbs. capers
Lettuce leaves
Lime slices, thinly slices
1 tbs. green onion tops, minced
7.5 ounces crème fraîche
*Note: Shrimp should be shelled and deveined.
Combine lime juice, 3 tablespoons green onion, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Mix in shrimp. Cover and refrigerate until shrimp turn opaque, stirring occasionally, at least 6 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)
Drain shrimp thoroughly, discarding marinade. Fold in crème fraîche and capers. Arrange lettuce on plates or scallop shells. Top with shrimp. Garnish with lime slices and 1 tablespoon green onion. Serve immediately.
3 medium Bosc pears, peeled, cored, halved
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp. apple pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (7.5 oz.) tub Bellwether Farms crème fraîche
2 tbs. sliced almonds, toasted (optional)
Place pear halves, cut side down, on cutting board. Starting about 1/2" from stem end, make 7 lengthwise cuts in each half, cutting to the bottom. Arrange pear halves, cut side down, in 11" x 7" baking dish. In small saucepan, combine next 4 ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Pour sugar mixture over pears.
Bake, covered, in a preheated 350 degree oven until pears are tender (40-45 min.). Baste pears with sauce. To Serve: Stir crème fraîche; spread 2 tbs. onto one half of each dessert plate; spoon 1 tbs. sauce from pears on the other side. With slotted spoon, place pear half in center of each plate; garnish with almonds, if desired. Serve immediately.
½ cup milk
7 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 large egg yolk
7.5 ounces Bellwether Farms crème fraîche
Lightly whip egg yolk with the crème fraîche and set aside. Bring milk to a boil, stirring continuously. Turn off heat and add chocolate to milk. Stir mixture until chocolate is completely melted. Slowly add egg and crème fraîche mixture to chocolate mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. Place chocolate mix in 9-inch pastry shell and place in preheated oven at 325° oven for 25 minutes.
Remove tart from oven and cool to room temperature. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.
1 tsp. vegetable oil
12 large sea scallops, cut horizontally into 2 rounds
¼ cup Bellwether Farms crème fraîche
½ ounce caviar
4 fresh chives, cut into 1-inch lengths
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Cook scallops until golden on bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn over; saute until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Cool to room temperature.
Top each scallop with ½ teaspoon crème fraîche. Top with caviar. Garnish with chives and serve.
The Topping:
• 1/2 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
The Cake:
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup crème fraiche
• 1 1/2 teaspoons maple extract (vanilla can be substituted)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9 or 10-inch pan; dust with flour. Mix first 3 ingredients in small bowl; set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda into medium bowl. In a mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Mix the crème fraiche and maple extract together then add to mixer. Add flour mixture and mix until blended. Spoon half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle half of brown sugar mixture over and swirl gently into batter, using small knife. Spoon remaining batter over and sprinkle remaining brown sugar mixture over the top.
Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn out cake onto rack and cool completely. Wrap or cover and store at room temperature.
Thinly slice a baguette. Drizzle olive oil on each piece of baguette and spread Crescenza over each piece. Lightly toast. Mix together chopped tomatoes and basil and spoon over toast.
2 sweet Italian Sausages
2 large leeks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup butter, unsalted
1 teaspoon shallot mined
1 cup chicken stock
salt & pepper to taste
1 pound tagliatelle pasta
½ pound Crescenza (approx. 4"x4")
½ cup grated aged parmigiano
Prepare water for pasta and cook pasta until al dente. While waiting for water to boil grill sausages, slice thin and set aside. Discard the top 1/3 of the green portion of the leeks. Slice the remainder into 1/2" thick rounds and rinse thoroughly. Heat the oil in large skillet. Add the leeks and saute until softened about 5 minutes. Add the sausages and the shallots and cook 1 minute. Add butter and stock, reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Cook and drain pasta and return pasta to pot, add the leek sauce and toss well.
Add the Crescenza and let melt throughout the pasta (replace lid of pot and let Crescenza melt for a few minutes). Add grated cheese and serve.
2 oz. cubed Bellwether Farms Crescenza Cheese
1 large tablespoon apple peach compote (recipe to follow)
4 Blackberries
½ fig – 2-3 nice sliced circles
1 tablespoon honey
3-4 julienne lemon zest
1 nice sprig of mint
Cheese on plate. Compote over the center of the cheese. Blackberries lined along compote. Sliced fig somewhere that looks good. Honey drizzled over all that stuff. Lemon zest on top of cheese. Mint in a good spot.
This recipe uses a wonderful cheese made by Bellwether Farms in Northern California, called Crescenza. It is a soft ripening cheese that has a rich buttery flavor with a bit of tartness. It’s a great “melter” and delicious both young and with some age. This is a wonderful non-meat entrée that also brings together both hot and cold elements in the same dish - a combination that I don’t think we use enough in American cooking. Stacks can be assembled an hour or two ahead.
12 fingerling or creamer potatoes, 2 ½ - 3 ounces each
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large Portabella mushrooms (1 pound total)
6 ounces Crescenza
2 cups lightly packed young peppery greens such as watercress, upland cress and/or arugula
Rice vinegar – Sesame Vinaigrette
Garnish: Tiny diced red and yellow peppers which have been briefly blanched and basil oil.
Scrub potatoes well, pat dry and then coat with olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Roast potatoes in a preheated 375° oven for 15-20 minutes or until just cooked through. Cool and quarter lengthwise.
Remove stem and scrape black gills from the portabellas. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill. Pan griil or roast until just cooked through. Cool and slice each mushroom into 12 thick slices.
To construct a stack lightly oil a baking sheet and arrange 4 quarters of potato intersperced with 3 slices of mushroom side by side in the same direction. Top with half ounce or so of the cheese and then arrange another layer at right angles to the first. Finish with a top layer of potatoes and a dollop of cheese. Constuct 3 more stacks in the same manner. When ready to serve place baking sheet in a preheated 400° oven for 6 to 8 minutes to heat vegetables through and to barely melt the cheese. While vegetables are heating toss the greens with the vinaigrette. Place a stack on a heated plate and top with a quarter of the dressed greens. Scatter the diced peppers around and drizzle the plate with the basil oil. Serve immediately.
(Thanks to Lynn Sheehan, Executive Chef from Mecca)
2 bunches asparagus, medium to large thickness
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt, black pepper to taste
¼ Crescenza cheese, locally from Bellwether Farms
Salt, black pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3 Tablespoons white truffle oil
Salt, black pepper to taste
Pinch sugar
1 Shallot, minced
Trim ends of asparagus, peeling remaining stem if it seems fibrous. Dress with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Grill until tender, but be careful not to char the tips overmuch.
Truffle vinaigrette can be prepared in advance by whisking lemon juice with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar to taste, then whisking in truffle oil. Stir in minced shallot; set dressing aside.
To plate salad, arrange warm asparagus on plates, ends together and tips flared. Slice crescenza cheese, and drape slices over asparagus stems. If asparagus is still warm, it will soften and melt the cheese. If not plates can be slipped into a warm oven briefly to accomplish the same result. Drizzle cheese and asparagus with truffle vinaigrette and serve immediately. Serves 6
Mix in bowl:
8 oz. Fromage Blanc
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons grated parmesan, romano, or dry jack cheese
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (chives, tarragon, or basil)
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Core four medium-sized ripe tomatoes and fill with above mixture.
Bake uncovered for approximately 15 minutes at 375°.
1 cup Zinfandel wine
2 ½ cups water
1 cup sugar
2 pints strawberries
In a saucepan, simmer wine, water and sugar over medium heat until sugar is melted and mixture develops a syrup-like consistency. Remove from heat and chill until very cold.
Slice the berries into a large bowl. Pour chilled syrup over the berries and let the fruit sit for a few hours. Spoon strawberries onto dessert plates with enough syrup to cover. Spoon oval shapes of Fromage Blanc on top of the fruit.
Filling
7.5 oz. Bellwether Farms Fromage Blanc
1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons water
Garnish
2 pint baskets strawberries
2/3 cup whipping cream
10 sprigs fresh mint
Grease 10 muffin cups. To prepare crust, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in graham cracker crumbs. Press mixture into bottoms of greased muffin cups. Set aside. To prepare filling, beat Fromage Blanc, yogurt, egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Combine gelatin with water in a small saucepan. Simmer until gelatin is completely dissolved; stir into cheese mixture. Spoon filling into prepared crusts. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or until set. Remove cheesecakes from cups. To garnish, slice strawberries and arrange on cheesecakes. Whip cream until stiff. Put a dollop on top of each cake and top with a sprig of mint.
2 chicken breasts, boned and skinned
2 tablespoons Dijon or stone-ground mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons minced mixed fresh herbs (such as tarragon, thyme, chives and parsley)
6 drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
3 ounces Bellwether Farms Fromage Blanc
Place the chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish or pan. Mix together the mustard, lemon juice, and herbs, and spread over all sides of the chicken; let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Mix the coarsely chopped tomatoes and Fromage Blanc and set aside. Preheat the oven at 375 degrees. Bake the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes, or until opaque throughout. Spoon the cheese mixture onto the chicken the last few minutes, just to heat through.
2 Cups Bellwether Farms Fromage Blanc
1/3 Cup Sonoma Tomato Tapanade
1/3 Cups Pesto
Chopped parsley or chives
Line a 2 cup mold with cheese cloth. Press 1/3 of the cheese into mold. Cover with a layer of Tomato Tapanade. Add another 1/3 of the cheese. Cover with Pesto. Add remaining cheese.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or longer. Once chilled, turn out onto a plate and sprinkle with parsley or chives.
5 slices bacon
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 bunch asparagus (cut into 1" pieces)
1/2 lb. puff pastry (defrosted)
7.5 ounces of Bellwether Farms Fromage Blanc
Salt and pepper
1 large egg yolk mixed with 1/2 tsp. Water
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a medium frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the shallots to the pan and saute for about 1 minute. Add the asparagus and cook over medium-high heat until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Crumble the bacon into tiny pieces and mix it with the asparagus and shallot mix.
On a lightly floured piece of kitchen parchment, roll out the pastry to a 10 x 16 inch rectangle. Transfer the pastry and the parchment to a baking sheet.
Using your fingers, pat the fromage blanc onto the pastry, spreading it as evenly as you can and leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle the asparagus, bacon and shallot mixture evenly over the fromage blanc. Season with salt and pepper.
Brush the edge of the tart with the egg wash. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve warm.
3 Bosc pears, peeled, cut in half and cored
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. pure olive oil
6 oz. Bellwether Farms Pepato Cheese, cut into 12 wedges
1 Head Radicchio, shredded and washed
Aged Balsamic Vinegar
Honey Walnut Dressing: 1 C. Walnut pieces, toasted lightly
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 C. honey
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. pure olive oil
1 tsp. dijon mustard
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450
Toss the pear halves in sugar and olive oil and place on baking sheet.
Bake 25 minutes, or until pears are golden brown. Set aside until ready to make salad.
Combine walnuts, honey and marjoram with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Whisk together red wine vinegar with dijon and 3 Tbsp. olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
Assemble salad: Toss radicchio with the red wine vinaigrette and divide among 6 plates. Slice warm pears and fan out over radicchio. Place two slice of Pepato on each plate. Spoon honey walnut dressing over pears and cheese. Drizzle each plate with aged balsamic vinegar.
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